Just received my 990 recently and I also have a bass related question. First thing I noticed is that the auto calibrate system does not recognize my subwoofer? The test tone it sends to it is crazy loud and sounds like it's full range. I don't care much about the auto calibrate not functioning but I find that when I try to set my speaker levels with my sound meter I need to turn the sub setting down to -10db. This sounds very low on the test tone, and in fact is very low when playing music or watching movies. I have to go in and set my sub level to about + 8db to have it actually sound correct. I have a passive sub, so I have no cross-over or volume control at the sub. I need to adjust everything at the processor. I have run this same set up through both Sony and Harmankardon recievers, and not had this problem setting sublevels.
So why the discrepancy between the test tone level and actual play back level.
I think the test tone is full range to the sub and have read similar posts from others?

Hi mactoast,

There have been varying reports of auto-setup weirdness, so I'd recommend you just skip it. Set up the levels using an SPL meter, available at RadioShack for less than $50. Doing setup that way, I generally didn't have a lot of variance between the test levels and the sub's output.

Hey Otto

Using my radio shack meter is when I find the level problem. I can get all my other speaker levels spot on perfect. But to get the sub level to be correct on the meter you have to set it very low. When you listen to material at this setting there is little bass output. My thought is that the test tone generator on the 990 is sending a full range signal to my subwoofer.I have no cross over adjustment at my sub to filter the high freqency signals, so this may be creating the incorrect level adjustment problems.
Has anyone else run into this. Try turning off, or up your sub crossover setting and see if you get a higher output level during the test tone??

Yeah, I suppose that could happen. I also don't have a low-pass filter on my sub. I usually set my sub/main integration using RoomEQWizard, so they're usually pretty close. I also use the meter to verify, but I don't recall having such a disparity between the sub "tone" and normal playing.

I suppose it's also possible that the sub is exciting a particular frequency, and that the SPL meter is picking up on that small band of high energy. These SPL meters are pretty coarse, and will generally return the value of the hottest band that's being measured. If you don't know the frequency response of the sub, it would be hard to tell.

Have you ever used REW and/or parametric equalization on your sub? If not, you should check us out in the "REW | BFD" forum of "The Home Theater Shack". Those tools open a new universe for sub clarity. The Velodyne SMS-1 is another popular option as well for parametric EQ.

Anyway, at this point, you may just have to set your sub by ear, at least to some degree. Even when things are set up right, I have to tweak by ear based on the program material -- some recordings are just too thin in bass, and some too heavy.

Good luck!