What the "Enhanced Bass" setting actually does. Verified.

[tjeli]

There have been several threads about what the Enhanced Bass setting actually effects in the bass management of the UMC-200. Because there is no standard out there for this setting I did some testing tonight to see what it does, and does not do.   I will also add that it does work a little different than the "Plus" setting did in my Pioneer. 

I dont want to insult anyone's intelligence here but I am going to lay out how the 200s bass management works so you can better understand what the "Enhanced" feature does. 


If all of your speakers are set to "small", the subwoofer setting is forced "on" and the enhanced bass setting is forced "off".  This is because all frequencies below where the LPF is set AND all LFE/.1 content will always be sent to the subwoofer.

If at least your front L+R are set to "large" and you subwoofer is set to "off", the front R+L will receive their full range signal AND content below the HPF of any other speakers set to "small".  The large mains will also be fed the LFE/.1 content because the processor thinks you do not have a subwoofer. Because of this, enhanced bass is forced "off" in this configuration. 

If your front L+R are set to "large" and the subwoofer is set to "on", the enhanced bass setting will now be selectable.  If it is set to "off", your "large" main speakers will receive their full range signals as well as content below the HPF set for any of your "small" speakers.  The subwoofer will ONLY play content from the LFE/.1 channel. No LFE/.1 content is sent to the mains in this setting. If you are listening to a source or mode that does not have a LFE/.1 channel, mixed or otherwise, the sub will not play anything.  A good example of this is two channel audio in "stereo" mode will not use the sub while "PLII Music" will.

If your front L+R are set to "large", your subwoofer is "on", and enhanced bass is "on", the processor combines traits from the first and second scenarios.  Your "large" mains will receive their full range signals, content below the HPF of your "small" speakers AND content from the LFE/.1 channel. (Just like when the subwoofer is set to "off").  The subwoofer will play content from the LFE/.1 channel AND content from the other channels that is below the LPF set for the subwoofer. (Like it does when all speakers are set to "small).  If you listen to two channel audio in "stereo" mode the subwoofer will be playing content below its LPF.   If you are listening to something with a LFE/.1 channel (like a movie) your "large" mains will be sent this content along with the sub. 

Clear as mud?  I do hope this clears up a little bit of the confusion surrounding this setting.  I have verified this behavior 3 different ways for all 4 bass management scenarios. 

-Eli

[Gary Cook]

Thanks for sharing, Eli. I have not deliberately set out to test all of the possible scenarios, but the above agrees with what I have encountered so far.

Cheers
Gary

[klinemj]

Eli...thx...this actually makes sense.

Mark

[cwt]

Totally logical Eli and should be stickied if possible imho for future users

[urwi]

Mar 31, 2014 20:49:03 GMT -5 tjeli said:

If your front L+R are set to "large", your subwoofer is "on", and enhanced bass is "on", the processor combines traits from the first and second scenarios.  Your "large" mains will receive their full range signals, content below the HPF of your "small" speakers AND content from the LFE/.1 channel. (Just like when the subwoofer is set to "off").  The subwoofer will play content from the LFE/.1 channel AND content from the other channels that is below the LPF set for the subwoofer. (Like it does when all speakers are set to "small).  If you listen to two channel audio in "stereo" mode the subwoofer will be playing content below its LPF.   If you are listening to something with a LFE/.1 channel (like a movie) your "large" mains will be sent this content along with the sub. 

The subwoofer and  L/R play low frequency content from any speaker set to small. The subwoofer LPF isn't applied to the signal coming from those small speakers. Is that what you meant?

[bootman]

Actually what you described is exactly what I would assume enhanced bass should do.
I never did get the confusion but again it isn't detailed like that in the manual.

This info should be in the manual.
..and PEQ freq and range settings per band
..and what ALL STEREO is actually doing.

Here is hoping the XMC manual is more thorough.
(but if it is what would we all do here with ourselves? )

[weigle2]

Apr 1, 2014 6:20:15 GMT -5 bootman said:

Actually what you described is exactly what I would assume enhanced bass should do.
I never did get the confusion but again it isn't detailed like that in the manual.

This info should be in the manual.
..and PEQ freq and range settings per band
..and what ALL STEREO is actually doing.

Here is hoping the XMC manual is more thorough.
(but if it is what would we all do here with ourselves? )

Yes, this is manual material. Emotiva's manuals leave a lot to be desired.

What would we do? Actually be listening or watching content instead of playing with settings to find out what they do!

Thanks OP for doing the legwork, Emotiva should be doing.

[tjeli]

Apr 1, 2014 3:18:17 GMT -5 urwi said:

Mar 31, 2014 20:49:03 GMT -5 tjeli said:

If your front L+R are set to "large", your subwoofer is "on", and enhanced bass is "on", the processor combines traits from the first and second scenarios.  Your "large" mains will receive their full range signals, content below the HPF of your "small" speakers AND content from the LFE/.1 channel. (Just like when the subwoofer is set to "off").  The subwoofer will play content from the LFE/.1 channel AND content from the other channels that is below the LPF set for the subwoofer. (Like it does when all speakers are set to "small).  If you listen to two channel audio in "stereo" mode the subwoofer will be playing content below its LPF.   If you are listening to something with a LFE/.1 channel (like a movie) your "large" mains will be sent this content along with the sub. 

The subwoofer and  L/R play low frequency content from any speaker set to small. The subwoofer LPF isn't applied to the signal coming from those small speakers. Is that what you meant?

I found when the Enhance Bass feature is "on" that the subwoofer is being fed all content below the subwoofers LPF setting.  Content below your "small" speakers HPF is routed to your large mains. (and your subwoofer once it drops below the LPF)  If this were not the case then listening to "stereo" mode with enhanced bass "on" would send a full range signal to the sub.

This is different than running all speakers as "small".  The LPF does not appear to be applied if all speakers are "small". (and it shouldn't be)  The sub will play content from below your "small" speakers HPF.  If it did not work this way it would be possible to completely filter out content between the two crossovers.

I do believe these settings are working correctly.  This will actually be a small or non issue for most of us because we run our subs LPF and smalls HPF at the same frequency. (or very close)  Remember that the crossovers are not absolute either.  They have a slope.

-Eli

[urwi]

Enhanced bass sums the response of LFE and low frequencies of all speakers set to small to the sub and to L/R. The LPF of the LFE channel is set in the subwoofer crossover menu. The LPF for all speakers set to small is set in the speakers crossover setting menu.

[tjeli]

Apr 1, 2014 12:36:57 GMT -5 urwi said:

Enhanced bass sums the response of LFE and low frequencies of all speakers set to small to the sub and to L/R. The LPF of the LFE channel is set in the subwoofer crossover menu. The LPF for all speakers set to small is set in the speakers crossover setting menu.

If you are listening to a 2 channel source in stereo mode with Enhanced Bass on, which crossover is it using for the sub?

-Eli

[urwi]

Apr 1, 2014 13:37:20 GMT -5 tjeli said:

Apr 1, 2014 12:36:57 GMT -5 urwi said:

Enhanced bass sums the response of LFE and low frequencies of all speakers set to small to the sub and to L/R. The LPF of the LFE channel is set in the subwoofer crossover menu. The LPF for all speakers set to small is set in the speakers crossover setting menu.

If you are listening to a 2 channel source in stereo mode with Enhanced Bass on, which crossover is it using for the sub?

-Eli

It uses a fixed LPF at 80Hz. It can't be adjusted by the user.