sfseay
Active Member
The speakers were purchased used. The Sophia Series 2 are about seven years old.
Hodge Podge System Not working for Me!
- Thread starter sfseay
- Start date
I understand exactly what you are experiencing. Here is a link to my recent changes and results.
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/i-might-be-done.766954/
Good luck on the search.
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/i-might-be-done.766954/
Good luck on the search.
rgbeach
Active Member
Hello, if you're not familiar with this book, it's a very worthwhile investment: http://getbettersound.com/index.php
I'm a little concerned at the fact the 30hz and 125hz frequencies are so boosted. In a small room like that it can't sound good with those massive peaks. I understand sound is subjective but boosting bass that much is not good.
Working with placement and sub positioning is a far better way to accomplish this. I also agree with the OP that the speakers are a little to big for that room. Wilson speakers in general like a fair amount of breathing room to sound best. Not saying you can't get them to sound good. But you will never hear them at full potential in a room that small.
Working with placement and sub positioning is a far better way to accomplish this. I also agree with the OP that the speakers are a little to big for that room. Wilson speakers in general like a fair amount of breathing room to sound best. Not saying you can't get them to sound good. But you will never hear them at full potential in a room that small.
sfseay
Active Member
I have the Get Better Sound book and will utilize many of the ideas when I refurbish the room. I was disappointed with the Sophia's bass and that is why I boosted the lower frequency equalization on the preamp. I have hooked up my subwoofer now. Thanks to all of you for your feedback and advice!
Well stay in touch as we have just started to think about the basics here to get you going. I'm sure with tweaks here and there, revamping the room your system will shine.
whoaru99
Epic Member
It doesn't decide, it just works according to the load it sees.
As a general rule, only McIntosh and tube amps use output transformers with multiple taps. The majority of amps don't have such.
Yeah you have a point there as I rethink it, I guess I'v been to removed form that for quiet a while.
sfseay
Active Member
I have checked them. They are connected properly.
This is not advice, but just my experience. I have a similar sized room with the JBL 250Ti's. Lacking bass sitting in my sweet spot, but when I'm outside the room, on the other side of the wall, the bass was much better. I had my speakers placed perpendicular to the back walls, and some of the low frequency waves were canceling out each other. I had to play around with angling them, and that brought the bass back into the room.
cube-tube
Super Member
Those Sophia 2's do not lack bass. In fact, the bass performance is one of its strong points, both in quality and quantity.
They need to be moved out from the wall a bit. You're choking the rear port having them right up against the wall. They could be placed in null points of the room, your listening position could be in a null point. And lastly, remove that sub from the room completely. Having a large driver just sitting there can also "suck" bass out of a room.
Also, jacking the bass all of the way up on the tone controls isn't helping. That's just muddying up what bass there is.
I have Martin Logan SL3's and NHT 2.9's. Both have 10" woofers and the same rated bass extension as the Sophia's (29 Hz), and they have no lack of bass in any room that I have had them in, big or small. And that's also with all tone controls completely bypassed.
They need to be moved out from the wall a bit. You're choking the rear port having them right up against the wall. They could be placed in null points of the room, your listening position could be in a null point. And lastly, remove that sub from the room completely. Having a large driver just sitting there can also "suck" bass out of a room.
Also, jacking the bass all of the way up on the tone controls isn't helping. That's just muddying up what bass there is.
I have Martin Logan SL3's and NHT 2.9's. Both have 10" woofers and the same rated bass extension as the Sophia's (29 Hz), and they have no lack of bass in any room that I have had them in, big or small. And that's also with all tone controls completely bypassed.
sfseay
Active Member
The Sophias are between 18-24" from the front wall. I'm traveling right now so can't measure the exact distance. They were never against the wall and I believe that they should put out more bass where they are. Also, I don't understand your point about a subwoofer "sucking the bass out of the room". That makes no sense to me at all. Please explain since from a pure acoustics standpoint I find that statement to be without merit
cube-tube
Super Member
Meaning if it was sitting there, unused. The subwoofer in effect would/could absorb bass in the room. I've never really experienced it myself, but some people claim to have tested the theory and say it in fact does do that.
It in fact does have merit. Just trying to eliminate all possibilities.
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cube-tube
Super Member
From the looks of the first picture on this thread, it looks like the rear of the speakers are only 6" or so from the wall.
What I have observed was this - if you have other big speakers in the room that is not being used or hooked up, remove the grille and watch the woofers as you play music on the main speakers. When the main speakers woofers pushes the air, the inactive speakers' woofers will be pushed in. This is like a pressurized room....
sfseay
Active Member
They were when the picture was taken to try and enhance the bass. They have been moved out and I have integrated the subwoofer into the mix.
sKiZo
Hates received: 92644 43.20°N 85.50°W
Good gear, bad room, tune, or ears ...
First step in ANY of this sort of thing is, read the book. Some speakers have very particular needs for proper placement and response.
Next step, tune the room. Get a copy of Room EQ Wizard loaded up on a laptop and see exactly what you're starting with. You'll need a calibrated microphone to do that, but Dayton now has a simple plug 'n play USB version of their famous EMM6 that takes the work out of setup. An SPL meter (there's an app for that you can load up on a smart phone) then a couple basic calibrations to the software and you're up and running. Run a few one click frequency sweeps to get an audio picture of the room and go from there.
Last step, figure out a way to implement any changes you need to do to get the room "right". What you need will depend on what all's going on, but I expect some room treatments would be best. Then again, the wife factor might get in the way of that, so a software solution might be best. In either case, it's a one time process as long as you don't make any major changes to the system or room.
PS ... if you want to take the easy way out, and with what you've already invested in the system, might want to look into an automatic eq solution. Audyssey and dbx have some nice gear that can work wonders with little effort.
Can't help you on the bad ears thing ... <G>
First step in ANY of this sort of thing is, read the book. Some speakers have very particular needs for proper placement and response.
Next step, tune the room. Get a copy of Room EQ Wizard loaded up on a laptop and see exactly what you're starting with. You'll need a calibrated microphone to do that, but Dayton now has a simple plug 'n play USB version of their famous EMM6 that takes the work out of setup. An SPL meter (there's an app for that you can load up on a smart phone) then a couple basic calibrations to the software and you're up and running. Run a few one click frequency sweeps to get an audio picture of the room and go from there.
Last step, figure out a way to implement any changes you need to do to get the room "right". What you need will depend on what all's going on, but I expect some room treatments would be best. Then again, the wife factor might get in the way of that, so a software solution might be best. In either case, it's a one time process as long as you don't make any major changes to the system or room.
PS ... if you want to take the easy way out, and with what you've already invested in the system, might want to look into an automatic eq solution. Audyssey and dbx have some nice gear that can work wonders with little effort.
Can't help you on the bad ears thing ... <G>
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