2.1 experiences

[tackleberry]

So I've tried many a speaker in my cellar with no real success. The bass in the corners is terrible. The only time it worked was with small sealed bookshelves with a passive sub placed elsewhere. 

 I have a 5.1 set up with a 10" Gemini bk sub. How would I run this along side the 5.1, with a sugden a21se and 2 small monitors on the hifi side?

I wonder what others have experienced regarding this. 

 

[PeteT59]

Well, obviously my set-up is slightly different, as I'm sure all ours are. And naturally it's all about horses for courses.

However, chez nous, I ditched the surround system years ago before they got really serious and don't miss it or have room for a better one... and besides it would be rather pointless waste of space and money as I rarely watch much telly and it must be 2 or 3 years since I last played a dvd.!

But... I run a pair of scm11s and an REL R205 from the stereo and feed the TV into the amp for when it matters e.g. F1 etc.

Although lately, the better half has said she finds it much easier to hear dialogue in programs when sound is from the stereo, so I can see the stereo being used more for regular TV viewing in the future.

It's not an ideal setup but it kinda works within the limitations of the room configuration as it stands...

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[MartinC]

The bass in the corners is terrible.

Are you talking about what the bass sounds like if you stand in the corners, or if you place your speakers in the corners and listen elsewhere? If you're talking about the former that tends to be the case in most domestic rooms I'd have thought, cellars or not.

Have you read this thread?

 

[MartinC]

I have a 5.1 set up with a 10" Gemini bk sub. How would I run this along side the 5.1, with a sugden a21se and 2 small monitors on the hifi side?

Are you asking about setting up a dual-use system, so that the sub can be used in either the 5.1 system or the music system? 

 

[moo-fi]

BK usually have both high and low level inputs, use the high level for 2.1 duties and lfe input for 5.1 for 5.1. BK actually list this in their instruction manual somewhere.

 

[tackleberry]

Yes I want to keep the 5.1 setup, and use the hifi too, utilising the sub from the 5.1 for the Sugden. ( I have separate speakers for this) I don’t have to use the same sub if it isn’t possible, I could even use a passive sub in with the Sugden.

my issue is the cellar is a very low, with a vaulted ceiling and the speakers almost touch it, almost acts like a double whammy of not good really most of the spectrum sounds fine apart from the upper bass resonance around 80-100hz

i had two small full range in sealed cabs and a passive sub placed elsewhere with some playing around and it sounded great, changed to conventional use of higher volume box speakers, and it all went wrong.

 

[tackleberry]

 

[tackleberry]

The latter is how it is now

 

[MartinC]

Yes I want to keep the 5.1 setup, and use the hifi too, utilising the sub from the 5.1 for the Sugden. ( I have separate speakers for this) I don’t have to use the same sub if it isn’t possible, I could even use a passive sub in with the Sugden.

One option is as @moo-fi described. The other would be to use a simple input switch box to change whether the sub was connected to the sub output of your AVR or the pre-amp outputs of your Sugden. An advantage of the latter is that if you wanted it would allow you to use something like a miniDSP or anti-mode to help control room mode resonances in the freqeny range covered by the sub. 

my issue is the cellar is a very low, with a vaulted ceiling and the speakers almost touch it, almost acts like a double whammy of not good really most of the spectrum sounds fine apart from the upper bass resonance around 80-100hz

The tricky part with this frequency range being the issue is that even with standmounts it's going to be in a region where they are active, and so you'd really benefit from EQ to the main speakers as well as the sub.

Does your AVR have EQ capabilities?

 

[MartinC]

My gut reaction to that photo is that active nearfield monitor speakers may be a way to go.

Having 2-way speakers on their sides as you have them also isn't a great idea. @Bokke actually posted a helpful video that explains why quite well so I'll defer to this rather than doing so myself here.

 

[tackleberry]

The latter is how it is now

Actually tweeters are inside rather than outward. On the side are the only way they will image in the confined space.

 

[tackleberry]

I understand the significance of the datum line of both drivers radiating to the ear, but it doesn’t work conventionally. As you may be able to see I am sat below the speaker level, it only works if I the speakers on side, tweeter in, with baffle 90 degrees to my ear in listening position

 

[MartinC]

Actually tweeters are inside rather than outward. On the side are the only way they will image in the confined space.

It's a little surprising if you prefer the sound with the speakers horizontal rather than vertical, but if you do then obviously stick with this  .

 

[MartinC]

I understand the significance of the datum line of both drivers radiating to the ear, but it doesn’t work conventionally. As you may be able to see I am sat below the speaker level, it only works if I the speakers on side, tweeter in, with baffle 90 degrees to my ear in listening position

Speakers could be positioned vertically but tilted forwards towards you. The main point of vertical Vs horizontal though is that both ears get a similar frequency response, whereas it will be different for you currently. But as above, obviously use what you like best!

 

[tackleberry]

It’s not really a preference. Upright, the tweeter is 500mm higher than my head and almost at the ceiling. So close to the curved canopy there is no sound stage whatsoever.

 

[tackleberry]

To tilt downward they would fall over!

 

[MartinC]

You could also position the speakers vertically but upside down, so that the tweeter is at the bottom. I think tilting forwards would be the better option though, but just thinking of options to try.

 

[MartinC]

To tilt downward they would fall over!

Depends how far you tilt them  . Or if they were in brackets to stop them falling over.

 

[MartinC]

I'd just test by propping up on a book but things like this exist for modest tilts:

https://m.thomann.de/gb/auralex_acoustics_mopad.htm?glp=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtMCKBhDAARIsAG-2Eu-acOxv60NKVrveWlDGHdJcFMiRe9iLTpWBL8IfHsFKKEqaaG66bQcaAumVEALw_wcB