Can't match 805 & subwoofer anymore

[audioqueso]

New place that I just moved to is limited in space. I can't not keep a 5.1 setup, so I decided to change to a 2.1 setup.
Sold the Marantz AV7005, the Emotiva amp, and the surrounds. Still looking to sell the center HTM2 since I can't use that either.
I picked up a Denon PMA-390SE amp once again. This is a Japanese integrated amp. I have actually owned this amp before with the 805 and my Velodyne amp. Better cables and better source than I had before, but in a new home.

In my last home, I had a large living room, large carpet, the concrete walls were not painted but instead had a cloth-like wallpaper that Japan uses a lot. One wall was all glass, but I had a heavy set of curtains over it.
In my new home, the living room is not very big at all. Thin walls, back wall is all glass, the floors are tiles, one half of the living room is standard height, the other half is opened up to the second floor so it is very tall. And lastly, the corner wall where the sub sits is all glass.

I hooked everything up yesterday, but the 805 and the Velodyne are completely out of harmony with each other. I have been playing with it for hours, but I can't seem to find the balance sound that I had before.

Could it be that this new room is effecting the acoustics so much that it can make the 805 & Velodyne combination sound so bad together?

Or could it be that I have become so use to digital bass management from the Marantz units, that switching back to a pure analog controlled unit may not be to my liking anymore.

I really don't remember the combination with the Denon sounding like this before. Even my wife acknowledges that it does not sound good together. If I use the 805 alone, it sounds much better... just with little bass.
Your thoughts?

[madmac]

I agree completely. I moved recently and the bass is all wrong here. New room size, different acoustics, glass, carpeting, tiles etc makes a huge difference in audio performance. Bass management is of course, always a major factor. Luckily for me, I can EQ and tailor my subs for a room's acoustic characteristics (ie... spike problems/standing waves etc.). That, and speaker placement as well as room treatments should solve your problems. I do not think your amp is the problem so much as the new, smaller room. Work it!! Fix it!!. I can be done but it will take time and effort!.

[Kal Rubinson]

Could it be that this new room is effecting the acoustics so much that it can make the 805 & Velodyne combination sound so bad together?

Definitely. The acoustical contribution is substantial.

Or could it be that I have become so use to digital bass management from the Marantz units, that switching back to a pure analog controlled unit may not be to my liking anymore.

Very possible but not because of digital vs. analog but because the Marantz probably has much better controls/options than what is built into the Velodyne (unless it is a DD model).

Consider adding a bass manager/EQ like the Velodyne SMS-1.

[miner]

Put your sub in your listening position and move around the room, marking a few places that it sounds best. Be sure the sub is placed somewhat behind your 805 at these few positions and then decid ewhich suits you the best. This may be as good as it can get without treatments or an analyzer (Lyngdorf). I used this technique when I moved and my REL B1 and Sf Auditor Ms never sounded better.

[audioqueso]

That, and speaker placement as well as room treatments should solve your problems. I do not think your amp is the problem so much as the new, smaller room. Work it!! Fix it!!. I can be done but it will take time and effort!.

I don't believe the amp to be the problem (or A problem). I did have the same integrated amp before, so I have faith in its capabilities. However, I really wondered if perhaps the digital bass management of the Marantz plays a factor as well.

Definitely. The acoustical contribution is substantial.

Agree!

Very possible but not because of digital vs. analog but because the Marantz probably has much better controls/options than what is built into the Velodyne (unless it is a DD model).

Consider adding a bass manager/EQ like the Velodyne SMS-1.

You know what? I completely forgot about the auto eq option on the sub. No, it's not a unit like the DD models. It's just a built-in simple auto eq. However, I do recall that it always made a significant difference when I moved the sub to a new home. Thanks.

Put your sub in your listening position and move around the room, marking a few places that it sounds best. Be sure the sub is placed somewhat behind your 805 at these few positions and then decid ewhich suits you the best. This may be as good as it can get without treatments or an analyzer (Lyngdorf). I used this technique when I moved and my REL B1 and Sf Auditor Ms never sounded better.

The really is only one place where I can place the speakers and sub.. because of the room layout and spacing. However, I had already tried placing the sub on my seat position, and moving around the room to see where it sounds the best. I just did it for the heck of it. Not much of a difference from one location to another. I think it may be mostly the acoustics of the room.

[emig5m]

However, I had already tried placing the sub on my seat position, and moving around the room to see where it sounds the best. I just did it for the heck of it. Not much of a difference from one location to another. I think it may be mostly the acoustics of the room.

Same here. The only place where my sub sounded different (louder/stronger/boomier) was 8ft high and to the right of my right front main. How the hell I'm going to suspend my sub eight feet in the air I have no idea, lol. Otherwise every else it sounded exactly the same. I use the built in auto eq and then Audyssey.

[Briz vegas]

I don't need a sub. :W

[audioqueso]

Well, I tried playing with the room again, the speaker placement, worked with the auto-calibrate option of the sub... but I couldn't get it. There was really only one spot in the room where everything sounded even... and that spot was under my staircase.. not practical. I called up B&W Japan and they helped me out. However, I ended up trading my N805's for a pair of 804S. Not really what I was heading for, but the 804S does seem to behave better in the room compared to the 805 and sub combo. It was kind of a spontaneous move on my part. Still can't believe I traded my beloved 805's.