1 Sub or 2? - Blu-ray Forum

jcook9196 · 12-17-2008, 09:51 PM

Quick question everyone,
I currently have 1 Definitive Technology Pro Sub 1000, but would like to know if 2 would make a difference? This baby shakes the entire house too! How many of you have 2 subs in your setup? If so, is it worth it?

JJ · 12-17-2008, 10:11 PM

It's not so much about making the house rattle, its more about making sure that the listening area has no dead zones or issues with standing waves - there's a lot of misconceptions about bass nowadays. Others could get more scientific about this. This statement is not aimed at you personally though.

For you, my good sir, I would think about the size of your room in square feet as well as its volume as well. DefTech makes excellent subs - if anything, upgrade from the ProSub to the Ultracube instead of getting a pair.

Edit: Saw your HT photos. You're fine!

jcook9196 · 12-17-2008, 10:30 PM

Should I move my sub in the room near the chair or couch? Would that make a difference? Also, what frequency should I set my speakers and center and sub on the receiver, and the back of the sub? Thanks buddy. Will post new and improved pics in the HT gallery when I get home at a decent time from work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJxiv1215

It's not so much about making the house rattle, its more about making sure that the listening area has no dead zones or issues with standing waves - there's a lot of misconceptions about bass nowadays. Others could get more scientific about this. This statement is not aimed at you personally though.

For you, my good sir, I would think about the size of your room in square feet as well as its volume as well. DefTech makes excellent subs - if anything, upgrade from the ProSub to the Ultracube instead of getting a pair.

Edit: Saw your HT photos. You're fine!

Opips2 · 12-17-2008, 10:36 PM

I saw your HT photos.

If that's basement. you can two subs.

If it's living room. a one sub. add bass rumble viberation.
http://www.clarksynthesis.com/
http://www.thebuttkicker.com/

bacot11 · 12-17-2008, 11:08 PM

Well for starters moving the sub by you couch/ chair could sound better, but at the same time it could sound worse. It is difficult with subs, and everyone will tell you that it is trial and error. Move the sub around the room until it sounds best to you. It is worth experimenting with.

Second, those def tech speakers have a specific frequency range. By looking at the specs of the speakers (owners manual) you can adjust the crossover to the right frequency cut-off point. So say the speakers have a range of 65Hz to 35kHz I set the cut-off to 65hz or 70hz. That way all frequencies below that number will be sent to the subwoofer (LFE).

Lastly, when you have effectively set the crossover for the speakers now you can adjust the subs cut-off (on the back of the sub). It is recommended by many to set the sub's high cut a little over the crossover on the receiver. This will allow the sub and the speakers frequencies to blend together, and create a more unified sound. 80hz is the THX recommended cut off but it is different for all set-ups.

For those def techs I would set the receivers crossover at 70 to 75hz and the sub to 80hz. However, depending on the receiver you own this is all easily set up by an auto-config like Audessy or Yamaha's YPAO. And if you do use an auto setup I suggest going back and adjusting the settings to your liking.

Opips2 · 12-17-2008, 11:16 PM

mulit-subwoofers
better 4 subwoofers in real home theatre, period it!!!

Big Daddy · 12-17-2008, 11:43 PM

If your subwoofer rattles the walls, then it means that you have not calibrated your subwoofer properly. A properly calibrated subwoofer should blend with the rest of the speakers for both movies and music without being tiresome. I have multiple subwoofers in my home theater room and don't shatter any loudness records because they are calibrated properly.

With some care in placement of a single subwoofer and the listening location, one listener can experience fairly smooth and deep bass in a rectangular room. Unfortunately, other listeners seated elsewhere in the same room will hear different bass response, which may be significantly irregular. Trying to reduce some of the largest peaks (too much bass) at one or two frequencies is possible with careful placement and equalization for one location and one listener. But attempting to apply equalization for multiple locations is usually ineffective. There are far too many problems in a small home theater room that cannot be solved with one subwoofer. Using two subwoofers is preferable as you will get a better bass performance and will have less of a problem with standing waves, since the bass will originate from two locations.

In most circumstances two subwoofers will perform better than one. While you might assume this is for added SPL, the greatest benefit will actually be smoother bass response. Two subwoofers are easier to place and result in a flatter frequency response and creation of a much larger “sweet spot” for everyone in the room to hear smoother and more consistent bass.

You should read A Guide to Subwoofers. Scroll about half way down and you will see guidelines for subwoofer placement, crossover setting, and phase setting. The second part of A Guide to Subwoofers (Part II): Standing Waves & Room Modes explains the theory behind the inadequacies of a single sub and the advantages of multiple subwoofers in a small home theater room.

If you decide to buy a second subwoofer, it is best to buy an identical sub.

HAMP · 12-17-2008, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcook9196

Quick question everyone,
I currently have 1 Definitive Technology Pro Sub 1000, but would like to know if 2 would make a difference? This baby shakes the entire house too! How many of you have 2 subs in your setup? If so, is it worth it?

I have two and yes it is worth it. One was way more then enough to shake the walls and rattle things around.

I didn't add a second sub to blow a hole in the wall. My second sub added more waves of course and it feels really good. If you have ever come across my other statements about the two, both subs going usually make me really drowsy and puts me to sleep.

The volume on the pre-out for the sub is somewhere in the (-) and each sub volume are less then half way turned up. I believe I have both crossovers from the receiver and on the sub set to 80Hz.

If I turned anything up, it would be just too much bass and nothing would match/flow together.

Halcro 1 · 12-18-2008, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Opips2

mulit-subwoofers
better 4 subwoofers in real home theatre, period it!!!

Tell me what you think of the ED woofer when you get it Im thinking about gettin a pair TY

Opips2 · 12-18-2008, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halcro 1

Tell me what you think of the ED woofer when you get it Im thinking about gettin a pair TY

Not yet arrive!! a under-construction a subwoofer!! eD is busy!!

I ordered it on last week.

VinnAY · 12-18-2008, 02:10 PM

I have a 12" JBL in the front of my soundstage that is awesome. I had a spare 8" JBL (from my upgrade to 12"

) that I added to the rear, right up to the back of the couch, added a simple Y split to the back of the AVR LFE output. Seems nice so far, still playing and experimenting.

Silo5 · 12-19-2008, 12:53 PM

When I set the distance from the sub to the listening position on my receiver (Onkyo 805), it sets the distance for only one sub. What is the recommended setting when measuring the distance with two subs? Do I just average the distance of both subwoofers or just use the measurement from one of the subs? I am familiar with how to calibrate both subwoofers (using Audyssey and fine tune with SPL meter, one sub at a time), but not sure what to set the distance at for both.

ozzman · 12-19-2008, 10:12 PM

If your asking about Two Subs Then i think you already know

I was asking the same thing 3 months ago and when i desided to get the second sub it was one of the best decisions i made.

jcook9196 · 12-20-2008, 02:27 PM

Guess what I got last night after work!?! I purchased a new sub. So now I got one on each side of my tv stand. Will post pics tonight. Need to crank it up. Turns out all my speakers went on sale, so I got $200.00 back, and then I spent about $250.00 total out of pocket instead of $500+ with tax and cables. =) Saved me a bunch! Looks much better, and now my setup is 99.99% complete. It does make a difference, but have not quite heard what my new baby's can do. =)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozzman

If your asking about Two Subs Then i think you already know

I was asking the same thing 3 months ago and when i desided to get the second sub it was one of the best decisions i made.

Blu-Dog · 12-20-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcook9196

Guess what I got last night after work!?! I purchased a new sub. So now I got one on each side of my tv stand. Will post pics tonight. Need to crank it up. Turns out all my speakers went on sale, so I got $200.00 back, and then I spent about $250.00 total out of pocket instead of $500+ with tax and cables. =) Saved me a bunch! Looks much better, and now my setup is 99.99% complete. It does make a difference, but have not quite heard what my new baby's can do. =)

Another Definitive Technology Pro Sub 1000? Make sure you don't shake the fillings out of your teeth, the money you saved will wind up going to the dentist.

Eldorado · 12-20-2008, 02:41 PM

Get two. My basement has a concrete floor and one doesn't just do it. Two properly adjusted woofers kicking down there (

) and my wife likes to watch movies on the basement with me.

jcook9196 · 12-20-2008, 03:05 PM

Yes, I have 2 Definitive Technology Pro Sub 1000's running! Can't wait to watch some blu-rays this weekend and see what my system can do now! One shook the whole house, but 2 will probably make holes in the wall. LOL. I guess my neighbor will be even more pissed off!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eldorado

Get two. My basement has a concrete floor and one doesn't just do it. Two properly adjusted woofers kicking down there (

) and my wife likes to watch movies on the basement with me.

Driver_King · 12-20-2008, 07:03 PM

The idea of having two subs isn't for output, but rather the smoothness and fullness of the bass. Either way, enjoy.

Uniquely · 12-20-2008, 07:47 PM

Those of you that run two..... do you run them both in phase, both out of phase, or one in and one out?

jcook9196 · 12-20-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Those of you that run two..... do you run them both in phase, both out of phase, or one in and one out?

Both at the same phase, and levels. =) Balances everything out...

12-17-2008, 09:51 PM	#1
jcook9196 Member Member since:Aug 2008 Home Theater Gallery:40 Blu-ray collection:300	1 Sub or 2? Quick question everyone, I currently have 1 Definitive Technology Pro Sub 1000, but would like to know if 2 would make a difference? This baby shakes the entire house too! How many of you have 2 subs in your setup? If so, is it worth it?

12-19-2008, 12:53 PM	#12
Silo5 Power Member Top contributor Member since:Feb 2008 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- Trading Score:1	Question about setting distance with two subs. When I set the distance from the sub to the listening position on my receiver (Onkyo 805), it sets the distance for only one sub. What is the recommended setting when measuring the distance with two subs? Do I just average the distance of both subwoofers or just use the measurement from one of the subs? I am familiar with how to calibrate both subwoofers (using Audyssey and fine tune with SPL meter, one sub at a time), but not sure what to set the distance at for both.

12-17-2008, 10:11 PM	#2
JJ Blu-ray Count Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Jul 2007 Location:Miami, FL Home Theater Gallery:99 4K collection:619 Blu-ray collection:1293 DVD collection:31 Digital collection:5 Blu-ray reviews: 18 Trading Score:203	It's not so much about making the house rattle, its more about making sure that the listening area has no dead zones or issues with standing waves - there's a lot of misconceptions about bass nowadays. Others could get more scientific about this. This statement is not aimed at you personally though. For you, my good sir, I would think about the size of your room in square feet as well as its volume as well. DefTech makes excellent subs - if anything, upgrade from the ProSub to the Ultracube instead of getting a pair. Edit: Saw your HT photos. You're fine!

12-17-2008, 10:36 PM	#4
Opips2 Special Member Member since:Nov 2008 Location:Edmonton, AB Home Theater Gallery:6 Blu-ray collection:175 Blu-ray reviews:10 Trading Score:1	I saw your HT photos. If that's basement. you can two subs. If it's living room. a one sub. add bass rumble viberation. http://www.clarksynthesis.com/ http://www.thebuttkicker.com/

12-17-2008, 11:08 PM	#5
bacot11 Member Member since:Nov 2008 Home Theater Gallery:16 Blu-ray collection:23	Well for starters moving the sub by you couch/ chair could sound better, but at the same time it could sound worse. It is difficult with subs, and everyone will tell you that it is trial and error. Move the sub around the room until it sounds best to you. It is worth experimenting with. Second, those def tech speakers have a specific frequency range. By looking at the specs of the speakers (owners manual) you can adjust the crossover to the right frequency cut-off point. So say the speakers have a range of 65Hz to 35kHz I set the cut-off to 65hz or 70hz. That way all frequencies below that number will be sent to the subwoofer (LFE). Lastly, when you have effectively set the crossover for the speakers now you can adjust the subs cut-off (on the back of the sub). It is recommended by many to set the sub's high cut a little over the crossover on the receiver. This will allow the sub and the speakers frequencies to blend together, and create a more unified sound. 80hz is the THX recommended cut off but it is different for all set-ups. For those def techs I would set the receivers crossover at 70 to 75hz and the sub to 80hz. However, depending on the receiver you own this is all easily set up by an auto-config like Audessy or Yamaha's YPAO. And if you do use an auto setup I suggest going back and adjusting the settings to your liking.

12-17-2008, 11:16 PM	#6
Opips2 Special Member Member since:Nov 2008 Location:Edmonton, AB Home Theater Gallery:6 Blu-ray collection:175 Blu-ray reviews:10 Trading Score:1	mulit-subwoofers better 4 subwoofers in real home theatre, period it!!!

12-17-2008, 11:43 PM	#7
Big Daddy Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Southern California Home Theater Gallery:79 Blu-ray collection:122 Trading Score:1	If your subwoofer rattles the walls, then it means that you have not calibrated your subwoofer properly. A properly calibrated subwoofer should blend with the rest of the speakers for both movies and music without being tiresome. I have multiple subwoofers in my home theater room and don't shatter any loudness records because they are calibrated properly. With some care in placement of a single subwoofer and the listening location, one listener can experience fairly smooth and deep bass in a rectangular room. Unfortunately, other listeners seated elsewhere in the same room will hear different bass response, which may be significantly irregular. Trying to reduce some of the largest peaks (too much bass) at one or two frequencies is possible with careful placement and equalization for one location and one listener. But attempting to apply equalization for multiple locations is usually ineffective. There are far too many problems in a small home theater room that cannot be solved with one subwoofer. Using two subwoofers is preferable as you will get a better bass performance and will have less of a problem with standing waves, since the bass will originate from two locations. In most circumstances two subwoofers will perform better than one. While you might assume this is for added SPL, the greatest benefit will actually be smoother bass response. Two subwoofers are easier to place and result in a flatter frequency response and creation of a much larger “sweet spot” for everyone in the room to hear smoother and more consistent bass. You should read A Guide to Subwoofers. Scroll about half way down and you will see guidelines for subwoofer placement, crossover setting, and phase setting. The second part of A Guide to Subwoofers (Part II): Standing Waves & Room Modes explains the theory behind the inadequacies of a single sub and the advantages of multiple subwoofers in a small home theater room. If you decide to buy a second subwoofer, it is best to buy an identical sub.

12-18-2008, 02:10 PM	#11
VinnAY Banned Member since:Sep 2008 Blu-ray reviews:1	I have a 12" JBL in the front of my soundstage that is awesome. I had a spare 8" JBL (from my upgrade to 12" ) that I added to the rear, right up to the back of the couch, added a simple Y split to the back of the AVR LFE output. Seems nice so far, still playing and experimenting.

12-19-2008, 10:12 PM	#13
ozzman Power Member Member since:May 2008 Location:St. Catharines ONT Home Theater Gallery:37	If your asking about Two Subs Then i think you already know I was asking the same thing 3 months ago and when i desided to get the second sub it was one of the best decisions i made.

12-20-2008, 02:41 PM	#16
Eldorado Senior Member Member since:Nov 2008 Location:Anne Arundel County, MD Trading Score:2	Get two. My basement has a concrete floor and one doesn't just do it. Two properly adjusted woofers kicking down there ( ) and my wife likes to watch movies on the basement with me.

12-20-2008, 07:03 PM	#18
Driver_King Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Tampa Bay, Florida Home Theater Gallery:96 Blu-ray collection:28 Trading Score:10	The idea of having two subs isn't for output, but rather the smoothness and fullness of the bass. Either way, enjoy.

12-20-2008, 07:47 PM	#19
Uniquely Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Sep 2008 Location:Mobile, AL Home Theater Gallery:14 Blu-ray collection:171	Those of you that run two..... do you run them both in phase, both out of phase, or one in and one out?

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