Key Takeaways Verify crossover slopes by: Comparing them to a measurement of your DSP.Comparing them to my pre-measured templates.Calculating bandwidth. I have often heard the advice: Avoid doubling up your crossover filters. Most modern speakers come pre-baked with high/low-pass filters. If we insert an additional filter in our output EQ near these native filters the acoustic result will be steeper than either of the filters alone. The danger is that we might already be … [Read more...]
Smaart® Beta: Will the new filter control in the delay finder help with your main+sub alignment?
The overhauled delay finder in Smaart v8 beta looks like it's set up to make your main+sub alignments a synch. But will it really save you time? (Yes, but you can't throw out the phase graph, yet.) Key Takeaways The updated delay finder includes an optional bandpass filter for tracking arrival time by frequency.It may save you some time, but you'll still need to verify alignment with the phase graph.Results are highly variable based on SNR. Let's look at how it … [Read more...]
How to flatten the phase for easier main+sub alignment
Which is easier to read? This? Or this? Proper phase alignment in the field is hard. It's one thing to measure in the near field when you can get a nice clean trace, but once you get into the far field and add reflections it gets a lot harder. One thing you can do to make the whole alignment process easier on yourself is to flatten the phase trace around the area of interest. To do this, add more delay to the delay finder. A standard main+sub phase alignment goes like … [Read more...]
This is why I no longer recommend turning one sub off to fight power alley
Takeaway Leave both subs on. Turning one sub off in an uncoupled array will create a greater F2B contrast. You can use standard deviation to help you decide between two design decisions. Intro For better or for worse, many of the sound systems that we encounter today still use uncoupled subwoofer arrays placed to the left and right sides of the stage and there's nothing we can do about it. This creates peaks and valleys of summation and cancellation through the room (power alley). … [Read more...]