Subwoofers

If your desktop speakers are very small you likely have a big gap in frequency response between where the sub tapers off (100 Hz with that setting) and where the small speakers give out. You could have a huge gap between 120 Hz. and 200 Hz.+/-.

I use a Velodyne HGS10 with my main system and let my receiver handle the crossover which is at 80 Hz. It is a small 10" driver but with a crap load of power pushing the servo controlled driver. It's never boomy because of its design. It wasn't a budget sub and doesn't sound like a typical $250 sub.

I do have a Def Tech ProSub 200 TL (12"). It can get boomy so with normal HT use I would tend to keep the on board crossover set low at around 60 Hz. These lower quality subs tend to sound boomy, you get what you pay for. I'm actually using this sub connected to a Alesis iPod docking unit and use the RockBox EQ to tweak the bass...heavy boost at 20 Hz. and heavy cut above 90 Hz. This really taxes the sub but it dishes out powerful deep bass with little boom.

With your sub set at 80 Hz. you should be hearing plenty of bass with most any rock, pop, etc.

If you could find an inexpensive EQ to use in between the receiver and sub you could tweak it to sound better.

As GreatDane said, your main speakers are probably not going low enough to integrate with your sub with the crossover set at 80. Moving your crossover point higher on the sub to fill any bass response voids isn't the answer either. With a higher crossover point, you're going to cause localization issues with your sub in addition to poorer sound quality as subs typically don't perform well at the higher bass frequencies.

Getting an EQ and tuning by ear is not the answer either. If you don't have an EQ like a Velodyne SMS-1 which has real time room measurement, you need to get yourself at least a SPL meter and a set of test tones. With the SPL meter, you play the test tones at a fixed volume and then map out what the SPL meter says is the speakers output. Once you've tested all the bass frequencies on the test tone CD, you can then map out how your speaker is responding. Some SPL meters will require a correction map as the SPL meter's mic won't be linear across all the frequency ranges. The Radio Shack SPL meter is a well used unit that has correction maps readily available.

Based on the measurements you get above, you can then have a better idea of what settings your sub needs to integrate with your main speakers. Keep in mind, room positioning for all speakers is absolutely critical for proper performance.

A word of note about using any EQ (even units like the SMS-1), it is ALWAYS better to subtract from a certain frequency than to boost. ALWAYS. Boosting frequencies can cause your sub to be overdriven and it introduces distortion.

I've an SMS-1 I use with my Velodyne HGS15II along with a Velodyne DD18 which has the SMS-1 built in to it. My bass response in my sound room is this:

Everything zx10guy and GreatDane have said is good information and I agree that the main problem is your desktop speakers.

I'm guessing that if your crossover point on your sub starts at 80, it's probably a 10" or 12" sub. If you wanted to experiment you could try raising your crossover point to 120. Most subs distort over 90 hz, but if your driver is well designed it might be able to reach higher.

If you have a phase switch on the back of your sub and it's set at "0", you could try flipping it to "180". There's debate about the benefits of phase cancellation, but it might provide a bass boost.

Have you tried increasing the volume on your sub? One notch above zero doesn't seem very high. I have mine set at the 9 o'clock position.

The long term solution though will probably be to upgrade your desktop speakers since a lot of bass in music is mid-bass and would be reproduced by your desktop speakers and not your sub.

got bass?

&


...and great info provided.

Thanks. LOL.

OMG. I love the B&W sound. That system is VERY sweet!