[Which amps maximize the bass output from Heresy IV's]

Also, I have them on stands because the sound stage was low. I will definitely try the spl metering test to ensure the sub is optimized.

[Which amps maximize the bass output from Heresy IV's]

3 hours ago, Islander said:

Sure, a better/more expensive amplifier can give you clearer and stronger sound, but before changing anything, let’s see if your system is performing to its best ability as it is.

 

Tiffiny, are your speakers on the floor, on their risers?  Although they look like large bookshelf speakers, they are actually floorstanders.  Second, they don’t have the deep bass of their big brothers, the Cornwalls, because of the Iron Law.  This law states that of the three desirable speaker characteristics, high sensitivity, deep bass response, and small cabinet size, you can have any two, but you can never have all three.  This is not in the law books, it’s due to the physics of speaker design.

 

Klipsch chose high sensitivity and small cabinet size.  This gives you a speaker that can produce very high volume with little power, which also helps in the retrieval of fine details in the music.  As well, the cabinet is of a size that makes it far easier to place in your room than Cornwalls or La Scalas.

 

Accordingly, to hear the lowest two or three octaves of your music, you need the help of a subwoofer.  This is also true of the vast majority of speakers on the market, unless you’re ready to spend $30,000 or more.

 

How did you dial in your subwoofer?  Did you do the “sub crawl” in order to find the best place in the room for the sub?  Did you get a helper so you could get the phase just right?  Setting the phase requires your helper to turn the knob on your sub between 0 degrees and 180 degrees while you listen (or use an SPL meter) from your listening position.  When it’s loudest, you’ve got it right.  It might be a good idea to write the best setting on a piece of paper and tape it beside the knob, in case you forget and disturb the knob accidentally.

 

As for the volume level of your sub, this calls for a test CD/DVD and a sound level (SPL) meter.  Those meters cost under $100, or you can probably rent one from your local music store or DJ supply shop.  Some musical instrument shops have a Pro section where they have SPL meters and other gear for rent.  Okay, you’re ready to go.  You’ll need to make a chart for this one.  As the tones go down from whatever the top frequency on the disc is, likely 200 Hz or so, make a note of the volume level.  The goal is to get an even volume level from the top point (when you’re hearing only the speaker) all the way to the lowest frequency (when you’re hearing only the sub).  The testing does not need to be done at high volume.  65-70 dB is loud enough.

 

To get the smoothest response, you’ll need to set both the sub’s volume level and its hi-cut, the upper limit to its response.  Some people make the mistake of setting the sub’s hi-cut to match the speaker’s specified lowest bass limit, but it’s not that clearcut.  This is because the speaker’s response starts to taper off above that point.  By then, it’s down 3 dB.  In the same way, the sub’s hi-cut is not a brick wall.  The sound starts to taper off wherever you set the hi-cut, but it goes a bit beyond that.

 

Accordingly, you’ll want to set the sub’s hi-cut a bit above the speaker’s bottom limit, so you have some overlap.  This will give the smoothest handover between the speakers and the sub, with minimal dips and peaks.  That’s your goal.  After you’ve done a few runs down the frequency scale, you’ll notice that the response is not perfectly smooth.  There will be some dips and peaks, no matter what you do.  All that’s possible is to minimize them.

 

In the old days, in the 20th century, the cure would be to use an equalizer with 10 or 12 frequency sliders for each channel, but with the cleaner/clearer sounding amplifiers we have today, those old EQs muddy up the sound, so hardly anybody uses them anymore.  However, some subs do have a room correction feature that can adjust their response to make it fairly even, in spite of the effects of the room.  That’s a big help.

 

Yes, some of the unevenness of the bass response of your speakers and sub is due to the size and shape of your room, and how your system interacts with it.  You can only do so much.  Get your system sounding its best, then sit back and enjoy your favourite music.

 

Also, welcome to the Forum, Tiffiny!

Thank you for the comprehensive information. This may sound as though I am greedy but with my sub turned on, I am really pleased. It is just if I turn the sub off, I feel like the heresy could do better, and my 50 watt amp is likely under powering..?? That being said, I would like to find the most synergistic upgrade for amplification. I did do the room crawl. As far as getting the phase right, I did it alone over the course of a few months LOL, a lot of trial and error but currently with the sub on, my set-up sounds fairly well blended on most music. The sub does not draw attention to itself on most music. The minute I turn the sub off, it is like what happened... Even the mids get thin.

[Which amps maximize the bass output from Heresy IV's]

12 hours ago, OO1 said:

a Great Amp -Preamp  for the Heresy IV is the Yamaha A-S series    , my guess is  this PS Audio amp  is really not up to the task of  powering the Heresy IV , why ?  well  the H IV  is pretty close to a Monitor with exceptional HF and decent bass  from a 12 inch woofer,  also ,  the Heresy IV  HF  drivers are used In the much larger Cornwall IV    ......if you cant hear  it ,  the problem is definitely not the speakers   

Thank you 

[Which amps maximize the bass output from Heresy IV's]

Thank you Gary, you are very helpful

[Which amps maximize the bass output from Heresy IV's]

I am driving my Heresy IV's with the PS Audio sprout. I am new to hifi and thought that would be a safe start. I am very pleased with the sound considering what it is but the bass is anemic and the midrange I think could be thicker but I think it is fairly detailed. What amps do you recommend for getting as much articulate bass as the Heresy's are capable of and more mid range than I am experiencing currently? I am currently using a Rythmik f12 sub but I feel that I am relying on the sub too much and I am looking for a more balanced bass.