PSB Subwoofer Subseries 1

In March 2008, when I purchased my PSB Alpha B1 amplifiers, I concluded that I ought to likewise purchase PSB's matching SubSeries 1 subwoofer (reference 1). It appears to be odd to me since I would have considered the $449 subwoofer an essential supplement to speakers that sold for $279/pair. What was I thinking? Is it true that i was moving in cash? Positively not. Is it safe to say that i was only youthful and extravagant free? Indeed and negative. Is it safe to say that i was sex-starved? Conceivably. (See the current month's "Tuning in.") For any situation, I more likely than not suspected the subwoofer vital.

It's peculiar, however, on the grounds that I can't remember when I really utilized it. The main thing I in all actuality do recollect is that the sub occupied significant room and gathered an insane measure of residue, driven into a side of my room between the VPI HW-16.5 record-cleaning machine and a drafty window.

Well . . . Have I meandered into an allegory? Possibly assuming I'd introduced the sub in the listening room, I'd have had more karma in the room. Who can say for sure?

PSB SubSeries 1 subwoofer

Talking about sex, PSB's SubSeries 1 is a front-ported, bass-reflex plan with a 8" polypropylene-cone driver and a 110W, class-A/B BASH power enhancer. It has an asserted recurrence scope of 36–150Hz, gauges roughly 13.25" high by 9.625" wide by 14.5" profound, gauges 23 lbs, and has a dark vinyl finish. It's not hot. Most subwoofers aren't. At the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show, held this previous January in Las Vegas, PSB reported a substitution for the SubSeries 1: The SubSeries 125 offers its archetype's basic look, yet is marginally bigger (14.125" high by 9.625" wide by 15.625" profound) and has an all the more remarkable (125W) enhancer. The value remains $449.

Why'd I stand by so well before bringing a subwoofer into my life?

The truth of the matter is, in my old listening room I never required a sub. Regardless of whether I was driving the PSB Alpha B1s with my 40Wpc NAD C316 BEE coordinated amp or partaking in the somewhat bigger DeVore Fidelity Gibbon 3 speakers with my 75Wpc Exposure 2010S incorporated, the sound in that little (10' by 13' by 8') room was constantly incredible, with all the spotless, clear low-end effect and expansion I might actually care about. Also in case it isn't obvious, Art Dudley, I didn't just have a great deal of bass, I had great bass—sweet, modern, fulfilling bass, with chocolates and champagne and candles. My somewhat unobtrusive greetings fi worked splendidly in that little room—a reality that I didn't, and proved unable, completely appreciate at the time since that framework and that room were all I had at any point known.

A few old buddies and believed partners have since clarified that moving into another listening climate, regardless of whether it be a devoted room or a common living space, is a major piece of the hello fi experience. Another room presents new difficulties, and with those difficulties come new freedoms, revelations, and prizes.

As I referenced last month, the hey fi lost a portion of its sorcery later I moved into Ms. Little's loft. No illustrations planned. Requested to serve a fundamentally bigger (18' by 20' by 8'), all the more live, more compromised listening climate, the framework appeared to run running on empty. Music sounded fine by and large, yet all at once "fine in general" isn't adequate for me. I needed more effect, more presence, more show, and, generally significant, more bass. Try not to misunderstand me: I'm not a total bass oddity—awful bass, or an excessive amount of bass, drives me into a heaving, puffing rage—yet I in all actuality do have to hear, to feel, some feeling of body and weight.

Fortunately, I hadn't ousted the PSB SubSeries 1 to our common extra room, where Ms. Little keeps her Schwinn Cruiser and I keep my Peavey Classic 50 guitar amp, Polycrystal hardware rack, boxes of baseball cards, back issues of Listener, back supply of my band's last collection, and the other grouped stuff of my terrible bachelorhood. Maybe buying the SubSeries 1 had been less a demonstration of guiltlessness than a demonstration of foreknowledge.

Whatever. I'd prefer be youthful and horny than have no bass. I chose to place the sub in assistance.

However, how? The most straightforward arrangement is run a couple of interconnects from the amp's sub result to the sub's low level info. Annoyingly, my NAD 316 BEE incorporated amp doesn't have a sub result. Taking into account that a cheap, moderately low-controlled incorporated amp would probably be utilized to drive a couple of little shelf speakers, and that those speakers might just require a sub to accomplish fulfilling bass, wouldn't it be consistent to incorporate a subwoofer yield? For what reason does PSB's most reasonable subwoofer give the fundamental information, while NAD's most reasonable amp comes up short on the essential result? One may accept that Lenbrook, PSB and NAD's corporate parent, has thought about this. Is the exclusion because of a question of estimating? A question of execution?

413entry.subbac.jpg

The following least difficult arrangement is run one sets of speaker links from my intensifier to the sub's undeniable level information, and a second pair of speaker links from the sub's significant level result to the limiting posts of the PSB Alpha B1s, hence making a perfect, direct sign way. However, I was again jumbled, this time by the subwoofer: The SubSeries 1 doesn't have an undeniable level result.

I was starting to surrender. Would I at any point have bass once more? Would it be a good idea for me to decry bass completely and give myself to an existence of midrange virtue? All things being equal, I did the unbelievable: I counseled the subwoofer's client manual, where I tracked down a graph for associating an amp to a sub utilizing just the amp's speaker yields and the sub's undeniable level sources of info. I figured this would be the best approach, however it actually had neither rhyme nor reason: Clearly, unreasonably many links and very couple of information sources were involved. My psyche dashed back to 1984 and a specific developmental scene in the blockbuster film Ghostbusters. Imagine a scenario where I coincidentally crossed the streams. Would I hazard . . .

Absolute protonic inversion?

Needing moral help, I reached out to Greg Stidsen, head of innovation for Lenbrook. He immediately guaranteed me that I was on the correct way. "Adding a sub is actually what is required for this situation. It will permit you to move the full reach speakers from the enthusiastic room surfaces to get a more extended rot on the early reflections. This will assist with picture concentrate, yet will, as a result, lessen apparent bass reaction since you will have killed the room gain. Adding a sub checks out."

With respect to upgrading the sub's situation, Stidsen alluded to a technique utilized by PSB's Paul Barton: "Spot the subwoofer in the essential listening position, then, at that point, creep around the space to the different places where your better half will permit you to put the sub, and see which one sounds best."

This was an intriguing thought, yet I wasn't completely certain with regards to slithering around the room. At whatever point I settle the score near the floor, I'm attacked by felines. Stringer attempts to squeeze his wet nose into my face, while Avon implodes onto her side, extends the extent that she can, and peeps for a paunch rub. They either worship me or believe I'm prey.

Apparently mindful of my anxiety, Stidsen added a temptation: "Slithering additionally positively affects most connections, so you may luck out subsequent to introducing the sub." Hmm . . . maybe it would merit a shot.

However, I definitely realized where I'd place the sub: in the conspicuous feline and sweetheart amicable area, a foot or so behind the right-station speaker, in the impeccably subwoofer-sized space between our new cabinet and our new amusement community.

The next simplest solution would be to run one pair of speaker cables from my amplifier to the sub's high-level input, and a second pair of speaker cables from the sub's high-level output to the binding posts of the PSB Alpha B1s, thus creating a neat, straightforward signal path. But I was again confounded, this time by the subwoofer: The SubSeries 1 doesn't have a high-level output.

I was beginning to despair. Would I ever have bass again? Should I denounce bass entirely and devote myself to a life of midrange purity? Instead, I did the unthinkable: I consulted the subwoofer's user manual, where I found a diagram for connecting an amp to a sub using only the amp's speaker outputs and the sub's high-level inputs. I figured this would be the way to go, but it still made little sense: Clearly, far too many cables and far too few inputs were involved. My mind raced back to 1984 and a certain formative scene in the blockbuster film Ghostbusters. What if I accidentally crossed the streams? Would I be risking . . .

Total protonic reversal?
In need of moral support, I got in touch with Greg Stidsen, director of technology for Lenbrook. He quickly assured me that I was on the right path. "Adding a sub is exactly what is needed for this scenario. It will allow you to move the full-range speakers away from the lively room surfaces to get a longer decay on the early reflections. This will help with image focus, but will, as a consequence, reduce perceived bass response because you will have killed the room gain. Adding a sub makes sense."

As for optimizing the sub's placement, Stidsen referred to a method used by PSB's Paul Barton: "Place the subwoofer in the primary listening position, then crawl around the room to the various locations where your girlfriend will allow you to place the sub, and see which one sounds best."

This was an interesting idea, but I wasn't so sure about crawling around the room. Whenever I get even close to the floor, I'm assaulted by cats. Stringer tries to press his wet nose into my face, while Avon collapses onto her side, stretches as far as she can, and chirps for a belly rub. They either adore me or think I'm prey.

Seemingly aware of my concern, Stidsen added an enticement: "Crawling also has a positive effect on most relationships, so you might get lucky after installing the sub." Hmm . . . perhaps it would be worth a shot.

But, really, I already knew where I'd place the sub: in the obvious cat- and girlfriend-friendly location, a foot or so behind the right-channel speaker, in the perfectly subwoofer-sized space between our new bookcase and our new entertainment center.