Blending a Velodyne Sub with original Sequels?

[Dreamer]

I just got a pretty good deal on an older Velodyne sub (F-1500 B) in cherry condition, and I'm trying to get it to sound right (not too boomy) with my original Sequels. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to where I might start (as a sort of off-the-cuff baseline) on the crossover point for the sub. It has a variable crossover, ranging from 100hz to 40Hz.

I know the Sequel crosses over it's own woofer at 125Hz, and supposedly goes down to 28Hz, so I thought it might be good to set the Velodyne at about 80 Hz. After about 2 hours of fiddling with it (output levels and crossover point) I've got it pretty close, but without an SPL meter or some sort of DSP thingy (like a Velodyne SMS-1, which I'm probably going to buy soon anyway), it's sort of hard to dial it in by ear.

Am I just screwed until I get the SMS, or have any of you folks run into this yourselves? I'd LOVE to hear what anyone has to say on this topic--dialing in low-tech vintage gear by ear. I know all the new DSP stuff makes this job a LOT easier, but audiophiles were doing this for decades before we had DSP with pretty good results, so I figured there must be SOMEONE out there who could give me some suggestions...

Thanks,
--Richard

 

[jtwrace]

either an SMS-1 or Behringer 2496 Ultraddrive Pro. I use the latter. 80Hz is where I would start but you really need a SPL and a proper crossover. If you are ever in the area you are welcome to hear mine.

 

[DTB300]

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=3418

Rad Shack SPL Meter (Analog)

Placement first, Room treatments, Bass EQ

Test tones can be downloaded and used as MP3's or burned to a CD from Ethan at www.realtraps.com

 

[Audioseduction]

I seamlessly blended in my Paradigm Servo-15 v.2 by setting it at 5Hz overlap with my Odyssey’s lowest Hz range. If you have too much overlap the sub and main speakers can to start canceling out each other and you end up with a flat muddy base sound with very little variation in bass tones to represent the frequency properly which means sounding crappy. Don’t forget to adjust the loudness and phase alignment properly. Either of those 2 adjustments adjusted improperly can make it sound undesirable.

 

[jtwrace]

don't forget that with a proper crossover or correction device you can optimize the setup. I use this software http://www.hometheatershack.com/roomeq/ which is a free download. I must say that it works great. There are so many options in this continuing topic. I am going to do this next:

http://www.referenceaudiomods.com/M...nger_2496&Category_Code=MODS&Product_Count=28

the budget mod. I do NOT use the internal DAC.

 

[kcl]

For what its worth, I vote for the SMS-1. Its a marvelous piece of equipment. You can usually pick one up at a street price in the low $400 off of ebay or Audiogon. (I got mine off of ebay for $430 earlier this year.)

 

[Dreamer]

So it says on the RoomEQ documentation that you can program the Behringer with the software through it's MIDI ports. Can RoomEQ also program or set up the Velodyne SMS-1? Or am I just going to have to do the analysis of the room using RoomEQ and then manually program the SMS-1?

--Richard

 

[JohnA]

I've got a 18" self-built beast augmenting the SL3s.
In my room, they need the -3db setting at the back, but the sub set at 60Hz does make a big difference in keeping it flat until the lowest octave. (using handheld digital SPL meter)

The SL3s are operating full-range of course, no high-pass filter is transparent enough for me.