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But what’s “too high”?? Tastes vary, and do movie soundtracks,
but your SVS subwoofer is capable of tremendous levels of low distor-
tion, low frequency bass — far more than most subs in this size or
price class. Take advantage of this, especially if you like action mov-
ies with lots of ―.1‖ channel (LFE) bass action, and give the sub a bit
extra gain during calibration. Keep in mind too that the human ear is
relatively insensitive to low frequencies. This, coupled with the fact
most folks don’t watch movies at full ―theater levels‖ means raising the
bass up a few decibels (dBs) usually yields a more satisfying movie
and music experience.
What bass levels do we recommend? If you watch movies at mod-
erate sound levels, a good start is a range of +1dB to +3dB above your
other channels (as measured with your sound meter). This means the
test tone will waiver about 78 dB for the subwoofer portion of the cali-
bration run using your receiver test tones.
Note too that many modern A/V receivers allow a variety of subwoofer
level settings, depending on the ―listening mode‖ you are in. With
―Dolby Digital‖ as your ―mode‖ use the above calibration routine. You
may well find that CD ―Stereo‖ music calls for a lower bass settings.
The above is a guide… experiment! The louder your master AVR vol-
ume however, the more you should reduce the subwoofer’s playback
level to compensate. You should always avoid your driver ―bottoming‖,
resulting in a loud ―clack‖!
Location and measurement. You should take the above measure-
ments from your typical preferred seat for watching movies. Be ad-
vised, strong bass levels can vary tremendously simply by moving
your seat, or your subwoofer, just a short distance. Such is the nature
of long wavelength, deep bass sound. Do not hesitate to try different
locations and different levels for your subwoofer.
Setting playback levels on the sub which are too high (and often, too
low) is the most common theater/music setup error.
Page 11
Page 11
SV Sound
Chapter 6-4