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STEP #6: FINAL LEVEL ADJUSTMENT
One last time, adjust the subwoofer level to the mains exactly as described in step #4 above.
Now, use your Pre/Pro or Receiver pink noise level calibration tones or one of the calibration
discs, if that's what you use, to lastly check the levels of all speakers and subwoofer.
There have been many comments about how the RS meter is not accurate in the low frequency
region, and is also said to differ from meter to meter. Here is a possible method, using the RS
meter, to adjust the subwoofer level to that of the satellites.
NOTE:
Again, we're assuming that you have already calibrated your satellites to the same level before
this point in time, and we've done steps 1-5 of the subwoofer setup.
1.
Set your Pre/Pro or Receiver mode to 5 STEREO and shut your subwoofer off.
2.
Set your master volume to approximately -10 dB from reference, or, so that a test tone
(from your test tone disc) will read in the neighborhood of 80-90 dB.
3.
Play an 80 Hz tone from your test tone disc (it should play through all 5 satellites equally).
Note the reading.
4.
Now, shut your satellites off and turn the subwoofer on and play the same tone through
your sub only.
5.
Adjust the subwoofer level to the same reading that you got when playing just the
satellites.
6.
A crossover only works correctly if the speakers being crossed over together play exactly
the same volume at the crossover point. In adjusting the subwoofer level with this
method, the accuracy of the RS meter becomes irrelevant because the only thing that
matters is that the subwoofer and the mains are at the same level at 80 Hz (the crossover
point).
7.
The meter will read the same at 80 Hz every time. Whether or not it's an accurate
reading, it will level the sub to the mains at the crossover point by this method,
accurately. Since the satellites are already calibrated, the subwoofer will automatically be
exactly at that level at 80 Hz.
I have personally done this test many times and found the subwoofer level to be within
1 dB of 75 dB (which is the level I calibrate to when using the Pre/Pro calibration tones),
and you can quickly check this method against your calibration rumble tone method to see
if it's of any value in your case. My opinion is that, if this method is close the rumble
calibration tone, then keep the subwoofer volume set to the level arrived at by the 80 Hz
test tone method.
8.
You can adjust the level of your subwoofer up or down for different source playback, at
will. There is no rule that dictates what level you have to play a subwoofer at. BUT you
now have the correct settings that will tell you where your subwoofer should be, in your
room, with your associated hardware, as a reference.
9.
It's a good idea to write these settings down (Pre/Pro or Receiver sub level, phase,
placement position and subwoofer amplifier gain), as you'll forget them shortly after you
change any of them, and it's a good idea to reset them to these reference settings every
so often to see what havoc you may have wrought over time.
You are now ready to play your system and evaluate the results of
your setup labors.
