Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Trifield vs stereo bass

I'm streaming two channel music to my SB Touch in my HT. I have 3x5K2s set to large, 2x5Ks also large and a pair of subs set to LFE only. With 2 channel I usually listen to Trifield but when toggling back and forth between Trifield and Stereo I notice more bass in stereo. What's happening here?

Ken

Ken, I have exactly the same between Direct and Trifield. There is a thread on the subject (at least one). It discusses phase and distance setting (where 1/2 takes it out of phase and another brings it back) and positing of the centre. An interesting read but I haven't been able to implement a fix (yet) for me. I have a 5KC with 6K L/R so I blame the loss on a mismatch centre. I end up listening to Direct.

Tintin

Interesting. After I made sure the subs weren't somehow sneaking into the picture (I turned them off) I thought it might be some kind of phase issue. I should know this but what's the difference between direct and stereo?

Ken

Direct only uses L/R speakers, Stereo uses subs I believe.

Tintin

There does appear to be a variation in what different users get bass-wise with Trifield. Until recently, I was using DSP3100 for L/R, with a DSP3100HC in the centre. For various practical reasons, I have now changed to DSP3100HCs for all three and the bass is now significantly stronger using Trifield. I haven't changed distance / depth settings either, though obviously I had to recalibrate.

Isn't there something quite simple happening: with the bass energy split between three channels, there is less going to each channel, and therefore the speakers handle it better (and possible with more extension and energy per speaker as in stereo - both naturally and thanks to DSP)?

I had the same issue and went back to Stereo.

Some people get more bass, though. It certainly does seem to change with distance and depth settings.

I get more bass with Trifield, I have no processor controlled subs though *; fronts (LCR) are set to large, small, large.

I always thought it was equalised like that so it sounded better when comparing it to Direct?

Steve.

* I have subs, but the 568 processor thinks the set up is 5.0 not 5.2, I control the crossover and room correction DSP after the 568.

Most likely the width parameter will allow to compensate for this problem ...

The width parameter is for integrating the center into the system, to match the center with the mains. The width parameter determines the amount of out-of-phase signal that is mixed into the mains. This can clearly influence the amount of bass.

You mean the width parameter that doesn't work?

Ken

Agreed, I am using a 568 again at the moment and with width on full the bass is pretty similar to stereo, however with width being adjusted you can clearly hear the bass change.