• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Sub bass of the subwoofer in a small room

OP
Phoney

Phoney

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2021
Messages
370
Likes
236
It’s not your room. Your desktops need filtering low frequencies.

The sub has a low pass filter in built but there’s no matching high pass in your system. As the word implies you need to “crossover” the filters in both high and low speakers.

The only solution is to replace your amplifier which has high pass filter built in. Then set it to cut at 100Hz and reset your subwoofer to 100Hz as well. Your room is too small you will be perfectly OK with a crossover frequency of 100Hz.

These are active speakers, so I dont use an external amplifier. Do you mean I have to get an external amp for it?
 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK
For the music only systems, I like to let the sub run full range…
Which means you are using the LP of the sub’s driver, which mostly has an irregular slope. Why do that?
 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK
These are active speakers, so I dont use an external amplifier. Do you mean I have to get an external amp for it?
You need an active crossover then. These days many active speakers have inbuilt HP filters as that’s the only way to incorporate a subwoofer. Read the manual.
 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK

Tom C

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Messages
1,501
Likes
1,370
Location
Wisconsin, USA
I have EQ in Roon, but I can't put lpf and hpf seperately for the speaker and the sub there. So that's why I just use the lpf knob on the back of the sub, while the speakers themselves already has a built in hpf in its FR which rolls off at around 74hz.
Any EQ you apply in Roon that is lower frequency than the speaker can play is applied only to the sub…since the speaker can’t play those frequencies. Likewise, any EQ applied to frequencies above the low-pass filter dial you set on the sub will be applied only to the speakers.
I think you may be almost home, since you suspect the problem area is around 30-40Hz. If you try a cut to the problem frequency range in Roon EQ, and you get an improvement, it stands to reason you’re on the right track.
 

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,753
Likes
5,911
Location
PNW
You need an active crossover then. These days many active speakers have inbuilt HP filters as that’s the only way to incorporate a subwoofer. Read the manual.
Glancing at the manual it does have a bass level control for the speakers.....does it only affect the speakers or the pre-out as well?
 
OP
Phoney

Phoney

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2021
Messages
370
Likes
236
Glancing at the manual it does have a bass level control for the speakers.....does it only affect the speakers or the pre-out as well?

I'm unsure to what frequencies it covers. Because in this setup, the speakers are a bit light on upper bass. There's a little bit of suckout going on at 100-200hz, maybe due to room or placement. It was way worse before I moved the speakers closer to me and further away from the wall (may have been some cancellation going on due to reflected energy from the wall behind the speakers). But I don't really care too much. Music still sounds punchy after I moved them closer. Point is if I use the knob on the speakers to pull down the bass, I would probably lessen this area even more. So I'd rather use a low shelf filter in Roon or just turn down the volume of the sub. I guess I could just play around with Roon eq and see what happens. Maybe try to put a high pass filter for the deepest notes.
 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK
I guess I could just play around with Roon eq and see what happens. Maybe try to put a high pass filter for the deepest notes.
Roon is also feeding your sub. Filter will not work as it will cut the sub frequencies as well. Your setup can never improve more than you have. Your desktop speakers are distorting when playing low frequencies at high sound levels. Nothing other than an active line level crossover or different speakers can overcome that. Unless, you listen low enough levels that they don’t distort.
 

kiwifi

Active Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2021
Messages
235
Likes
187
Have you tried placing the sub at your normal listening position and then placing your ears at potential subwoofer locations around the room to see which one sounds best?
 
OP
Phoney

Phoney

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2021
Messages
370
Likes
236
Have you tried placing the sub at your normal listening position and then placing your ears at potential subwoofer locations around the room to see which one sounds best?

Not really. This is a good idea though, I might try it at some point. However, the only real issue I had was the lower bass being too intense. After more testing, I don't believe it really alters the rest of the frequencies that much, but my ears just got distracted by the intense low bass leading me to believe that it also messed with other frequencies. This has solved the problem, it seems like my initial suspicion was right:

7dcb36da15eb2a35658dbe5603c9c99b.png


It seems like the 30-40hz area just got a bit too loud in my listening room. Information on the internet (grain of salt here) said that small square shaped rooms can create bad resonances in the sub bass especially, maybe that was the case.
 

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,753
Likes
5,911
Location
PNW
The subwoofer crawl might be something to try....did you do anything particular to locate the sub originally?
 
OP
Phoney

Phoney

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2021
Messages
370
Likes
236
The subwoofer crawl might be something to try....did you do anything particular to locate the sub originally?

Not really. I've considered trying to move it closer towards the wall below the desk. If I were to put behind me somewhere and adjust phase, I'd have to use longer cables.
 

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,753
Likes
5,911
Location
PNW
Not really. I've considered trying to move it closer towards the wall below the desk. If I were to put behind me somewhere and adjust phase, I'd have to use longer cables.
Positioning should take precedence in setup.....it's key. OTOH you don't look to have tons of choices.
 
Top Bottom