Good Analog EQ

FWIW, I just inserted a Velodyne SMS-1 ($600 at Audio Advisor.com) into my system. (As a separate matter, I also added a pair of Velodyne SPLR-8 subs). The SMS is a room analyzer/active crossover/parametric eq that analyzes up to 200hz and provides 6 band of PEQ bewteen 20 and 120 cycles.

In my current room, I had bass issues that severely compromised the sound of my Verity Parsifal Encores. (Like you, I almost preferred the system without the Encore woofers on line.) I have had the P/E in 3 other rooms, all of which sounded much better. To start my project, I used the SMS with the Velodyne subs and Parsifal monitors. Bottom line: bass issues are gone. A 12hz bump at 80 hz is gone and several nulls are basically gone, too. I now have +/- 3db response (relative to 80 db) over the 25-200hz range. The mid range magic is back!

I'm still tweaking, but this combo sounds very good so far. It lacks some of the warmth of the straight P/E combo which crosses over symmetrically at 150hz. The SMS features a very flexible low pass, but the high pass is preset at 80hz/6 db per octave, which limits flexibility. If I decide to invest more, I may eventually look to an external high pass (Marchand) to allow me to bi-amp the P/Es at the same frequency & slope that Verity employs for these speakers.

If you can access the woofer in your speaker separately, or are willing to consider subs, the SMS-1 may be a good cost-effective option.

Good Luck,

Marty

Thanks again for the responses.

I do have the optional stands and I used to use them, but find they're more boomy with them than without (I attribute that to the bass port being more open).

I have spoken with Michael Kelly and I have auditioned other speakers. The others didn't overload the room the way the Aerials did, but the midrange sounded thin. I guess my room must be causing a null in the midrange as well. Both the Aerial 9's and LR5s seem do have a significant dip between 400 and 1000hz. I have a 15 db difference between these frequencies and 95hz where I have a huge bump (at least according to the graphs that Audyssey room correction shows me).

I have tried stuffing the ports of the 9's with dacron (from my pair of Von Schweikert VR4.5's, which never sounded boomy) but I think that just affects frequencies below where I have the bump and, as Michael Kelly predicted, makes the bass sound more congested at loud volumes.

I will try bringing my speakers further into the room to the positioning you mention, but since I cannot move my listening position, I wonder if I'd be too close - almost near-field monitor range of 4ft or so.

Marty, it sounds like that unit is digital? How do you have it connected?

One other embarassing question, when measuring speaker position from the front/back wall, do you measure from the back of the cabinet or front(woofer)?

Floyd,

I run RCA from the pre to the SMS, then RCA out to my main amps and on to the Parsifal monitors. I also run RCAs from the SMS to my subs. This utilizes the 80hz roll off for the Parsifals.

If I decide to spring for a Marchand X-over, then I'll run a separate pre-out to the Marchand, by passing the SMS in the main signal path. For the bass, I'll still run through the SMS, out to a bass amp, and onward to the Encore woofers.

I believe that the SMS does A to D, for PEQ in the digital domain, but I'm honestly not certain. Since I've so far dealt with frequencies below 80hz, I'm not all that concerned. Whatever damage A/D does, in my room, it is dwarfed by the benefit of the PEQ at these frequencies.

If I want to cross to the Encore woofers at 150hz through the SMS, I'll find out if this favorable cost/benefit can be maintained up to those higher frequencies. As of right now, I haven't tried it, so I don't know the answer.

Marty

PS I fully understand the reluctance to add A/D to a minimal path, "purist" analog system. This recent experience has convinced me -at least on a preliminary basis - that, for deep bass, it's worth it.