The 14' X 19' room used for HT as well as music has a 100" projection screen, and two HGS-15s with SMS-1 bass manger that can make you feel pressure on your chest. Unfortunately, both need repair, so the only functional subs in the room are two HGS-10s that are not connected. I'll reconnect the HGS-10s, but really need to haul the HGS-15s to LA for repair.
Where are the subs?
In listening to the Bach Toccata and Fugue BMV 565, I was struck by how well the organ pedal notes are reproduced since I moved my primary setup to another room. I complemented myself on a fine job of integrating the Velodyne HGS-10 subs with the KEF Ref 1s, using 40 Hz low-pass with 24 dB/octave. But as I thought about it, I didn’t recall connecting the SMS-1 bass manager to the Ayre KX-5 Twenty preamp. I checked. The subs were not connected. The Ref 1s alone where reproducing that satisfying bass. Amazing for stand mounted monitors. I sure as hell didn’t expect that. To confirm, I played the Saint-Seans 3rd Symphony. Same result. Makes me wonder if I need bother connecting the subs.
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- 47 posts total
Hello dbphd, That’s perfect! Get the 2 HGS-15s repaired and prepare to be amazed. If you’re using this room for ht and music, using all 4 positioned in a distributed bass array(DBA) will provide sota bass response for both. This DBA concept works extremely well in virtually any room and with any pair of main speakers. I assure you that the results will stun you. I use an Audio Kinesis Swarm 4-sub DBA system in my 23’ x 16’ foot room for both ht and music and it’s been a true revelation how well it works for both. Here’s an Absolute Sound review of the Swarm system that describes the performance improvements it provides very well: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/audiokinesis-swarm-subwoofer-system/ Since you would be using a custom DBA system with four self amplified subs with individual settings for volume, xover frequency and phase, the proper positioning and settings configurations of each sub would be a bit more complex and time consuming but well worth the effort. You also have the option of just purchasing a complete AK Swarm 4-sub system for $2,800 if you don’t want to bother getting your 2 subs repaired. The system consists of four 4 ohm subs with a 10" aluminum long-throw woofer that are each 1’wide x1’deep by 28"tall and weigh 44 lbs. A 1K watt class AB sub amp/controller is also included that allows for setting the volume, xover frequency and phase of all four subs as a group. These relatively small subs would be positioned around the perimeter of your room with the drivers facing and just a few inches away from the wall. Each sub has spikes and the speaker connections are on the bottom. This improves the WAF since they look like solid wood pedestals or end tables when viewed from inside the room. My room has a crawl space below so I cut a small hole underneath each sub and was able to have no speaker wires visible. But either with a complete kit DBA or a custom setup, I know you’d be thrilled with the results. If you’d like to learn more about the DBA concept, just google ’distributed bass array system’. Those written by Dr. Earl Geddes and Dr. Floyd Toole will provide the most scientific and detailed explanations of how and why the concept works so well. Tim |
- 47 posts total