dazed&confused
Prominent Member
I am interested in trying out an EQ or room correction device, having just ordered a BK XLS400DF subwoofer which I will be using for stereo use at high level (speaker level) as well as for movie and for multichannel music using the low level LFE connection.
Whichever EQ/ room correction device I try, ideally it will work both for stereo use and for AV use because my current AV receiver has no EQ/correction itself and because I am interested in replacing my AV receiver with an Audiolab 8200AP or similar, which also has no room correction.
I am thinking that I might be forced to try an EQ/correction device which works only for the subwoofer, not for the stereo speakers as well, because of my particular set up. However, I would prefer to try a device that would also work for the stereo speakers because I am thinking of changing my current stereo speakers (which have a specified frequency response down to 45Hz) for a pair with a frequency response down to about 30Hz.
In my set up the subwoofer will always remain in the same location in the room but - weird I know - I move my front stereo speakers around the room depending on whether people are sat just on one couch or on two couches and, in the case of just the one couch, whether it is for “everyday listening” or for “critical listening”. Thus, if I were to try an EQ/correction device that worked for the front stereo speakers as well as for the subwoofer then it would have to have memories for at least three different basic, initial calibrations using the microphone – not just for different post-calibration “house curves” such as “neighbours at home” and “neighbours not home”, etc.
My equipment set up regarding the signal path is as follows. In stereo use the AV receiver is switched off because my sources (currently an analogue out from a universal disk player and an analogue out from a DAC) go straight into my Townshend Allegri “Passive Preamplifier”, which goes to Cyrus power amps, and the BK XLS400 subwoofer will be connected at speaker level using the Neutric connection. For movies and multichannel music my AV receiver pre-outs are bypassed through the Townshend Allegri (set at 0Db attenuation) into the Cyrus power amps and the same BK XLS400 subwoofer will be connected at line level to the LFE out from the AV receiver. The Allegri preamp has RCA outputs only (no balanced outputs) and my current Cyrus power amps have RCA inputs only.
I would like to try an Anti Mode Dual Core, which I am told has four memories which can be used for different basic, initial calibrations. However, from what I can tell, one needs to use the balanced outputs of the Anti Mode Dual Core in order to apply it both to the stereo speakers and to a subwoofer and, even then, I can’t see how one would also connect the LFE output from the AV receiver through the Anti Mode into the same sub.
Could anyone tell me how the Anti Mode Dual Core would fit into my system and operate as required? Any suggestions for an alternative EQ/correction device? Perhaps I would need two separate devices, one for AV and one for stereo? Or perhaps there is a simple, multi-channel preamp/processor that is similar to the Audiolab 8200AP but with built in EQ/correction, which would work in tandem with something like the Anti Mode Dual Core connected separately for stereo use?
Or maybe I wouldn’t even have a notable benefit from EQ/room correction applied to frequencies of 30Hz and above?
Additional information -
My room is about 5.2m long by 3.4m wide by 2.3m high, with the front speakers firing across the width of the room and occupying up to just over half of the length of the room. The remaining part of the room has a dining table small dining table and chairs. I would describe the room as cluttered since I have also squeezed in two couches, an armchair, a couple of large cabinets, and book shelving. In other words, there are many “randomly placed” solid and semi sold surfaces at varying angles. The floor is engineered wood on top of thick underlay on concrete scree but I have made some use of rugs and I have curtains as well as venetian blinds on the two windows. In addition to a standard door on the long wall with the speakers, behind the dining table the end wall has 1.4m wide sliding doors opening into the kitchen.
Many thanks for your input,
David.
Whichever EQ/ room correction device I try, ideally it will work both for stereo use and for AV use because my current AV receiver has no EQ/correction itself and because I am interested in replacing my AV receiver with an Audiolab 8200AP or similar, which also has no room correction.
I am thinking that I might be forced to try an EQ/correction device which works only for the subwoofer, not for the stereo speakers as well, because of my particular set up. However, I would prefer to try a device that would also work for the stereo speakers because I am thinking of changing my current stereo speakers (which have a specified frequency response down to 45Hz) for a pair with a frequency response down to about 30Hz.
In my set up the subwoofer will always remain in the same location in the room but - weird I know - I move my front stereo speakers around the room depending on whether people are sat just on one couch or on two couches and, in the case of just the one couch, whether it is for “everyday listening” or for “critical listening”. Thus, if I were to try an EQ/correction device that worked for the front stereo speakers as well as for the subwoofer then it would have to have memories for at least three different basic, initial calibrations using the microphone – not just for different post-calibration “house curves” such as “neighbours at home” and “neighbours not home”, etc.
My equipment set up regarding the signal path is as follows. In stereo use the AV receiver is switched off because my sources (currently an analogue out from a universal disk player and an analogue out from a DAC) go straight into my Townshend Allegri “Passive Preamplifier”, which goes to Cyrus power amps, and the BK XLS400 subwoofer will be connected at speaker level using the Neutric connection. For movies and multichannel music my AV receiver pre-outs are bypassed through the Townshend Allegri (set at 0Db attenuation) into the Cyrus power amps and the same BK XLS400 subwoofer will be connected at line level to the LFE out from the AV receiver. The Allegri preamp has RCA outputs only (no balanced outputs) and my current Cyrus power amps have RCA inputs only.
I would like to try an Anti Mode Dual Core, which I am told has four memories which can be used for different basic, initial calibrations. However, from what I can tell, one needs to use the balanced outputs of the Anti Mode Dual Core in order to apply it both to the stereo speakers and to a subwoofer and, even then, I can’t see how one would also connect the LFE output from the AV receiver through the Anti Mode into the same sub.
Could anyone tell me how the Anti Mode Dual Core would fit into my system and operate as required? Any suggestions for an alternative EQ/correction device? Perhaps I would need two separate devices, one for AV and one for stereo? Or perhaps there is a simple, multi-channel preamp/processor that is similar to the Audiolab 8200AP but with built in EQ/correction, which would work in tandem with something like the Anti Mode Dual Core connected separately for stereo use?
Or maybe I wouldn’t even have a notable benefit from EQ/room correction applied to frequencies of 30Hz and above?
Additional information -
My room is about 5.2m long by 3.4m wide by 2.3m high, with the front speakers firing across the width of the room and occupying up to just over half of the length of the room. The remaining part of the room has a dining table small dining table and chairs. I would describe the room as cluttered since I have also squeezed in two couches, an armchair, a couple of large cabinets, and book shelving. In other words, there are many “randomly placed” solid and semi sold surfaces at varying angles. The floor is engineered wood on top of thick underlay on concrete scree but I have made some use of rugs and I have curtains as well as venetian blinds on the two windows. In addition to a standard door on the long wall with the speakers, behind the dining table the end wall has 1.4m wide sliding doors opening into the kitchen.
Many thanks for your input,
David.