Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Newbie needs help with sub-woofer crossover set up

Hello to all and thanks for all of your comments on the forum. They have been extremely helpful to me in making my decision as to what to purchase for my Home Theater

This is my first post and I am a newbie audiophile. I have just purchased the following set up (actually I have had it for about 3 weeks):
-Yamaha RX-V1500
-Five M2i's Bookshelve speakers
-VP100 Center Speaker
-EP125 as the sub-woofer
-42" Sony Wega LCD projection TV
-Panasonic F87 Five disc DVD.
-BlueJeans Cables
-Belden Speaker Wire 12 gauge

I chose the speaker set up based on the Home Theater Wizard using the following criteria:
-Classical/Jazz/Pop/Country Music listener
-7.1 surround
-Action /Adventure / Romance /Comedy movies
-Listening area is 2,160 cu. ft (15 X 18 X 8)
-The receiver puts out approx. 120 watts to 8 ohm speakers
-Budget was 1200 - 1500(For the speakers) USD

The front speakers are 7' apart with the center speaker in the middle. They are about three feet above the TV (the center of the speakers are about 5' above the listeners ears. The side surrounds and the back surrounds are about 5 1/2' above the listeners ears. The side surrounds are 14 - 15 feet directly across one another and about 3 feet ahead of the sofa. The back surround speakers are about 10' directly accross one another and are about 3' behind the sofa. I have followed Ian's advice on sub-woofer placement and have the sub in the southwest corner about 11' feet from the couch . The last thing I did was use the Yamaha YPAO set to flat to optimize the speakers.
So far I am more than pleased with the set up and I have been bragging to everyone who will listen (and those who won't) about the clarity, presence, accuracy, quality build, and value of the Axiom speakers (I just can't stop telling people how awesome they are!!!!).

What I need help in setting up is that I cannot for the life of me get a smooth cross-over from the M2i's to the EP125 sub-woofer. It is like I get great clarity from the M2i's and then all of a sudden the EP125 Sub-woofer kicks in.

Here is the set up in the house:
I have the crossover set at 80 Hz.
The house has a lot of reflective surfaces:
-Fire Place painted in white semi-gloss (about 60 sq. ft.)
-90 sq. ft glass sliding door
-Wood floor with a carpet covering about 120 sq. of floor space.

Thanks and best regards to all,

Mark

Mark, welcome. The crossover setting itself is fine. Do you mean "kicks in" literally in the sense that the sub is only operating intermittently? Have you made sure that the sub cable is tight? Possible defect in the sub amp? The idea is not to have the sub set so loud that it's obvious as a separate source; the impression should be that it isn't working but that the M2s are putting out more bass. Of course, if the sub is actually not working, something's wrong.

If the EP125 is anything like the EP350, what do you have the volume set at on the sub, and I'm assuming you have the crossover on the Sub all the way cranked clockwise, since your receiver is doing the work at the 80hz Crossover? I have the Denon 2805 which as auto setup and room eq, I think my sub is at like -4 dB based on the setup. When it is time for the sub to wake up I know it is there...

John and Sirquack,

Thanks for the feedback. I checked the cables and they are good and tight. What I meant to say was that you definetly know there is a sub-woofer. Sirquack and you hit the nail on the head when the both of you mentioned volume so I experimented with the volume (the volume was turned to 4 tick marks from max volume). I now have the volume on the sub to two tick marks below the half way mark and it sounds great.

Thanks and best regards,

Mark

Mark,

Setting the subwoofer too hot is a VERY common error if you're trying to balance your speakers by ear. Using a setup disk like Avia, or Digital Video Essentials, and the ever trusty Radio Shack Sound Pressure Level Meter to calibrate your system is money well spent, and can make all the difference in the world.

good to hear you got it figured out, I still mess around with all my settings from time to time, but generally my sub volume is around 11 or 12 o'clock.

As Jack mentioned the Avia or VE disks sound to be good addition. I have yet to get either of them, or an SPL meter. I'm sure they are not hard to use, just haven't had the time, and so far with the Auto Setup and Room EQ of my Denon Parametric setup has done a fine job, at least to my ears....