Correct settings for sub and speakers?

Dunctank

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Hi all,
Please bear with me on this and forgive the stupid questions that are about to follow.
I have a mish mosh of components based on budget, what was available or given to me at the time, and lack of knowledge about how everything would or should work together.
I have attached pics of the sub that shows the settings and also the room with speaker placement.
The sub died so waiting for a new amp from HSU but I want to make sure the settings are optimal for the equipment I have.
I was planning on running the MCACC from the Pioneer receiver after I got the Sub running again to calibrate everything.
Any advice on settings would be greatly appreciated.

Receiver:
Pioneer SC-LX501
Specs:
Specification | SC-LX501 | AV Receivers | Products | Pioneer Home Audio Visual

Front Surround Speakers:
JBL Studio L Series L820
Specs:
JBL L820 Studio L Series 4-Way 6" Satellite Speaker (Pair, Black)

Center Channel:
Polk Signature S35
Specs:
Polk Audio Signature Series S35 Two-Way LCR Speaker (Washed Black Walnut, Single)

Rear Surround Speakers:
Polk Signature S10's
Specs:

Sub:
HSU VTF2-MK3
Attached is pic of rear with settings.

Thank you all in advance.
John
 

Attachments

  • HSU Sub.jpg
    HSU Sub.jpg
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  • HT Bedroom.pdf
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The sub knobs look fine. Volume knob around 10-12clock typically. Normally you would turn the frequency knob to max, but you have switch "crossover" out so i assume this passes the internal crossover then. Keep the power switch "On" position when you run MCACC so it won´t be sleeping.

To my knowledge Pioneer has only one global crossover setting, so you use one for all speakers. Check after running what you got. Somewhere around 80-100hz is likely ideal with those, don´t lower it under what the receiver has set. Check that speaker size is set all small. Then you can play with the MCACC settings, also try turning the EQ off and listen does it sound turned off cause many reports it does. When you run the setup use some tripod or boom arm mic stand with the microphone and place it in the main seat first and if there is more mic positions then keep them quite close to that first one, around seated ear height, not close to walls or close to the backseat of couch. Room silent and get away from mic/speakers while it runs.

Subwoofer inside closet? Hope it`s fully open without bottom part. Also if it´s too tight it can get hot there and cause of that your amp life shortens. I would pull it out in to room front corner.
 
The sub knobs look fine. Volume knob around 10-12clock typically. Normally you would turn the frequency knob to max, but you have switch "crossover" out so i assume this passes the internal crossover then. Keep the power switch "On" position when you run MCACC so it won´t be sleeping.

To my knowledge Pioneer has only one global crossover setting, so you use one for all speakers. Check after running what you got. Somewhere around 80-100hz is likely ideal with those, don´t lower it under what the receiver has set. Check that speaker size is set all small. Then you can play with the MCACC settings, also try turning the EQ off and listen does it sound turned off cause many reports it does. When you run the setup use some tripod or boom arm mic stand with the microphone and place it in the main seat first and if there is more mic positions then keep them quite close to that first one, around seated ear height, not close to walls or close to the backseat of couch. Room silent and get away from mic/speakers while it runs.

Subwoofer inside closet? Hope it`s fully open without bottom part. Also if it´s too tight it can get hot there and cause of that your amp life shortens. I would pull it out in to room front corner.

Hi,
Thank you for your response.
The closet is never closed (folding doors are always open) and has good airflow. I can def move it out of there to the corner of the room though.
I've had this sub for many years and the amp recently died on it so I am getting a new one shipped from HSU.
I really don't know much about the crossovers or how its supposed to be set. I was thinking that the MCACC would set everything but then I wouldn't know what to set the sub to as that's the only other piece of equipment i have that has manual settings you can adjust lol.
I wish I knew what I was doing or even how to explain things right.
I'm one of those with just enough knowledge to be dangerous lol
 
Hi,
Thank you for your response.
The closet is never closed (folding doors are always open) and has good airflow. I can def move it out of there to the corner of the room though.
I've had this sub for many years and the amp recently died on it so I am getting a new one shipped from HSU.
I really don't know much about the crossovers or how its supposed to be set. I was thinking that the MCACC would set everything but then I wouldn't know what to set the sub to as that's the only other piece of equipment i have that has manual settings you can adjust lol.
I wish I knew what I was doing or even how to explain things right.
I'm one of those with just enough knowledge to be dangerous lol

As i said the knobs are fine on sub, you can turn the freq (hz) knob to max. When you get the sub and re do the setup post here what you got after MCACC regarding speaker crossovers etc.
 
As i said the knobs are fine on sub, you can turn the freq (hz) knob to max. When you get the sub and re do the setup post here what you got after MCACC regarding speaker crossovers etc.
Will do thank you!
 
And keep in mind the 'correct' settings will vary depending on your room and you may hate how the system sounds in 'correct' mode!

If, as Gasp3621' suggests you set the Sub Crossover to Max you effectively 'bypass' the Sub crossover and allow the AVR to determine which frequencies go to the Sub - some folk will tell you that is how it is supposed to be set whilst others will tell you they have experimented and prefer to combine the Sub crossover with the AVR crossover, there are always at least two ways of doing everything in the AV world :)

MCACC on early pioneer AVR's was not always brilliant - I have seen plenty systems where it told you there was no Centre channel so def check what it comes up with and do not be afraid to experiment with making manual setting changes, you can always reset and rerun MCACC if you get stuck.

Joe
 
Ok so the new amp came in for the Sub...I also put in new surrounds - Polk FXI a4's mounted to back wall.
The sub was preset to - x-over - out, frq 90, phase 0, vol knob in 9 o'clock pos, Qcontrol 0.7.
I did the MCACC setup with those settings.
The results of that were:
Sub - Yes
Front - Large
Center - Small
Surround - Large
X-over - 100 hz

Any advice at this point would be greatly appreciated as I thought with the sub back in the mix the fronts and surrounds would be set to small?
 
I changed the speakers to small and left everything else the same for now. I played a movie and for most of an intense action scene the bass was very powerful but then during a couple of scenes it was too much. My head was resting against the back of the beds headboard while viewing and my whole head vibrated against it. I know there's a funny joke in that but I will refrain.
Aside from my last post regarding settings...Any ideas on what to try to tone it down a little? Just lower the volume know or try something else?
 
I changed the speakers to small and left everything else the same for now. I played a movie and for most of an intense action scene the bass was very powerful but then during a couple of scenes it was too much. My head was resting against the back of the beds headboard while viewing and my whole head vibrated against it. I know there's a funny joke in that but I will refrain.
Aside from my last post regarding settings...Any ideas on what to try to tone it down a little? Just lower the volume know or try something else?

Haha, bit too much then. Go to Pioneer menu and check subwoofer level, probably under speaker levels.
 
done. it was at 3.0 i put it at 0 for now and will test but should the settings on the sub stay like they came? crossover - out, freq 90db, phase 0 ?
 
done. it was at 3.0 i put it at 0 for now and will test but should the settings on the sub stay like they came? crossover - out, freq 90db, phase 0 ?

Yes, do the changes from the menu and see how you like it. It`s usually much easier to tweak the sub from couch via remote from receiver menu. Lowering 3db should make noticeable difference so hopefully it`s good now, but easy to tweak when needed.
 

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