Distributed Bass Array configuration

I find in practice extremely minor adjustments to my sub level are needed to get it tuned in exactly to my ears, which is consistent with what Duke is saying. Very minor....

I have found the best and most efficient way to set up a sub is to measure first to get things in the ball park and then fine tune by ear from there.
What I get out of the whole DBA thing is measure before doing anything. It may be a waste if peaks are not a big issue. There will always be some though so it’s all a matter of judgement.
If the goal is to smooth things out at just one spot, DSP is probably the most straightforward solution. Or a good old fashioned analog parametric equalizer.
For smoothing out across the room then the more heavyweight dba solution might make sense, but only if the mains are capable of delivering across the room as well ie they have wide dispersion characteristics otherwise you might have smooth bass across the room but everything else falls short.

Then there is the alternative where you have multiple subs set up not  primarily to smooth out response but for best soundstage (smoother response is a secondary benefit).  That means if 1 sub front dead center,   2 subs at or near position of mains, 4 subs the two behind you are set to a lower level than front.  

I think its a fallacy if some are asserting setting up multiple subs properly is easier than one. That’s pretty simple math. You now have more adjustments to deal with and each one has some effect on the resulting sound. You can gloss that over to whatever extent desired but you can’t deny the facts.

What about this:

Subwoofer Placement – No, You Can’t Put it Anywhere | News & Views | Ohm Speakers | Custom Audiophile Speakers for Music & Home Theater

@noble101

I set it by ear initially based on what I thought the rolloff of the ls50 metas would be based on specs and reading and thought it sounded good. But I did not achieve my goal which was to fill in the low octave and leave what the mains delivered fine alone. There was a big bass bump from ~ 40-60 hz that was audible on most all tracks. The sound meter app clearly showed this. Room is not large, only 12X12 with lots of furnishings to help break things up naturally.  My crossover was way too high and the level way too low. Now things sound like full range speakers with extended bass. Much better though that is a subjective assessment despite the fact that the setup measures better now! You can only tell there is a sub on the tracks with extended bass to start with. I have full range speakers running in the next much larger room off the same system (no sub) to compare with.

Interesting. I have no doubt more subs set up well is better.  I have 1 Klipsch  sw308 I set up manually with kef ls50 metas using  a sound meter app and white noise to initially set things up to extend the bass to be roughly in  line with all the rest then fine tuned including phase by ear.   Simple and effective. Would never have arrived at the right settings by ear alone.  The bass is just right.  

Thanks for that explanation.  Minidsp is the way I would  go for that as well. 

What measurements establish the “improved bass”?  Improved in what way?

Just  wondering.  Is it just more? More  extended?  Flatter response ?  Different frequency curve?    What exactly is different than prior?

👍 bass is Omni not non directional. 

@atmasphere +1. Never met Duke but that rings true from what I have seen over the years here.  I have learned a lot from him here over the years.   You too!

Understandable.   I feel the same way quite often. 

It’s nice when people try to help other people. Not so nice when they boast about it and also try to discredit others  in order to claim some sort of monopoly. So the two cancel each other out. See how that works?

It’s pretty funny actually when some worry about things like fuse and wire direction and others shrug off bass as suddenly and totally independent of direction unlike all the rest.

Some additional independent perspective on sub placement for music from a very experienced and knowledgeable source.

For Optimum Sound, How Many Subs, and Where Do You Put ’Em? | News & Views | Ohm Speakers | Custom Audiophile Speakers for Music & Home Theater

" At 80 Hz, it is quite difficult to determine the source of sound. However...."

+1 @audio-union

Totally true but look every obsessed audiophile must choose their obsessions and overlook certain truths to keep it all reeled in or go totally bonkers. Or do they? From the sound of things, perhaps not. 😉