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Author Topic: Monitor and Sub Calibration  (Read 4610 times)

Officialstratos

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Monitor and Sub Calibration
« on: January 24, 2016, 07:32:17 am »
I am having trouble using my subwoofer (Mackie MR10 MK3) along with my Tannoy Reveal 501A Monitors. I know that mixing brands and monitors isn't a very good start, considering that monitors are usually supposed to be used with a sub made by the same manufacturer (and essentially the same product line), but this is what I managed to get my hands on.

I calibrate my monitors using an SPL meter... (okay, more like an SPL meter app on my phone) by placing the SPL meter in the "sweet spot" and then playing pink noise through the monitors. I get the monitors to reach the same SPL level on the meter (individually) and this gave me a pretty even sound from the monitors, but i just recently got the subwoofer and I am trying to figure out the best way to calibrate it using the same method.

I did some research on how to calibrate the sub with this method and I used the SPL levels that the tutorial had suggested, but it seems that I am getting too much bass when mixing down without the sub, and then checking with the sub again. When mixing without the subwoofer, I find the place where the bass sounds best. When I turn the subwoofer on and monitor with the subwoofer, the sub frequencies in my mix are overbearing. I do not feel as if it is a problem with the level of the bass in the track, I believe I just have my subwoofer turned up too loud.

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to to find the correct volume the subwoofer should be at when calibrating with an SPL meter? Or a ratio of how loud the subwoofer should be to the monitors? I am pretty lost at it and I am pretty much just taking shots in the dark with the leveling.

Thanks!
Stratos
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Artless Venture

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Re: Monitor and Sub Calibration
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2016, 05:16:27 pm »
Hey Stratos,

I'm not too much into the gear game (like if you buy this plug-in and that synthesizer that'll make you the next best thing) but in this case I actually think a good trustworthy SPL meter or a good omnidirectional mic instead of your phone is the solution. Sometimes hifi stores have these things to rent? I am sure you can find a way to get your hand on something without actually having to buy it just for this purpose!

I recently bought a subwoofer as well that doesn't "fit" in terms of brand to my monitors but I set it up this way (and I am more than happy how it sounds)

First, download the free measuring software called REW (Room Equalizer Wizard) and set it up correctly and feed it with calibration files for your microphone or SPL meter, and audio interface (all explained there)

1. Find the best spot in the room for your sub, there are several methods for this one like putting it in the place where you sit and crawl around and listen for the best response, I think that measuring though is again the most accurate method. Measure just the sub (opened crossover frequency!) and look for the most linear frequency response. Like you did it, place the mic in the sweet spot for measuring - but what I did is to measure some more spots (like at 4 spots around the sweet spot, and then select the 4 graphs and hit average. This gives you more an idea how it actually sounds, because you will probably move your head around a bit while producing)

2. Check phase: just measure both 0° and 180° settings, the one that sounds louder is the right one (level and crossover doesn't matter too much here, I'd set it over 100hz because it might be easier to hear if it gets louder or not. After this set the level that it is about even in the frequency response graph

3. Crossover frequency: again, measure haha! Find out what is most even, although I wouldn't set it too much above 100hz. You probably are going to set it lower anyways since the crossover frequency doesn't affect the output of your sub to the monitors, so therefore is basically just a low pass filter. Just adjust the level while doing this so that the frequency response is as linear as possible.

This is my way of doing it and I hope that it was helpful for you as well!
All the best,
Artless Venture ♢
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