New house, no bass.

[paulbfd]

Moved house at weekend (frig me, I won't be doing that again in a hurry) and finally got the important bits unpacked and setup last night. I was hoping that it would be a slight improvement as I've gone from having one speaker near an open staircase to both in equidistant corners.

However, another thing that has changed is the sofa is now 1.5 - 2 metres from the back wall instead of up against so I'm assuming that's where my problem lies? My speakers (B&W CDM 1NT) are front ported and after a bit of jiggery pokery with corner placing, I'm not really getting anything more out of them. I can't move the sofa nearer the back wall as there's a dining table in the way.

Would rear ported speakers solve this problem?

 

[a91gti]

I'm fairly sure your sofa won't be the problem.

From my one encounter with those speakers they aren't exactly bass heavy anyway.

I'm wondering just how close to surrounding walls you have them?

 

[awkwardbydesign]

My sofa is right up against the back wall. Too much bass, so yes, that is probably your (opposite) problem. Bass nodes; I'm guessing rear ports won't cure that.

Move the table and try the sofa against the wall to check, even if you can't leave it there. It's free, and you don't want to change the speakers if that wouldn't help.

BTW, my little bass light amp likes the extra boost, the big amp doesn't. If you built your system around the previous room acoustics, it would be different now.

Have a look at Ethan Winer's site for info. http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/forums/24/1/Ethan_Winer_Acoustics_Forum

 

[craigmclellan]

The CDM-1NTs I use in our bedroom system are perfectly capable of substantial bass - each room I've used mine in has lead me (forced me) to use them in corners.

Can you try them in a different room to ensure there is nothing sinister going on with the electronics?

 

[paulbfd]

sinister going on with the electronics?

You watch, I've probably wired them out of phase :doh:

I'll double check that before anything.

 

[awkwardbydesign]

Sinister electronics? Not heard that one before!

Speakers in corners would boost the bass, and sitting out in the room could cut the bass, depending on whether you are at a node or antinode. If I move forward 12" the bass boost drops away. IIRC, 38% forward is the ideal seating position. But if you like the boost then that will sound bass light.

 

[a91gti]

Hell yeah, if you want "boom" move the sofa.

As craig seems to suggest, getting them right in the corners will provide more artificial "boom".

This is why I ask precisely how far from walls they are.

 

[Fatmarley]

You need to swop speakers with Carlos

 

[vacdac]

The CDM-1NTs I use in our bedroom system are perfectly capable of substantial bass - each room I've used mine in has lead me (forced me) to use them in corners.Can you try them in a different room to ensure there is nothing sinister going on with the electronics?

]You watch' date=' I've probably wired them out of phase :doh: I'll double check that before anything.[/u'][/b]

I think there is a strong chance of this being the case. With one speaker connected out of phase with the other the sound stage will seem less distinct & bass will be lacking in punch/definition. I did this myself last year following a shuffling around of power-amps when my main power amp was replaced under warranty & I used a temporary set of quickly cobbled together speaker wires. I've quickly honed in on it in a couple of other peoples systems too & it generally follows introducing kit changes/swaps when one is in too much of a hurry to get some sounds back on.

 

[vacdac]

Here's a decent thread from a coupla' years back re speaker positioning/room layout etc with a few useful primers re distances from walls including discussion of rear wall interaction if seated close to this. >>>> .http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?70650-Short-wall-long-wall&highlight=short+wall%2Flong+wall%3F.

As you can see in some cases fairly close to front wall placement can be OK, although this will depend also on the particular speakers too.

 

[Helmut]

The obvious solution is to take your system along, next time you view houses

 

[bandit pilot]

No pleasing some folk. :doh:

You'd be moaning plenty if you had too much bloody bass and needed to fill your new room with fugly treatment.

Just go and buy a sub. It will fix your problem, and, pander to the gear whore in you.

Result. :^

 

[awkwardbydesign]

In my room, firing the speakers straight forward gives the greatest image depth, while angling gives a better centre image. It's not a hard and fast rule, IME.

 

[a91gti]

Clearly whoever drew that thing never owned either Kans or Leak 3090's.

Typical whatlo-iq type of helpful diagram.

 

[Juancho]

Useful diagram that, just improved my listening experience!

 

[moo-fi]

I had the same problem when I moved last year, spent a lot of time trying to sort things out but in my case the room size was the found to be the cause. I had to invest in a decent meter to check what was going on, spent a few hundred absorbing reflections using GIF panels which help even things out as to much top end will make the bass end sound weak. My next step is to invest in a good subwoofer just to fill in the bottom octaves as my room has a large suck out around 40Hz, so off the Bristol Show to look at the latest JL's offerings along with REL and see how they compare to a BK's offerings. A friend up the road has one of these which I can try but it weighs a little. Long story but it boils down to this, get hold of someone with a meter and find out what is going on. Then you can sort out the problem rather than just through money at random things.

 

[mikeoz]

Are the rooms a similar size/ shape ? Just stand against the back wall to determine if that makes a difference but even if you had boom against the back wall in your last place it may not be the same in your new room.

 

[AlanB]

Those diagrams are not correct for many, many speakers.

Mission 753's only sound right facing straight forward, my current (and last!!!) Revel speakers are almost straight and LV's are usually best crossed well in front of the listener.

No hard and fast rule. Let your ears do the positioning. No I don't mean actually moving the speakers with your ears..... :nuts:

 

[Camverton]

Clearly whoever drew that thing never owned either Kans or Leak 3090's.Typical whatlo-iq type of helpful diagram.

Nor Kef Ls50s!

if the OP has an office chair on wheels then have a journey around the room (suitably slouched to get the same ear height as the sofa) to find the best listening position for each speaker position.