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This is why you buy a Behringer Feedback Destroyer Pro (BFD): for use as a parametric band equalizer.
Click here for a graph that shows what kind of crappy room response (fuscia colored line) I was getting while using my Sunosub III, and what I was able to get as a BFD'd room response (light blue colored line) for the same sub.
I took my measurements with a Radio Shack digital SPL meter from 1 meter away. I set my F3 point (i.e., -3dB break point at the lower end of the frequency response for this sub) around 22Hz and used that as my targetted SPL (Sound Pressure Level). I drove my volume level to around 88 dB (non-corrected) for 22Hz, and then kept the same volume level for the entire SPL reading period for both the raw/un-BFD'd and BFD'd EQ. I did this for a frequency spectrum from 10Hz to 125Hz to cover most of the bass bases.
I used the Stryke BassZone CD which has lots and lots of bass test tones, as well as the rest of the audio spectrum. If you want a copy, you can buy it from the Stryke website for around $13. It's been well worth it. Or if you have the capability to burn CDs, you can download MP3's and turn them into Wave files and make your own bass test tone CD.
After I was done with the raw SPL reading (the fuscia line is the ugliness of my bass response due to mainly my room's acoustics and geometry), I then proceeded to use the BFD to tame the humps in the frequency response curve.
When you are doing this, you have to keep in mind to correct for the reading on the fly as you tune in the cuts in SPL for specific frequencies. On most of the cuts, I used the standard 20/60 dB/octave filter setting, but for some specific frequencies, like 56Hz, I had to narrow the filter to 14/60 dB/octave while employing a harsh cut of almost -20dB. So once I made the corrections, I came up with the light blue line as my final BFD'd frequency response for Sunosub III. I decided to start cutting stuff over 89Hz as much as possible to get rid of that upper bass bloat.
It took me around an hour to get what finally ended up with because as you play around with the frequency cuts, you have to realize the cuts to make affect surrounding frequencies, so you have make smaller cuts, then play the test bass tones and make sure they are all levelled out. It's just one of those things you have to go through at least once to flatten out the humps.
How does it affect my music listening? Well, once you employ the new BFD "filter" for the sub, the vocals from music recordings are up front and cleaner, and the mid-bass isn't muddying up the sound. If you'll notice, there's a minor hump in the 28Hz range which I'm keeping for HT purposes for the explosions and such. I decided not to totally flatten it out.
I'm at the point where I keep asking myself, "Why didn't I get one of these BFD's any sooner?" Count me in as a believer in the BFD.
Hope this helps anyone else who's sitting on the fence, has a room that does an injustice to their sub, and wants to clean up their bass.
PatCave; HT Pix;Gear;DIY Projects;DVDs; LDs
Click here for a graph that shows what kind of crappy room response (fuscia colored line) I was getting while using my Sunosub III, and what I was able to get as a BFD'd room response (light blue colored line) for the same sub.
I took my measurements with a Radio Shack digital SPL meter from 1 meter away. I set my F3 point (i.e., -3dB break point at the lower end of the frequency response for this sub) around 22Hz and used that as my targetted SPL (Sound Pressure Level). I drove my volume level to around 88 dB (non-corrected) for 22Hz, and then kept the same volume level for the entire SPL reading period for both the raw/un-BFD'd and BFD'd EQ. I did this for a frequency spectrum from 10Hz to 125Hz to cover most of the bass bases.
I used the Stryke BassZone CD which has lots and lots of bass test tones, as well as the rest of the audio spectrum. If you want a copy, you can buy it from the Stryke website for around $13. It's been well worth it. Or if you have the capability to burn CDs, you can download MP3's and turn them into Wave files and make your own bass test tone CD.
After I was done with the raw SPL reading (the fuscia line is the ugliness of my bass response due to mainly my room's acoustics and geometry), I then proceeded to use the BFD to tame the humps in the frequency response curve.
When you are doing this, you have to keep in mind to correct for the reading on the fly as you tune in the cuts in SPL for specific frequencies. On most of the cuts, I used the standard 20/60 dB/octave filter setting, but for some specific frequencies, like 56Hz, I had to narrow the filter to 14/60 dB/octave while employing a harsh cut of almost -20dB. So once I made the corrections, I came up with the light blue line as my final BFD'd frequency response for Sunosub III. I decided to start cutting stuff over 89Hz as much as possible to get rid of that upper bass bloat.
It took me around an hour to get what finally ended up with because as you play around with the frequency cuts, you have to realize the cuts to make affect surrounding frequencies, so you have make smaller cuts, then play the test bass tones and make sure they are all levelled out. It's just one of those things you have to go through at least once to flatten out the humps.
How does it affect my music listening? Well, once you employ the new BFD "filter" for the sub, the vocals from music recordings are up front and cleaner, and the mid-bass isn't muddying up the sound. If you'll notice, there's a minor hump in the 28Hz range which I'm keeping for HT purposes for the explosions and such. I decided not to totally flatten it out.
I'm at the point where I keep asking myself, "Why didn't I get one of these BFD's any sooner?" Count me in as a believer in the BFD.
Hope this helps anyone else who's sitting on the fence, has a room that does an injustice to their sub, and wants to clean up their bass.
PatCave; HT Pix;Gear;DIY Projects;DVDs; LDs
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