Considering trying to properly align my subs with a MiniDSP 2x4

[phillihp23]

I was looking over instruction on how to do this and instantly became confused with terminology. I’m anything but an audio expert.... is this too complicated or would somebody be able to walk me through this? Also what do you need other than the dsp unit and a laptop?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I’m no expert either, but it seems to me like you’d have to time-align each sub, then level-match them. After that Audyssey should be able to take care of it. If you’re not set up with REW, you could do the time-alignment with a common tape measure.

Regards,
Wayne

 

[phillihp23]

What mini DSP version is recommended for use with my equipment? These are my subwoofers. SVS PB12-NSD x2 Front, SVS PC12-NSD x2 Rear. I guess the question is if I buy the miniDsp HD would I be making sure to cover my bases...vs the miniDsp?

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Are you two front placed symmetrically and your two rear placed symmetrically in the room? If they are, then Audyssey will time align them properly if you use sub 1 output to both front subs and sub 2 output to the two rear subs. They are not placed symmetrically, then you'd benefit from the miniDSP. However... sometimes having the timing slightly off from one sub to another can actually improve the response and fix issues. On a previous setup we moved my front subs 5ft farther away, which shortened the timing, and it smoothed out the response very nicely... and no one could tell the timing was off... as it's typically not noticeable enough to matter.

The miniDSP 2x4 would be fine... and you would want the Bass Management module, which would allow timing, levels and give you 10 parametric eq bands for each channel.

AustinJerry wrote a manual on time aligning subs with his miniDSP.... very helpful. https://www.dropbox.com/s/w7jmpozner6muzw/MiniDSP 2x4 Set-Up Guide Latest Version.pdf

 

[phillihp23]

Actually my front two are exactly 84” from MLP and the rears are exactly 102” from MLP. I just don’t feel like I am getting the same low compression since I set up my new gear. Maybe I just need to run audyssey again or turn them up a few notches.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

You should be fine with timing in your setup... although after you run Audyssey, you could always adjust the distance of the front subs 3-5ft in either direction and remeasure with REW if you are having issues getting the response like you want it.

Audyssey will adjust the sub levels based on the highest peaks prior to running Audyssey, which means they will like be too low after Audyssey. After running Audyssey, turn the subs up at the subs... not in the Denon sub level menu. Just turn the subs up until they sound like you want... I wouldn't be shy about it.

 

[HDTVTHR_Nut]

Here is a recent video that walks you through a process of multi-sub alignment using REW and MiniDsp. I used it last week, results were promising (I have 4 subs, 2 are front & 2 are rear, they are not identical/similar subs). The fellow has also released other videos which may be helpful(episodes 8 & 9).

Tim

 

[Todd Anderson]

@phillihp23 you might want to play with phase on your rear subs. If they are just a tiny bit off, your bass is going to sound funky. If you’ve run Audyssey, they’ll be time aligned correctly, but phase can still come into play. I’d suggest finding a music track with notable bass... and start tweaking rear sub phase.

 

[HDTVTHR_Nut]

I have a Yamaha receiver a few years old that really does not EQ the subs so I'm left with the video's approach or using software such as MSO ( Multi-Sub Optimizer), which is free and a very nice program for time aligning and doing EQ. At this point I am evaluating the results of both. In either case I will doing both again as I have just finished installing 4 DIY floor to ceiling corner bass traps today.

Tim

 

[phillihp23]

If purchasing a miniDsp and umik....and downloading REW.....what kind of cables do I need...some people mention usb extenders so you can move around the room etc. if you have suggestions or links please provide....
Also is it recommended I buy one of the umik which are individual calibrated rather than group calibrated. At some point I am going to go down this rabbit hole . It’s just a matter of time.....gotta figure out what all these fancy graphs mean after all...

 

[phillihp23]

Interesting to

@phillihp23 you might want to play with phase on your rear subs. If they are just a tiny bit off, your bass is going to sound funky. If you’ve run Audyssey, they’ll be time aligned correctly, but phase can still come into play. I’d suggest finding a music track with notable bass... and start tweaking rear sub phase.

Interesting topic....I do not believe I get any bass output from my subs when playing music. This is in my theater and also in my living room which has a SB12-NSD. Why is this? Is there a setting I’m missing? They produce bass for movies.

 

[Rick Sorak]

The only cable I needed was a long HDMI cable to connect computer to AVR.

 

[phillihp23]

The only cable I needed was a long HDMI cable to connect computer to AVR.

Is that opposed to a long cable for the mic so you don’t have too drag the laptop around the room...

 

[Rick Sorak]

The mic comes w a 15 or 20 ft USB cable....plenty long for my needs.

 

[phillihp23]

I guess what I am saying is that this is how I understand it which may not be correct....
Subs plug into mini dsp
Mic usb too laptop
Laptop hdmi to avr

drag mic around room ....

 

[Rick Sorak]

Yes you got it. Many of the sub integration people recommend just moving around the primary seating position, depends on weather you want the best sound you can get in 1 spot, or overall in the entire room.

 

[phillihp23]

Yes you got it. Many of the sub integration people recommend just moving around the primary seating position, depends on weather you want the best sound you can get in 1 spot, or overall in the entire room.

Thanks

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I am of the opinion you either get one seat really good and the rest mediocre by correcting only the main listening position... or all seats somewhat mediocre by attempting to correct all of them. So why ruin the good seat for practically little improvement on the other seats. I correct for one seat and don't even move my mic... dead center of where my head is when seated, and I can't make it sound any better doing anything else, only worse in my opinion, and it looks worse on REW if I do anything different, so maybe the response results are playing mind games on me. 15ft for the mic cable is plenty in my case, as I sit in the recliner right behind my front center main listening position. But I need about 25ft on the HDMI from my laptop to the AVR/preamp/player... whatever you decide to plug into for REW. Then of course you'll need input and output cables based on the type of miniDSP you get.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Interesting to


Interesting topic....I do not believe I get any bass output from my subs when playing music. This is in my theater and also in my living room which has a SB12-NSD. Why is this? Is there a setting I’m missing? They produce bass for movies.

Wait, so you're saying your subs aren't being used when playing music? Are you sure?

It is definitely possible that your receiver is engaging a specific stereo configuration that sets your mains to large (thus eliminating sub output). That is configurable in the menu setting... probably exactly what's happening.

 

[BigDan79]

I guess what I am saying is that this is how I understand it which may not be correct....
Subs plug into mini dsp
Mic usb too laptop
Laptop hdmi to avr

drag mic around room ....

I just went down this rabbit hole over Christmas. I got the MiniDSP HD, the mic, a very long usb cable to connect to the MiniDSP, new sub cables, mic stand, and I had a spare long HDMI so I didn’t have to purchase one. Got all of it from Amazon other than the cables. Got the sub cables from Blue Jeans Cable. Its worth all the effort.

 

[phillihp23]

Are you two front placed symmetrically and your two rear placed symmetrically in the room? If they are, then Audyssey will time align them properly if you use sub 1 output to both front subs and sub 2 output to the two rear subs. They are not placed symmetrically, then you'd benefit from the miniDSP. However... sometimes having the timing slightly off from one sub to another can actually improve the response and fix issues. On a previous setup we moved my front subs 5ft farther away, which shortened the timing, and it smoothed out the response very nicely... and no one could tell the timing was off... as it's typically not noticeable enough to matter.

The miniDSP 2x4 would be fine... and you would want the Bass Management module, which would allow timing, levels and give you 10 parametric eq bands for each channel.

AustinJerry wrote a manual on time aligning subs with his miniDSP.... very helpful. https://www.dropbox.com/s/w7jmpozner6muzw/MiniDSP 2x4 Set-Up Guide Latest Version.pdf

Do I buy this Bass Management module from the mini dsp site?

 

[phillihp23]

I placed the order, should have the equipment in a week. Then down the rabbit hole I go

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I do not believe I get any bass output from my subs when playing music. This is in my theater and also in my living room which has a SB12-NSD. Why is this? Is there a setting I’m missing? They produce bass for movies.

This sounds like you have your crossover turned off and your main speakers set to large for stereo. If they are set to large, there is no bass redirected to the subs.

Do I buy this Bass Management module from the mini dsp site?

Yes... you can add it to the miniDSP. I think you may get one module free.

 

[phillihp23]

Is that the only download besides rew you need...or is there also some basic software you need.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

You will use the Download link at miniDSP to get all you need there for software. It's a little bit of a learning curve with the BM module, but once you fiddle with it a bit, it gets easier.