THX Optimizer - No test sound for sub
 

I just recently hooked up my new Kenwood HTiB 405 system and was using the Fox Demo Disc #2 that has the THX Optimizer test on it. I noticed that when I run the Audio test, all the test sounds are fine on all the speakers (though the left & right back surround speakers both play the test sound when it tests each one). However when it tests the subwoofer, I hear nothing from the sub. The sub works fine when I run the Kenwood test sounds and even when I'm playing movies, but it's quiet during the THX Optimizer test.

Has anyone else had this problem or know why I might be having this happen?

Thanks.

I have the Onkyo HTS-650 and have the same problem. I've been meaning to post about it, but keep forgetting since it hasn't really affected the performance of the system.

I first noticed the problem using Avia. In the crossover frequency sweep test the frequency moved from high to low, from the regular speakers all the way down to the lowest in the subwoofer, just like it should. When I checked each channel individually with the pink noise test, all channels performed normally except for the LFE. The man's voice said "LFE" in the front left speaker, but the sub was silent.

I used the THX Optimizer (from two different DVDs) to get a second opinion and got the same results. Crossover sweep worked fine, but the LFE channel gave nothing but a few clicking sounds.

Like I said earlier, I haven't really done anything about it since the subwoofer performs as I expect it to, although I have thought that maybe the sub is just playing the lower frequencies from the other five channels and not the .1 LFE channel. I know of know way to be certain of this, though, except for what I've already tried.

Like Star Wars Guy, I would like to know if anybody has a definite answer as to what's happening.

Try setting at least one set (fronts or rears) as small instead of large size in the receiver's setup and see what happens. You might also need to adjust the crossover frequency.

I don't see how that would help. Based on what I wrote in the first post, I've pretty much isolated the problem to the LFE channel, and what you mentioned would only affect how the receiver would manage the low frequencies from the other channels.

My receiver doesn't have a setting to adjust speaker size anyways. It has 3 options for crossover: 80, 100, and 120 Hz. I have tested on all three settings.

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X is correct. Since I'm not familiar with your receiver, you know more about it's settings then I. Most any receiver I've ever had in the past had a speaker setting for small or large, as this is how LFE was routed. If your speakers are set to LARGE then the sub won't get the signal, as your receiver's settings are routing all LFE signals to your mains. (I'm generalizing here, as different models have different settings and options).

As far as Avia goes, there is no dedicated LF signal in the calibration part of the disc. Avia is geared for speakers set to 'small', and if yours are set to large, you aren't going to get anything through the sub, as all signals are going through the mains.

Hope that's coherent enough...I've got a splitting headache and the Dolphins aren't in the playoffs, so I'm not exactly feeling my best.

Cheers.

The Avia disc doesn't, but the Sound & Vision disc does, and it's less than half the price of the Avia disc...I almost want to say I prefer it to the Avia disc, but it's close...



I should clairfy that I'm talking about the LFE test...