Please help me set up my Ultra2 sub

[Psylocke]

I just installed my new Ultra2 sub/ 1000 amp and I am having a hard time setting it up.

My system is as follows:

KL-650-THX x3 Front center and Left

KS-525-THX Side surrounds

SCW-1 inwall back surrounds

KW-120-THX sub (one)

KA-1000-THX sub amp

Pioneer Elite VSX-47-THX Ultra2 reciever

I used to have a B&W ASW1000 sub that the ultra2 sub replaced.

When that sub was in the system the bass was fantastic and the levels

on the sub were barley at 1/4 volume and the receiver set to -10db on

the sub level control.

I have now set everything up to THX specs letting the receiver handle all volume etc.... levels.

I find that I have to have the sub level on the receiver set to +6db to

get anything decient and it still is not as room filling as the B&W

was.

On a positive note: the bass peek level was set to -25db with the

B&W before it started to bottom out, and the Ultra sub is set

to -5 before bottoming out (at least I hear something different

that I am assuming is the sub over exerting itself).

Should I setup the sub as if it was not connected to an Ultra2 receiver

and do all the adjustments on the amp? Doesn't that kind of defeat the

purpose of having all the THX standards and settings to hear what the

THX people want you to hear accuratly?

Should I redo my accoustic calibration with the microphone? ( I am pretty sure it does not dial in the sub).

I am very confused and would like some help from people who own the ultra2 subs.

Lastly, does this mean I need to buy the second sub too be happy? My

room is 1600cubic feet and I beleive one of these subs should be enough

to fill the room.

[colterphoto1]

Perhaps you SHOULD redo your auto calibration with your receiver. I know my Yamaha YPAO does take the sub into consideration. Your receiver output might be dialed way down. That THX should be more than ample. I have heard such a setup at Indy's and it has to be tapered back even with the LaScalas.

M

[IndyKlipschFan]

Don't confuse a +6 or higher on your amp as a signal to the sub to be a bad thing.

Different amps, different receivers, have different signal strenghts to the sub. You also have a volume nob (far right) on the KA 1000 amp. As much as I hate to admit it too.. Cables..(called interconnects) might also come into play here too. Get good ones.

Michael (Colterphoto1) is right.. I think mine is also +6 to + 8 off the top of my head from my Denon 3802. But the volume nob is about 1/2 turned up on the Klipsch KA 1000 amp. No need for any more volume for sure.. And that is in a room with 7 (Yes, I know crazy) Split La Scalas..

The advantage of two subs, besides a little more SPL's, is a balance issue IMO. Placed up front, left and right of the center speaker... So closer to your left front and right front with on screen explosions.. etc., etc. This is my preference. If it is JUST for movies.. perhaps more in the middle CLOSER to your center?

To me, the action just JUMPS off the screen at you. Add the fact that these are front firing, front ported subs, everything comes at you with solid amazing lows.

As for music, with the La Scalas, they also sound incredible in multi channel or in stereo too. I admit I turn the subs down just a small bit for stereo music, maybe 10 o'clock on the dial, so they just add a little bit to the La scalas where they need it.

[Psylocke]

The problem with the volume knob is that it is disabled once you turn on the thx switch. The light above the volume knob turns red, indicating that the knob does nothing. The volume of the sub is now soley controlled by the THX Ultra2 receiver.

I have the sub off to the centre just in front of my cabinet (inbetween my cabinet and left front speaker, probably 2-3' from the left speaker).

If I move it to the front inbetween my TV (centre channel) and left front speaker will it sound better?

I have attached a very old picture of the room right when I finished construction of the basement. It still shows the RF-35's and b&W sub next to the cabinet. But it gives you the idea of how the area is laid out.

The room has a 95" screen that comes down in front of the 51" RPTV when I watch movies.

Thanks for the suggestions, I really apreciate the help.

[TheEAR]

Psylocke,

Looking at your pic I would move any subwoofer alongside the front wall.First try one of the corners,you should get more output,then if the magnetic field does not cause any ill effect on your rear projection a bit out of the corner,always close(a foot away) to the front wall.

Experiment with lplacement alongside the fron wall

You should get good results there

[DrWho]

well ironically running only one sub will be 6dB quieter than if you

were running two. So perhaps it makes sense that you have to boost it

6dB on the reciever when in "THX mode" (watever that means).

Does your subwoofer manual cover the setup configurations? There is a

reason they put the volume dials there. I'm not super familiar with all

the options on the amp, but I do know there is a room gain knob or

watever they call it. Anyways, there is a lot to getting the subwoofer

dialed in correctly and if I was more familiar with the sub I would try

to spell it out. There should be a phase dial on there somewhere too

which is very important as well.

[Psylocke]

The only place along the front wall that the sub can go is next to the

TV on either side. If I move the front speakers closer to the tv than

the 95" screen will not be able to be lowered. Is the Ultra2 sub

magnetically shielded?

I am going to try everything under the sun tonight to see what I

can come up with before I start experimenting with front wall placement.

I will take a more up to date picture this weekend and post it so you

can get a more accurate representation of the current setup.

[fletcherkane]

This may or may not help. I run the Pioneer 1015, which is very similiar to your Elite model, minus a few of the bells and whistles. Upon first connecting my system to it, and running the MCACC, I found that it had calibrated the room very flat, almost too flat...The bass output in my room was considerably reduced from the previous receiver I had used.

I found two solutions.

One, just manually adjust the sub volume as you have done.

Two, go into the menus and change the subwoofer setting to "Plus" instead of "On". This instantly gave me the room balance that I was looking for in my room.

The placement issues others have mentioned should be heeded as well.