just ordered a BK xxls400-DF sub gloss black just a few quesitons...

Atari2600

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hi guys

just like to say i have joined the BK xxls400 club :thumbsup:

just placed an order for a bk xxls400-df in gloss black :D but price :( and also i have ordered M6 threaded version super spikes.

just got a few quick questions first of all if thats ok with you guys

i have noticed alot of people on here have started to use a peice granite on the floor and then the sub sitting on it, why are you using a peice of granite?

i live in a terrace house the sub will be kept in the living room, my neighbours should be ok about the volume and the amount of bass as they blast music load too!
i have concrete floor with laminated flooring, solid walls on 3 side's and 1 wall with solid wall then about 1-2" gap then plaster board (this wall is gonna be on the side of the sub about 10-15" away from the sub)

i will be asking more questions when it arrives.

thanks
 
The said piece of granite is used to allegedly isolate the sub from the floor to make it sound cleaner etc. In the end it's probably more of a decorative feature that also gives you the piece of mind and satisfaction that it is
improving the bass response ;)

In some cases it has improved the response for the user.

Needless to say, i may actually get one myself just for the way that it looks, wether there are gains or not. I would have to find a one piece though !
 
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hi guys

just like to say i have joined the BK xxls400 club :thumbsup:

Nice one :smashin:. I ordered a couple today as well so you'll have to wait a bit longer to get yours :laugh:.

Half my room has a concrete floor and the other half suspended floor boards. When I put the sub on the floor board side, it makes them vibrate so I guess bass energy is being absorbed by the floor which is not a good thing and I don't know if a piece of granite would help or not. You don't get that problem on a concrete floor which is where I place them, so you definitely don't need to put anything under the sub in that case.
 
Nice one :smashin:. I ordered a couple today as well so you'll have to wait a bit longer to get yours :laugh:.

Half my room has a concrete floor and the other half suspended floor boards. When I put the sub on the floor board side, it makes them vibrate so I guess bass energy is being absorbed by the floor which is not a good thing and I don't know if a piece of granite would help or not. You don't get that problem on a concrete floor which is where I place them, so you definitely don't need to put anything under the sub in that case.

im not in a rush for mine so you can have yours first :laugh:
as long as mine is built and finished properly im not bothered how long it takes :D

i have ordered the super spikes feet for it and just wondering do they screw into the woden feet or do i take the wooden feet off and screw these in?

the piece of granite you guys use is that just a kitchen chopping board ?
have to say it does look good too
 
The spike inserts are built into the feet. The feet themselves cannot be removed.

I used to have a pair of DF 400's but this time I've ordered FF in black ash but slightly custom (no grilles or grille holes) so you'll probably get yours before me.
 
The spike inserts are built into the feet. The feet themselves cannot be removed.

I used to have a pair of DF 400's but this time I've ordered FF in black ash but slightly custom (no grilles or grille holes) so you'll probably get yours before me.

front firing but no grill or grill holes? so do you mean you can see the speaker ?

and thanks for letting me know about the feet
 
Yep, they'll be parked under my front speakers in place of the existing stands.
 
hi guys i have recieved my sub :smashin::D

first impressions - my god it is bludy heavy!!, nearly did my back in,
a little dissapointed in the finish to be honest! - i ordered a glos black which i got but the black isnt that black compared to my monitor audio radius gloss black speakers,

id say ma radius gloss back is like a pioneer kuro black levels and the bk gloss black is like an old panasonic black levels!! the shine is excellent but the top surface there is so many polish scratches, (round swerls) but overall happy with it.

i need some setting up advise please

what setting do i set the phase control?,i dont kow what to do with this,
low level frequency i have set to 120hz, high level i have set to low (as i have the sub connected as lfe no high level connection)
the volume gain what would you say is the best/ideal position ? half wa i.e 12 o'clock or 1 o'clock

thanks guys
 
A good granite plinth makes a BIG difference! The one I use underneath my XXLS400 (arrived last Thursday!), is a 40cmX40cmX4cm big slab of a thing I got from B&Q over a year ago. I've been playing some bass-heavy bits of music as well as films, and there is very little rattling of doorframes and the like, and then only during the very loudest passages - eg Leo DiCaprio's character being "dunked" near the beginning of Inception - man oh man does the 400 go loud and deep!:D Basically the sub does what it's supposed to do, which is shift air, not masonry.
Being from a garden centre, the plinth isn't super polished, but as it's exactly the same size as the 400's footprint it doesn't matter. I would recommend it even if you lived in a detached house with concrete flooring.
 
A good granite plinth makes a BIG difference! The one I use underneath my XXLS400 (arrived last Thursday!), is a 40cmX40cmX4cm big slab of a thing I got from B&Q over a year ago.
...
I would recommend it even if you lived in a detached house with concrete flooring.
Well I don't have a XXLS400 but I actually found that in my situation having the granite plinth on-top of the sub made a much bigger difference than having it underneath the sub! In fact I have 4 granite slabs on-top so something like 20-30+kgs of added weight to the sub anchoring it into the concrete floor.

I have a FF MA RXW-12 and I found that initially it would make everything rattle as well as cause problems for the neighbours. After experimentation I found that anchoring the sub firmly into the concrete floor with the extra weight made a bigger difference than having the granite slabs underneath trying to isolate.

So the moral to the story - experiment.
 
guys i asked a question about the phase controll and tips on were would you guys recommend having the volume gauge set half way (12o'clock , or 1 o'clock )

regarding granite slate, im not sure, ive got concrete flooring and its laminated, and got those super spikes on.
 
I think there's details in the manual about starting points for volume and phase settings, then experiment to see what you like. All rooms are different and have their own problems with sound.

As for the spikes, I would've thought with Laminate floors you'd want some vibrapods or rubber feet on it not metal.
 
I think there's details in the manual about starting points for volume and phase settings, then experiment to see what you like. All rooms are different and have their own problems with sound.

As for the spikes, I would've thought with Laminate floors you'd want some vibrapods or rubber feet on it not metal.

yes the super spikes have got those rubber feets on it - its the ones you can buy from bk them selfs


i appreciate all rooms are diffrent, but just as a starting guide just wanted to know what most owners have got there subs set at
 
Oh right. I'll be interested to hear how you find the sub. I'm trying to make my mind up whether to get a XXLS400 or monolith. I have space to fit a monolith in but the actual room size may be a bit small.

What's the size of your room?
 
i have ordered the super spikes feet for it and just wondering do they screw into the woden feet or do i take the wooden feet off and screw these in?

the piece of granite you guys use is that just a kitchen chopping board ?
have to say it does look good too

I use superfeet with my xls200. They just screw into the black feet that the sub comes with. They work very well.

I also have the sub on a piece of granite, which seems to keep the bass nice and tight. Worth a tenner all day long.
 
guys i asked a question about the phase controll and tips on were would you guys recommend having the volume gauge set half way (12o'clock , or 1 o'clock )

regarding granite slate, im not sure, ive got concrete flooring and its laminated, and got those super spikes on.

It really is impossible to say until you get yours in your room.
Mine as it happens is just pass 12 c'clock.

All part of the fun of setting it up.

To answer Duckcm18 my room is 2.3M x 5M so only small, it was the garage.

DrH
 
guys i asked a question about the phase controll and tips on were would you guys recommend having the volume gauge set half way (12o'clock , or 1 o'clock )
what setting do i set the phase control?,i dont kow what to do with this,
low level frequency i have set to 120hz, high level i have set to low (as i have the sub connected as lfe no high level connection)
the volume gain what would you say is the best/ideal position ? half wa i.e 12 o'clock or 1 o'clock
OK - first off I don't profess to be a Sub expert so take this as it is...

The phase control moves the waveform back-and-forth along the time axis.

Since the Sub is typically located away from the rest of the front speakers. As well as the fact that the sound takes time to travel to your listening position - the time it takes for the sound to travel from your front speakers or Sub will be different. You want the "push" of air to arrive at your listening position (your ears) at the same time from both your front speakers and your Sub. If the "push" of air doesn't arrive at the same time then to different degrees they will interfere with each other and in the worst case cancel each-over out.

So as you are the only person who has your front speakers and your Sub in your room etc... other peoples setting will not work for you except by shear fluke.

So - if in doubt leave it at 0 (no movement along the time axis).

However, that will not necessarily give you the best outcome.

If you own an AVR or Amp that has room correction then typically the AVR/Amp will calculate the phase required to compensate for Sub placement and distance from listening position. So leave the Sub phase dial on 0 and use the AVR/Amp to compensate.

If you own an AVR/Amp that has a setting where you can change the Sub phase then leave the dial on the Sub at 0 and use the settings on the AVR/Amp to compensate. However, the question becomes how to know which setting for phase to set on the AVR/Amp.

There are quite a few ways - some more accurate than others and some more complex than others.

On the complex but accurate side is using the free REW software and analyzing spectrum plots. (This I'll leave for others to explain better than me).

On the simple but maybe not so accurate side is using your own ears. One way of doing this is just by listening to some music with a repetitive deep base and starting from 0 phase on the AVR/Amp moving the phase value slowly until you either like/dislike what you hear. You want kick-drums and other such sounds to be tight, succinct and not mushy.

Now regarding the volume. This is personal preference. If you have an AVR/Amp that can room correct then leave the volume at 12 O'clock and let the AVR/Amp compensate the volume at the Sub so that sound levels are similar at your listening position from both your front speakers and your Sub. So if you have an AVR/Amp with such abilities leave the volume at 12 O'clock and let the AVR/Amp compensate.

Otherwise - you can either scientifically balance all your speakers with a Decibel sound meter (there's a few threads that explain this in more detail).

Or just use your ears. So start at 12 O'clock and move the dial either way until your happy that the bass is loud enough for your liking.

All the above of course assumes that you are using the low-voltage input of the BK XXLS-400.

regarding granite slate, im not sure, ive got concrete flooring and its laminated, and got those super spikes on.
With the super rubber spikes I wouldn't worry about it. The spikes will isolate better than a granite plinth. Don't put too much weight on top of the Sub as that will compress the super rubber spikes too much and with decrease the amount of isolation.
 
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OK - first off I don't profess to be a Sub expert so take this as it is...

The phase control moves the waveform back-and-forth along the time axis.

Since the Sub is typically located away from the rest of the front speakers. As well as the fact that the sound takes time to travel to your listening position - the time it takes for the sound to travel from your front speakers or Sub will be different. You want the "push" of air to arrive at your listening position (your ears) at the same time from both your front speakers and your Sub. If the "push" of air doesn't arrive at the same time then to different degrees they will interfere with each other and in the worst case cancel each-over out.

So as you are the only person who has your front speakers and your Sub in your room etc... other peoples setting will not work for you except by shear fluke.

So - if in doubt leave it at 0 (no movement along the time axis).

However, that will not necessarily give you the best outcome.

If you own an AVR or Amp that has room correction then typically the AVR/Amp will calculate the phase required to compensate for Sub placement and distance from listening position. So leave the Sub phase dial on 0 and use the AVR/Amp to compensate.

If you own an AVR/Amp that has a setting where you can change the Sub phase then leave the dial on the Sub at 0 and use the settings on the AVR/Amp to compensate. However, the question becomes how to know which setting for phase to set on the AVR/Amp.

There are quite a few ways - some more accurate than others and some more complex than others.

On the complex but accurate side is using the free REW software and analyzing spectrum plots. (This I'll leave for others to explain better than me).

On the simple but maybe not so accurate side is using your own ears. One way of doing this is just by listening to some music with a repetitive deep base and starting from 0 phase on the AVR/Amp moving the phase value slowly until you either like/dislike what you hear. You want kick-drums and other such sounds to be tight, succinct and not mushy.

Now regarding the volume. This is personal preference. If you have an AVR/Amp that can room correct then leave the volume at 12 O'clock and let the AVR/Amp compensate the volume at the Sub so that sound levels are similar at your listening position from both your front speakers and your Sub. So if you have an AVR/Amp with such abilities leave the volume at 12 O'clock and let the AVR/Amp compensate.

Otherwise - you can either scientifically balance all your speakers with a Decibel sound meter (there's a few threads that explain this in more detail).

Or just use your ears. So start at 12 O'clock and move the dial either way until your happy that the bass is loud enough for your liking.

All the above of course assumes that you are using the low-voltage input of the BK XXLS-400.

With the super rubber spikes I wouldn't worry about it. The spikes will isolate better than a granite plinth. Don't put too much weight on top of the Sub as that will compress the super rubber spikes too much and with decrease the amount of isolation.


that is alot of information to digest ! and thank you very much.

i will leave phase at 0, and low level gain at half way to start of with and see how it developes, as i dont want that very boomy bass, i want it to sound just like in the cinemas,

and i have left high lelvel gain set to high for some reason as it isnt going to controll anything as i have connected it up with lfe only.

i have set my reciever to 80hz, this i assume means that all the bass frequency from 80hz and below will all come out of the sub?
 
and i have left high lelvel gain set to high for some reason as it isnt going to controll anything as i have connected it up with lfe only.

No, you want your high level gain to 0, because, as you say, it isn't being used.
 
last night i increased the volume on the sub to half but it didnt seem loud from the main position were i sit,

my sub is positioned in the bottom left corner of the room next to our main seating sofa

I got up and stood in the top right hand corner of the room and the sub was so loud, this was the loudest part of the room for the sub i guess this is the "boom" that every one is talks about not to have?

but it just seems to be right for the amount of volume i had increased on the sub!

i dont really know as im a total novice who just wants the best i can get for my budget, and to get the most out of the equipment!
 
guys i asked a question about the phase controll and tips on were would you guys recommend having the volume gauge set half way (12o'clock , or 1 o'clock )

regarding granite slate, im not sure, ive got concrete flooring and its laminated, and got those super spikes on.

Hey Jav,

I posted a similar request a couple of weeks back to check out what the settings meant, and what are sensible starting points - see here: http://www.avforums.com/forums/subwoofers-tactile-transducers/1403444-xxls400-proud-new-owner.html

I only got 1 response too (thx SwiftPete :)), so have copied what i will be setting my XXLS to when it arrives, apparently end of next week. :D

  • Gain (High Level) - 0 (N/A as I will be using the Low Level connection)
  • Gain (Low Level) - Sub volume as required
  • Filter - Out (N/A as LFE managed by Receiver not the sub)
  • Frequency - Unsure: presumably somewhere between 80/halfway and 120/Max? (SwiftPete recommended 120/Max)
  • Phase - Unsure: 0 probably (I don't own an SPL meter and expect I am unlikely to hear the effects of changing this?). I plan to start at 0 and then get somebody to twiddle whilst i am in preferred seating position.
I hope i don't get the boom you reported diagonally opposite from your sub, as my sub will be positioned to the right of the TV, under the right front speaker, and i will be sat diagonally away to the back left of the room. Can't change either, i'm afraid... :(

My flooring is marble tiles, so assume i am already 'sat on a granite slab', so will be sticking with the default feet.

Keep the thread going Jav - all useful stuff ahead of my delivery next week!!

Cheers - Kevin.
 
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I agree with the settings given by Kevin.

Set the Low gain at mid position (this gives you easy control over the Bass Gain without having to enter your amps set up).
Set the filter "OUT" this allows your AV reciver to manage the bass. I belive your amp will then mange the crossover frequency so I guess this setting is Immaterial when filter is set "OUT"?

Most modern AV amps come with some sort of auto set up this will be the best starting point. It is though a good idea to then fine tune this i.e. speaker distance, gain levels.

There are many scientific way to measure audio quality but in the end its subjective, its what sounds good to you.

I always find it helpful to make small changes from the base level and fully evaluate them before moving on. Remember it is easy to totaly screw the sound stage by over doing it but if you reach this stage you can re-set and start agian. I suppose half the fun in this hobby is fine tuning and fiddling.

Good luck with your new BK you will not be dissapointed, I have a BK XLS200 mkII. It can totaly rocks my room (5.5mx 3.5)

Gary
 
ok thanks guys

I tried the low gain at around 1-2 o'clock for a little while and from where i sit, god i felt the diffrence between 12 o'clock wow!,

but i think i should take it a little easy for a bit as its a new sub.

i can certainly tell the difference between my budget 100watts ported yamaha active sub, the bk has a much cleaner bass that dosent sound distored when going down to those low frequency and is a lot punchier , i assume the punchyness is becuase its a sealed cabinet and not ported.

certainly no regrets i knew i was buying something special because of the cost and all the recommendations for bk on here.

would have loved to have the monolith as its only 50 pounds or so more and its the top of the range. but becuase of the size i couldnt buy it.

would i recommend bk subs to any 1? ABSOLUTLEY YES

P.S every one that comes over asks is that your sub, i thought it was a coffe table in the corner! :smashin: just hope they dont use it as a coffe table:eek:
 

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