3.1 soon to become 5.1

Just discovered I need another interconnect (5 pin din - 2 phonos) between n-vi and sub as Ipod is an analogue source. Ipod will then be routed to the fronts and the n-sub.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Paling:
....Trying to tune the sub to the room. Do you find with the sub you're always re-setting freq and gain depending on the music you're playing? I'm finding that older CDs (Springsteen etc) are quite thin and need much more gain with the freq set at 170 whereas newer stuff needs less with freq at around 250. Then, if you play clean acoustic female vocal stuff the bass just soaks all over everything and you have to notch it back. Need about 6 pre-sets ...

Well, you have the pre-sets Chris! A great feature of the n-Sub.

However, this is the perennial (potential) problem with sat & sub set-ups, getting that integration. I had problems with a B&W 5.1 system I previously had and it was something I was nervous of when I started thinking about going the route of the n-System....A brief (poor) demo I had of the n-Sats and sub, in 2 channel mode, a little while back only confirmed my fears - I just could not get a happy (to my ears) integration between the sub and the n-Sats...In the end, and after reading various happy user reports within the forum, I decided it was something that was best resolved and achieved when the speakers were actually in their intended home...perhaps wishful thinking, I don't know (I've since changed direction), but I do feel it is the achilles heel of any sub & sat system. However, I do believe, if one set of speakers can do it, it would be the n-System....

I'm surprised at your quoted frequency settings though..!? I know the n-Sats are 'thin' but perhaps not that thin...!? Try somewhere around 80 - 100...Above that, you're asking the n-Sub to carry those frequencies instead of the n-Sats, something I'm not sure it will excel at......? Have you tried the phase inversion, if you are feeding you need a bit more low end, it may help in your particular set up ?

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by SC
I'm surprised at your quoted frequency settings though..!? I know the n-Sats are 'thin' but perhaps not that thin...!? Try somewhere around 80 - 100...Above that, you're asking the n-Sub to carry those frequencies instead of the n-Sats, something I'm not sure it will excel at......? Have you tried the phase inversion, if you are feeding you need a bit more low end, it may help in your particular set up ?

Steve

So am I Chris!

Have you read the nsat/nsub manual (section 11.5.2)?

Set the filter to 60Hz and the gain according to ear. Spend some time tweaking, as Adam has pointed out in the past, it can take a while to get the balance right.

For comparison I have mine set the filter at 70Hz and gain at 50 in a fairly open room. You can also try the invert function if you're not getting results. I did and everything clicked into place.

Hope that helps.

Jay

Thanks to both of you. I started at 60 with gain on 42 and absolutely nothing seem to be routed via the sub. However, now I know everything works and is wired correctly I can go back and try again. The room is about 15 x 12 and has thin curtains, wooden floors and 2 french windows so alot of surfaces to reflect off and not much to soak anything up.

Tried the invert and, as with Jay, everything suddenly clicked into place. Fronts and subs suddenly unified and the whole thing came to life. Assumed it would throw everything out of phase, but although there is a tiny sense of out of phaseness, nothing troubling. So thanks for advice. Filter set at 65 and 55 gain - though maybe will notch it back.

I go quicly back to the main issue of this post. I have been enjoyng my 5(.nothing, actually, no sub) system for some days, and even though it would be silly to review things that have held a very respectable position in the market for some 5 years, I want to say that the combination DVD5-DC1-AV2-175-200-SBLs/n-Center/n-Sats is extremely enjoyable, on films, on music DVDs and on CDs.
This is my 5th DVD player. Before, I had a Toshiba SD900e, a Denon DVD5000 (both, in their days, close to the top of their class), a Lexicon RT10 (much more costly than the DVD5) and, lately, an Oppo 980H (much cheaper). Besides my personal theory that the DVD5 is actually a reference series unit inside a series 5 box (take a look at the display: it's the same type and brightness of the reference units), and having come to terms with its being difficult at times, I add my 2 cents: it indeed has a wonderful video, indeed it has excellent sound.
The surround sound is ok with very little effort: it was enaugh to place the Sats where Dolby say they must go (Dolby Digital website, setup suggestions), set the proper distances on the AV2 and I didn't even have to correct the volumes - everything ok, involving sound.
As i have said elsewhere - and against a diffuse sentiment: I hope not to seem uselessly polemic - I find that the combo DVD5/AV2 is excellent at stereo replay even with the digital connection, i.e. not using the celebrated converting circuit of the DVD5 but that of the AV2; so, in my opinion just one good cable is enaugh.

If - for any possible reason - I should be without my SBLs, I simply will buy another pair of Sats.
And, last, the black lacquer finish is STUPENDOUS.

Hi Max

Interesting results from digital input and processing in the av2. When I had mine I always though it preferable to run cd through the analogue inputs. Having said that thought I wasn't using a DVD5.

So when are you picking up a black lacquer nsub?




Off topic, I have put my Allae's back into the system, replacing the nsats. It's close but the Allaes work better in this installation.

I didn't feel that with music the nsat/nsub combo was - don't get wrong I done a lot of listening - but the Allae's just sound more "together" and the top end particularly is obviously more defined, more detail.

Jay

Jay

I've auditioned the Allaes three times, in very different conditions.
First time, in a perfect setup at a dealer's: CDP 555, Supernait, Naca, Allaes (he obviously was conjuring up a sale...). Allaes against the rear wall, ample space, good acoustics. My impression was, of being unable to have yet more details from any recordings.
Bass in control, a confounding coherence of the medium and the treble. All this, with a timbre not like any else I had heard.
Second time, in another store - they were >promoting< them. Small room, lousy acoustics, full of other equipement, Allaes almost in the middle of the room. Yet, they still sounded much the same as the first time, only - incredibily - with more bass; even a bit too much..
Third time, this same pair in my own living room, in similar conditions than the first time. This time again I was puzzled, something was disconcerting. I felt that this extreme richness and coherence of detail was obtained at the expence of some unnaturaleness, yet the sound was much different from that of so-called >aggressive< speakers.

All in all, I retained a very strong impression and memory of the Allaes, i.e. of speakers which - had I matured an acoustic acquaintance with them - would have rewarded me with constant fun .

I'm not sure at all that if I hadn't bought my SBLs (which I'm happy I've done because it has got me a very nice new friend in the person of Richard Rowe) I wouldn't have ended with a pair of Allaes - despite the doubtful reception made to them by both my wife and a friend.

But, who knows? And as for the black n-Sub...

Max

All depends on the room I've found. Our last flat had an awful room and the Naim system, frankly, was a complete waste of money.

Now that we have moved then it's all good again.

I did try the Allaes early and they didn't seem to work that well. I was going to sell them but my wife asked me to try them again to be absolutely sure they wouldn't work. After everything had settled down a bit and I spent a bit more time setting them they are quite clearly head and shoulders better. They certainly don't need the support of the nsub!

Jay