These crossover settings are doing my bloudy head in. Not a satisfied audiophile, help...

 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 368
Registered: Jan-05
Ok. I bought a ruark vita 50 (same as the mj acoustics pro 50 for those who dont know).

My speakers are diamond 8.1 bookshelfs, so I set the crossover at about 120hz! I was unsatisified with this so moved it down to 80hz a couple days later. However, there was something irritating that felt like it was compromosing the rest of my music. So now I've put it just past the lowest setting of 40hz. Moved the phase from my previously (supposedly?) satisfied 180 degrees position to 0.

These settings are doing my head in, seriously!!

Can anybody suggest a tried and tested set up settings please??

I think it could perhaps be that Im finding my new cambridge audio 540a too bright and a bit bass empty, hence why I got a sub and the bookshelfs dont have enough space around them to spread out the sound. The reason I say this is because when I have my window open, the speaker next to it sounds less bright and generally the sound is less fatigueing. The others speaker is..well see the pic.
Apart from this, I barely turn the gain volume up on the subwoofer. Its at about 8 o clock!?!?

Im beginning to think of a couple of new options.

Buy some smaller speakers such as go monitor audio bronze b1s for my small room and a nad amp, then sell my ca on and decide if I want to keep my sub :S :S.

Might just go get some damn studio monitors.

None the less, what Im hearing isnt satisfying me these days.

Btw, Im using a high level lead which I've noticed balances the bass output, but when at high volumes the bass from my bookshelfs kind of stops, and so does my subwoofer.

Hmm.

:-(


Look at the pic to see my setup..
[URL=http://img57.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc002932ui5.jpg][IMG]http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/4042/dsc002932ui5.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

So to sum this up. I dont really think its my equipment but more placement (my right speaker is closer to me when Im sat down than my left one) and settings. I could be wrong.
Are my speakers innapropriately placed and is my subwoofer set up correctly.
Many thanks for your help...
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 369
Registered: Jan-05
I found the solution to my problems.
Too much treble giving me serious ear fatigue. I also think no matter what there will be a degree of disatisfaction because Im so close.. I dont have any other placement option really.
Tuning doesnt help, so I've put a couple pieces of tissue paper on the inside of the grills to soften the harshness of the tweeter. Probably the amps fault. Much much better anyway.

Suggestions are still welcome :P
Im a happy bunny now that the magic is back in the music :D
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5336
Registered: Dec-04
JJ that seems like a fiasco well tamed enough for now.
I can add nothing, really.
Keep posting and let us know!

Good fix, BTW. Not unheard of, but rarely recommended.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 371
Registered: Jan-05
Well I've been listening for the past hour and all seems good. The harshness is gone.

I think the problem is 2 things.
Im sat too close/the speakers are too close.
The tweeters are doing light duty in these cabinets.

I did try and equalise the whole sound myself, through many many para equalisers. But it didnt work as the 540a characteristics were lost. The tissue paper really has worked and imaging hasnt worsened. If anything its improved.

Might be a rare fix, but a worthy one in my situation. I think the 45hz crossover and 0degrees phase on my sub is also working well. The diamonds are very consistent down to 120hz and then theres a noticeable drop in output, but a consistent one down to 40-45hz. Pretty good frequency response for bookshelfs really!

Big post, sorted on my own accord lol.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 373
Registered: Jan-05
Found another fix. I moved my subwoofer. I honestly didnt think it would have such a dramatic affect. Also Im not using a low level lead instead of speakon which tbh, I prefer the low level. Who said I should like high level more?
The subwoofer is now behind me and its more musical and doesnt 'interfere' with the bookshelfs.

The only thing I would do is move my right speaker a bit further away so there's an equal distance between them and me. But there's a wall, so what is, is.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5450
Registered: Dec-04
Great, JJ.
The free improvements are the best.

Just whack out the darned wall.

Sorry neighbor, but it's for the stereo.
Hope you understand.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 374
Registered: Jan-05
Haha. Damn right Nuck!

Just found another fix. A great one. A decibel drop of 6db at 4khz. Really really big improvement, the 540a is just too bright! (was).
Things are really starting to sound good now. :D

Also changed the amount of tissue paper, so theres a bit less and the crossover on the sub is at 100hz-ish now.

I have to agree the free mods are the best!
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5495
Registered: Dec-04
JJ, if you ever feel the need to seek out new speaks, you might want to find Slendor 3/5's or the Rogers.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 5496
Registered: Dec-04
Or the Dalquist DQ10's.
The ESL 57's as well.
 

Silver Member
Username: James_the_god

Doncaster, South Yorkshire England

Post Number: 375
Registered: Jan-05
Average price being about £400?
I'd love to but my wharfies will have to do!
But Nuck, I think I've set up my hifi now.
Here's the list of mods as current and is pretty satisfactory. Obviously, Im sure your speaker suggestions would be a nice improvement. But realistically, the money is spent, money will be going to uni funds, a couple of pc mods and nights out with some mates..not to mention a hopeful holiday in July!

'Mods' to get the system sounding right to me:
-1 piece of half folded tissue paper on inside of grills to recess the brightness.
-A change of left and right stereo field positioning (though soundcard patchmix software, at 80degrees left and 68 degrees right), to balance the sound more centered.
-Quick adgustment of balance on amplifier to slightly left.
-Movement of subwoofer back under desk to the corner and phase change to 0degrees. Crossover at about 90hz. Gain at about 8 o clock, so really not much at all but keeps the sound balanced and dynamic. The gain is very very finicky to get right!!
-1.9db decrease at 10khz
- 0.4db increase at 120hz and 100hz
- 1.7db decrease at 5khz
- 1.7db decrease at 3khz
- 2.8db decrease at 4khz
- 0.4db increase at 500hz

The decibel changes are using para equalisers, again in patchmix.

I think I'll probabably be sticking with these settings, although things do sound magical as i once knew it. Wouldnt mine two rear speakers now :P

Which out of your suggested speakers would you reccommend?
And which would you reccommend in terms of best imaging?

JJ
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