2. misc-audio
  3. 164501-11116

Help me tame my out of control bass

Hey all,

Hoping to get some advice on how to tame what appear to be some pretty bad room modes. See my system here:
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8800

I’m in a bit of a pickle for a few reasons. First, my NY apartment is on the small side and requires me to set up on the long wall with the listening position against the opposite wall. On top of that I upgraded to my dream speakers, Egglestonworks Kivas. They sound amazing but they’re big and have a lot of low end reach. The combination of these two factors leads to the waterfall you see in my system - a pretty massive bump in low end, particularly at 40-44hz and from 60-70hz.

There’s also a huge bump at 120hz, but I don’t understand how that one is possible. I think that might be a measurement or microphone error - I don’t hear that at all and it doesn’t go away even when I EQ 120hz out completely, but maybe it’s a resonance?

Things I’ve tried so far, each with modest success:
- Plugging the ports gave me about a -5db reduction in the trouble spots (all measurements are with the port blocked)
- I don’t have a ton of placement flexibility but moving them back from their original position gained me about a -3dB reduction in bass
- I added a pair of 5.5” thick GIK bass traps, but they didn’t do much that I’m seeing in the measurements. Maybe a -1-2dB reduction, tops. They honestly helped more with the mids and highs.
- Convolution curve in Roon - this works the best, but doesn’t solve the problem for home theater or vinyl

I’m pretty stumped as to what else I can do. I think that the amount of bass traps needed to fix this is more than my marriage can withstand. I’m considering the PSI AVAA active bass traps, but only if I can do a home trial of them first to see if they’ll actually help - I worry this 8-10dB bump I’m seeing will be too much for even a pair of those. I could get a DIRAC processor from miniDSP and that would at least then work for all digital sources. Vinyl is mostly not a problem since this is so low and most of my vinyl is rock and jazz.

Any other ideas? Rolling tubes that have less bass? Are there any less expensive EQs with digital in and out that I could use as an alternative to the DIRAC for home theater only?
hudsonhawk
Post removed 
erik_squires
15,652 posts
 
I just looked at your waterfall.  That's not your speakers!

That solid green line at 120 is background noise. More likely either your equipment or something like an AC running.

Try this.  Measure with no signal.  Then turn all your electronics off.  Repeat.
zm
119 posts
 
Over the past 15 years, I have moved my system through 4 NYC apartments, so I feel your pain.

In one of my places, I experienced a very similar situation to what you describe.  I tried everything I could - moving the system, moving the listening position, installing bass traps, etc. 

In the end, the only thing that effectively cured my problem in that space was a DSPeaker-Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core.  I felt I might be trading off just a bit of magic having it in the signal chain, but the benefits far outweighed whatever it might have been taking away.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
Wow, you do have a MB and low mids issue. 250hz WAY low. Can you hear voices clearly?

250hz low
1.5mhz low
2.5mhz low
7.5mhz GONE
The top is gone 8K and up is a down hill spiral. The orange line is against the wall? How the heck do you EQ that? You don’t, this is follow the bouncing ball. Man oh man.. Curtains, and you can take them with you..

I learned that a LONG time ago. Heavy curtains are your best friend..
Wall acoustic treatment, mids and highs. The bass I’d DSP and PEQ the suck out / combing in the mids and highs.. OVER your head and in front of your feet.. The side walls are the short walls.
They aren’t that short are they? LOL

That’s why the bass is bloated, mids, so so, but the 8K and up, that is a real problem for me.. I use ribbons and planars. I refuse to give up anything from 300hz -19k. Bass is always "too much", distribution is the issue too. I never could get great results with 60hz < in the same box, just can’t work.. I quit trying 30 years ago.. Different boxs for ALL the bass.

SERVO bass unit (s). That would work for the bass I bet..
I hate saying this, 130hz and down.. Normally 30-50hz and down.
My set up is different.. That 250hz suck out is pretty nasty though..
VOICES.. Bass Bassoon, low clarinets, Lena Horn LOL..

I don’t know OP, I’m just thinkin’ out loud..

Set up Kitty corner.. Read on Decware’s site about that.. pretty interesting read..

Sure a nice setup though..

Time to feed the Chickens. NY. Berrrrr!!! :-)

Stay warm...

Regards
hudsonhawk OP
137 posts
 
@oldhvymec You know it’s funny, I didn’t think I had a problem with mids until I moved them into the current position (the orange line) and you can see that those deep troughs in the MB region improved significantly and it was like lifting a veil.

Agreed on curtains, the other problem with that room is that it’s asymmetrical so you have the windows on the left and then an open kitchen on the right. Maybe I need to get out of this nightmare room and move...
More to discover