The ask Tin about audio thread

[Tin]

Also, if you want to get really picky, some guys go as far as to set up the mic and run the analyzer in 3 different locations in the general area of your head and average them together. I've never personally done this and still had good results, but if you want to go the distance it's definitely something to consider.

I can see that in the car due to the nature of the interior itself. In a home setting, you want to measure from the area where you or others will be sitting. Some speakers don't have as good off-axis performance as others, so moving the mic even a foot in any direction can provide a different measurement than it would otherwise.

[Birdie2000]

Yeah, the reflections in a car's interior are ridiculous.

[RBOD]

Flat tuned systems usually sound rather lifeless. Accurate? Absolutely. Fun to listen to? Maybe, if that's your thing. A flat system can sound mid-range heavy to the human ear, due to the ear being most sensitive in the 300Hz to 3KHz area known as the vocal range. I've had studio monitors (Yamaha NS-10M's) that were ruler flat from 50Hz to 20KHz, they sounded good, yet boring at the same time. Remember, with an EQ, you're trying to correct any anomalies in room response, and not speaker response. The space the speakers are playing in greatly influence the end results. If the space has issues with reflections or bass getting stuck in certain areas of the room, the EQ will be of great help because it will correct for a poor space. Ideally, you want to EQ in the digital domain, and not analog. An analog EQ has a much greater influence over the quality of sound itself due to it introducing additional components directly in the signal path. A digital EQ will do this before the conversion to an analog waveform, so it doesn't run the gamut of capacitors, resistors, opamps, and potentiometers before it gets to the amplifier. If you were to take your exact speakers after EQing, and put them in an anechoic chamber, the final sound would be vastly different compared to being in your own listening space.

I may have not worded my question correctly. I'm not looking for flat response. I just want to get rid of the spikes and dips in certain freqs due to the nature of my car's poor acoustics. Once I get that done, I'll have a great baseline for tuning to my ear. I'll look into your suggestions.

[littlemissGTO]

So I picked the Atlantic Technology 2200 series from Chris, which is freaking awesome by the way. Is my Focal Cub2 worth the hassle of finding an authorized repair shop and having them diagnose/repair it?

[Tin]

So I picked the Atlantic Technology 2200 series from Chris, which is freaking awesome by the way. Is my Focal Cub2 worth the hassle of finding an authorized repair shop and having them diagnose/repair it?

That's up to you to answer. If you enjoyed the sound a great deal, it may be worth it. How much was that sub new?

[littlemissGTO]

That's up to you to answer. If you enjoyed the sound a great deal, it may be worth it. How much was that sub new?

I do not remember. It seems to me that I spent almost $1600 on the Cambridge Audio Azur 540 and the Focal Cub 2.

[Tin]

I do not remember. It seems to me that I spent almost $1600 on the Cambridge Audio Azur 540 and the Focal Cub 2.

That Cambridge 540 is a bad ass piece of gear. Have you taken the amp out of the cabinet to make sure there are no loose connections? If you can, remove the cover from the amplifier to see if there are any blown or swelling capacitors. The caps should be hole-mount, very easy to replace.

[littlemissGTO]

That Cambridge 540 is a bad ass piece of gear. Have you taken the amp out of the cabinet to make sure there are no loose connections? If you can, remove the cover from the amplifier to see if there are any blown or swelling capacitors. The caps should be hole-mount, very easy to replace.

I wanted an Arcam receiver, but couldn't swing it so I bought the 540. It's never disappointed me.
Yes, I did that. Everything seems to be nice and solid. No discoloration. It just does not turn on.

[Jacob]

Tin,
Well I tried a few systems..

Two 12" Hifonics subs..
Two 12" PPI subs..
Two 10" Rockford Fosgate subs..
Three 8" Rockford Fosgate subs..

Tried all subs with these amps..

300W Rockford Fosgate amp
500W Rockford Fosgate amp
1200W SSL amp
1600W Pyramid amp
800W Power Acoustik amp

In the end,the 500W Rockford Mono block and three 8" Rockford subs was the best..SUPER clean bass and loud as heck,even with the top down...These little 8's are bad ass and fit perfect in the trunk...If you ever come across some,grab them because you'll love em..

[Tin]

In the end,the 500W Rockford Mono block and three 8" Rockford subs was the best..SUPER clean bass and loud as heck,even with the top down...These little 8's are bad ass and fit perfect in the trunk...If you ever come across some,grab them because you'll love em..

Play Rage Against The Machine's first self-titled album, it has some of the best dynamic range and bass you'll hear on any rock album, ever. Make sure the track isn't sourced from mp3, but rather from CD, WAV, FLAC, or other lossless-type compression. You should be able to hear Tim Commerford distinctly plucking and slapping the bass, and the crunchy distortion of Tom Morello's guitar. Brad Wilk's bass drum should punch you in the chest and have a nice decay afterward. You're listening for distinct notes being played. I've been using that album to test new components for the last 5 or 6 years, hasn't let me down yet.