Recommendations for improving visceral impact?


Hi!  I recently upgraded the majority of components in my system, and am happy with how it's going. I'm very happy with the detail, musicality, and separation of instruments. However, I think it's still lacking in visceral impact and also (particularly in two-channel listening) spatial imaging (both left/right and depth).

Our primary use is home theater - so improving impact is more important to me than improving imaging. 

Here's my setup - would love any recommendations for ways to improve... 

  • Left & Right: B&W 803S
  • Center: B&W Nautilus HTM1
  • Rears: B&W 301
  • Sub: Monoprice 10" Monolith
  • Preamp: Marantz AV8802A (with upgraded fuse)
  • Amp: Rotel RMB-1585
  • Amp/Preamp Interconnects: Bluejeans RCA

The room is approximately 18' deep by 20' wide. I've added GIK acoustic panels around the room, as much as possible based on room layout and aesthetics. 

Unfortunately the couch is against the wall, which I'm guessing isn't helping... but there's no other option for placement. I've also tinkered with speaker placement as much as possible; the B&W's like to be quite far apart, and I'm maxed out on width at this point.

I'm using the Audyssey room correction -- it's necessary since the front left speaker is a few inches from the left side wall and a corner, and is incredibly boomy without it.

I'd prefer not to change out any components at this point, so my thinking is that the interconnects between the Marantz and the Rotel, and perhaps from changing power cords and/or adding a power conditioner, could be the way to improve here.

Thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!  

Ag insider logo xs@2xawilder

Showing 6 responses by awilder

Thanks all. Reading a bit more about "forwardness" and "presence" it seems more like the 1khz to 3khz range tends to be related to what I’m talking about.

So I really don’t think the issue is <60hz... and therefore probably not a subwoofer issue. (and unfortunately I also don’t have the space for a second sub, nor a larger sub...the Monolith 10" is already quite a beast!)


Thanks Erik.  I do have a couple of the GIK Bass traps (just two, one in the corner near the sub, the other in the opposite corner). And I don't think I can add any more traps or panels if I want to preserve my marriage....

Interesting idea to set the main speakers to small.

The sub is in pretty much the only place I can put it -- though I've done the 'crawl' and I think it may be in the best location already anyway.

Perhaps I'm using the term "visceral impact" incorrectly. It's not so much the "boom" at the very low end... it's more about the fact that the system feels a bit recessive overall, or not as "forward" as I'd like. Said another way, it doesn't make me want to _move_. 


Ha! 

And yep, after a bit more Googling, I see that I definitely used the wrong term. I'm looking to help improve presence, and help the system feel a bit more forward.
Well that's quite interesting, @mzkmxcv!

It looks like the Audyssey app doesn't work with the AV8802A though. :(

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/audyssey-multeq-editor-app/id1210584625?mt=8

(Anyone know otherwise?)

Maybe I'll just tinker with the EQ manually, too... Looks like I might be able to "curve copy" to use the Audyssey EQ results as a starting point?

I also emailed Marantz to see if they had any suggestions on further apps/adjustments.  Thanks!
Heard back from Marantz. Nice that they replied quickly, but otherwise no luck.

"Unfortunately, no. The 8802A didn't have the proper hardware to support that App. As far as any other Audyssey Apps for older models, I don't know of any.

"There may be some 3rd party Apps to calibrate for room correction, but it wouldn't work in conjunction with the Audyssey software built into the AV."