"Frequency Limiting" the LFE? (6 channels v. 5.1 channels)

[diatonis]

Hi Otto,

well, i'm not really much bother myself with listening of DTS, very rare with stereo and never Dolby Digital,
so never had needs to do solid research in issues of bass managment by the logical processing of the sound
in receivers processor.

The way I understand both Dolby/DTS and DVD-Audio bass management is it allows your speaker system to produce the entire frequency range 20-20kHz while using smaller main speakers.

my guess is all logic of bass managment quite fully reflected in the picture #5 above. there are given celling
and processor just simply cut off everything above. that's why in the most cases subwoofer sounds so ugly and painful.

Bass management also you to apply a high pass filter to smaller main speakers. Having larger main speakers would allow the sub/satellite crossover frequency to be set lower, which (to me) sounds better. I have mine set to 50Hz (8” JBLs mains) and 80Hz (6.5 Tannoy Reveals mains). From looking at your system it looks like the Yamaha HTR has a selectable crossover frequency of which maybe see what it sounds like when you set it to 50 Hz. I’m not familiar with your speakers so make sure they can handle it. The lower the cross over frequency the easier it is to mask the subwoofer's location. Even 90 Hz to me is too high. I wish my Tannoy's went lower but they don't.

you're absolutely right about differences in mastering of the surround mixes on different discs. but mastered in
studio LFE at least have meaning how it been seen by those who did master. as for low level, that's isn't problem
as in "multichannel in" setting the listener have control over volume of loudness and levels of each channels even
without needs to lift itself off comfy chair.
some mixes contain in suposedly LFE channel, sound in full range and even with leading instruments which doesn't make
much sense to listen this channel through subwoofer at all.

For music DVD-Audio, I think if you are using smaller main speaker then bass management is really a necessity otherwise you wouldn't get an accurate representation of the music. The speaker system should simply reproduce what it is played through it (20 - 20k Hz). If you are using smaller main speakers (less than 10 or 12 inches) then you'll probably want to have a subwoofer to provide audible playback of those frequencies the mains can't reproduce.

The only real problem I can see of having a generated LFE track is what happens when its added together with the synthesized subwoofer signal. I think that’s why its level is so low.

honestly i have more often the issues with center channel, which in so many releases too loud, than with LFE

It looks like you're using a mix of speakers which I'm sure sounds great. Probably the center speaker is more efficient than the others?

:sun

 

[0tto]

The way I understand both Dolby/DTS and DVD-Audio bass management is it allows your speaker system to produce the entire frequency range 20-20kHz while using smaller main speakers.
Bass management also you to apply a high pass filter to smaller main speakers. Having larger main speakers would allow the sub/satellite crossover frequency to be set lower, which (to me) sounds better. I have mine set to 50Hz (8” JBLs mains) and 80Hz (6.5 Tannoy Reveals mains). From looking at your system it looks like the Yamaha HTR has a selectable crossover frequency of which maybe see what it sounds like when you set it to 50 Hz. I’m not familiar with your speakers so make sure they can handle it. The lower the cross over frequency the easier it is to mask the subwoofer's location. Even 90 Hz to me is too high. I wish my Tannoy's went lower but they don't.

if boxes equipped with drivers which is only 50 or 60Hz, you cannot force them to reproduce anything below.
in this case you only can redirect lower range to subwoofer.

yes, in mine receiver i can choose crossover points but have no use for this options.
both pair is full range with 12" front and 10" rear, easily handles bass. usually separate subwoofer is usefull in
case when listening with general volume on receiver is set to very low output, something like -35~40db

It looks like you're using a mix of speakers which I'm sure sounds great. Probably the center speaker is more efficient than the others?

:sun

yeah, main system consist 3 wharfedales (front+sub) and 3 mirages (rear+center)
but this issue do not related with drivers. loudness of center differ on different discs, some ok., some too loud.
sometimes need to go down up to -3~4db to adjust center to front line. never have to do this with all AIX's disc.
seems they balanced just perfectly. some other discs too.