Emotiva X-Ref 10, User Manual

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The following suggestions are intended as guidelines to help you decide which locations
to try for your X-Ref 12 DSP Powered Subwoofer(s):
• Corner placement usually produces the most bass, but sometimes produces
poorly defined or boomy bass. A corner location that produces a lot of clean
bass is fine; if, however, the bass is boomy or resonant then you should try another
location.
• Try various locations along side and rear walls. It’s often better to place a
subwoofer several feet away from the corner along one wall; any location anywhere
along a wall may be a good spot to locate your X-Ref 12.
• Avoid locations where your X-Ref 12 will be exposed to direct sunlight or
water (and don’t sit plants or other electronic equipment on top of it).
• A subwoofer should not be heard as a distinct source of sound. A properly
configured subwoofer should add a solid “foundation” to your music; it should
not, however, be discernible as a separate source of sound. Even though low
bass is non-directional, certain locations may cause the subwoofer to “stand out”
acoustically and should be avoided.
• Multiple subwoofers should sometimes be placed at different types of
locations. For example, if you are adding a second X-Ref 10 to an existing one
located in a corner, it’s may be a good idea to try locating the second one along
a wall. Certain locations sometimes accentuate certain frequencies; by varying
locations you average out the variations and get a smoother overall response.
At Emotiva we prefer symmetrical subwoofer placement in front locations if it’s
practical; we believe that your ears are sensitive to pressure differentials that,
although not audible, may nonetheless affect the integrity of the front sound stage.
• Avoid placing subwoofers within several feet of a turntable or other sensitive
audio device. Even if you use isolation feet or an isolation base, low frequency
vibrations travel directly through the air, and may be coupled to a turntable arm
or platter. You may also find that your turntable is more immune to vibration with
(or without) the dust cover in place. The result of acoustic feedback may be actual
howling noises or record skips or a more subtle muddying of the bass on some
musical passages. Since a lot of audio equipment is at least somewhat sensitive
to vibration, you may get better results by locating your subwoofer along a side or
back wall rather than by placing it directly behind or beside your equipment rack.
• Sound becomes less directional as the frequency gets lower. The sound
coming from a subwoofer configured to cross over at 80 Hz (the THX™ standard) is
almost totally non-localized, but localization increases at higher frequencies. If you
are noticing sound localization from a subwoofer configured to a frequency above
100 Hz, try choosing a lower crossover frequency.