Video Asylum

Posted by Shudson105 on May 11, 2004 at 20:36:55

OK, first off, my system is in a small square room, so I know its not going to be anywhere near perfect, but I am still having lots of trouble matching up my sub to my mains. My sub is a paradigm PDR-12 and my mains are B&W 601 S3's. I have my whole system set to 85db on pink noise from my receiver. I have a HUGE dip in response in my room below 125hz. Using the SPL meter, 125hz is 84db, 100hz is 78 and 80hz is 66db...all from my B&Ws! So if I set my sub to match my mains at the x-over of 100hz you hardly notice its there....not in a good way either (I don't think...) For example, watching any given movie with extremely loud effects, I could switch my sub on or off all I want and my SPL meter will still be reading 115db peaks from my fronts. With my sub on, even the most bass heavy soundtracks will only be reading 100-102db peaks from my sub while my fronts will be doing 112. Is that right? Just to be sure, I match my subs level with that of the mains at 125hz instead of 100hz, now I get bass at the proper (?) level, but its so loud I feel that my side of the house is going to shake itself off the foundation and rattle down the street! Now that doesn't sound right at all. So which is right? Any louder then 75db at 100hz and my subs location is quite obvious, yet the dip in my room is so great in the range that my sub is actually 10db below my mains level. I have tried different spots for my sub, but just about everywhere else is either in a bad spot or someplace it doesn't sound right. Once again, which way is right? Is my sub SUPPOSED to be 10db below my mains in my room cause thats the why my room acts? Or is it supposed to be even with my mains, and I just need to adjust my listening ideas cause it really is supposed to be that loud?

Thanks for any help, suggestions and comments!