BFD Installation and Setup Help

[Rich-n-Texas]

I purchased a Behringer Feedback Destroyer that I want to use as a sub EQ in hopes that my LFE response will improve in my media room. Some of you may already know... when I stand outside the listening area, the low frequencies are more audible than when I'm sitting anywhere inside the area. I've tried to position the sub in different unobtrusive spots as well as put up 2 out of 8 (still have to put four more together and hang two custom made) acoustic panels, but the results have remained unchanged.

I'm starting this thread for multiple purposes, first and foremost is to get help from other BFD owners on how to set up the myriad filters, modes of operation, get interpretations of test results, and to help educate others who might be having similar issues and are looking for a solution. I believe that those who recommended I buy one know what they're talking about, and in my quest for audio bliss I'm willing and have the resources to integrate this solution.

The parts I have are the BFD itself, the 1/4" to RCA adapters, an extra subwoofer cable and the trusty ol' Rat Shack SPL meter. Aside from the front panel, the box is not real attractive (especially the mounting ears, while although they're removable, they leave exposed circuitry ) so I'll be hiding this box inside the audio cabinet.

Suggestions I've received so far...

Read the manual BFD guide like 3 times before you start and again step by step while your programming it. Well that's what I did. It starts off somewhat complicated but gets easier once your in there getting your hands dirty

...get your trust SPL meter out and yeah, read that manual guide a few times, go through it step by step, and you'll be fine.

Well, I've read through the manual somewhat, not thoroughly like these two have suggested, but so far all I've gotten out of it is how to set it up as "Front of House" or as "monitor mix" which is beneficial to a musicain while playing onstage. That's all well and good but right now I'm failing to understand how to apply the principles explained in the manual to my purposes.

In any event, the writeups and guides over at The Home Theater Shack are providing some answers to my questions, but I think it would be beneficial if some back-n-forth developed on this forum, so I'll continue to ask my q's here when I start digging in.

Stay tuned...

[GMichael]

Try here. http://bfdguide.ws/

[Rich-n-Texas]

Try here. http://bfdguide.ws/

That page suggests this page...

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/bfdguide/

but again, I think it would benefit the HT community here and myself, if we have a reference thread that isn't link after link to someone else's sites. "Know what I mean Vern?"

[Woochifer]

That page suggests this page...

http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/bfdguide/

but again, I think it would benefit the HT community here and myself, if we have a reference thread that isn't link after link to someone else's sites. "Know what I mean Vern?"

That's Sonny Parker's BFD site (the other link is the OLD link to Sonny Parker's BFD site). Everybody that uses the BFD as a subwoofer EQ at one point or another will use his setup guide. It's by far the best resource on the web for the BFD. Behringer's instructions suck because subwoofer EQing is not the BFD's primary function. They're helpful if you intend for your BFD to double as a feedback attenuator for your concert audio setup, otherwise they suck.

If you're seeing the Room EQ Wizard instructions, look for the link taking you to Parker's previous BFD guide version that has the manual measurement instructions. That has instructions, plus spreadsheets and correction charts for doing manual measurement using a Radio Shack SPL meter.

Well I guess I should thank everybody for putting all these links up afterall. It will help centralize a lot of info.

I like what Wooch said here:

"I've gotten mixed results using the REW software. Once you learn how to use the REW, it's actually simpler to program the BFD because it automatically tells you what settings you should use and how many EQ filters to setup. The REW simplifies things even further if you use a MIDI connection between the computer and the BFD. With a MIDI connection, you can actually use the computer to control the BFD. But, that's a bridge that I haven't crossed yet."

I'm a computer geek... dork... What can I say?

I actually preferred the EQ profile that I got using the manual measurement method. The REW settings only gave me three filters, and I felt that the bandwidth on the suggested REW filter settings was too wide. I prefer to tinker and fine tune. But, a lot of the guys that hang out on the BFDGuide forum are Java programmers, and the REW app is their baby and it's constantly getting revised and retooled. If you already have a USB soundcard and a calibrated mic, you might have a great time with that tool, since it gives you all sorts of other audio measurements and visuals. Plus, it's right in Richie Rich's price range ... FREE!!!!!!

The MIDI connection sounds cool in theory, but I read on the BFDGuide forum that some BFD models have problems with the MIDI connections.

[Rich-n-Texas]

That's Sonny Parker's BFD site (the other link is the OLD link to Sonny Parker's BFD site). Everybody that uses the BFD as a subwoofer EQ at one point or another will use his setup guide. It's by far the best resource on the web for the BFD. Behringer's instructions suck because subwoofer EQing is not the BFD's primary function. They're helpful if you intend for your BFD to double as a feedback attenuator for your concert audio setup, otherwise they suck.

I'll drink to that.

If you're seeing the Room EQ Wizard instructions, look for the link taking you to Parker's previous BFD guide version that has the manual measurement instructions. That has instructions, plus spreadsheets and correction charts for doing manual measurement using a Radio Shack SPL meter.

Got it, thanks.

...But, a lot of the guys that hang out on the BFDGuide forum are Java programmers, and the REW app is their baby and it's constantly getting revised and retooled. If you already have a USB soundcard and a calibrated mic, you might have a great time with that tool, since it gives you all sorts of other audio measurements and visuals. Plus, it's right in Richie Rich's price range ... FREE!!!!!!

I'll drink to that too!

[Rich-n-Texas]

Okay, the BFD's up and running. I remembered to set the operating level correctly on the back of the unit, and heard no 60 Hz hum when I powered it on. I then set it to Bypass mode so there would be no active filtering. I spent most of my available time today getting the sub level set according to the BFD Guide that's been linked to. The test movie I used was the BD version of The Dark Knight, and the Dolby TrueHD audio format. I played it "at the maximum level you would listen to it", monitored the input level and ajusted the sub-out level at the receiver until the level meter on the BFD just barely hit the red LED. I used the scene where Bruce and Alfred are testing a bullet using that gun they had setup in the lab. There were 4 shots fired, and when the 3rd shot went off, that's when the meter peaked into the red.

After I finished that step, I then used my test DVD that I got when I sub'ed to Sound & Vision mag a couple of years ago called "Home Theater Tune-Up" to level off the sub using it's volume control, all the while using my SPL meter to ensure it's level matched the left-front speaker reference level. So, the result of all this was improved LFE volume in my listening area during the movie.

That's as far as I went today because... well, the rest of the movie distracted me from the task at hand, then I switch over to the NASCAR race. If anything here doesn't sound right (I know my level setup description might sound vague), let me know.

One question that kept coming up during all this is that the lights on the "Engine L" & "Engine R" "Couple" control buttons were lit solid. I assume this doesn't matter since I'm in Bypass mode correct?

[audio amateur]

Sorry bud can't help ya

[Rich-n-Texas]

Sorry bud can't help ya

AA, "help me help you".

Rich, this is the page you should be reading, and is what I was referring to when I said "manual"...should have been more clear:

To REW or not to REW, that is the question. IIRC neither you or L.J. used it right?

According to what I read, if I want to use the wizard on a laptop, I'll need a Line-in and a Line-out (the mic & headphone connections aren't useable), which I don't have on my laptop, and I don't want to drag my main rig out for this. I didn't get a chance last night to check the model # of my meter so I didn't bother to d/l the .cal file, if I even need it.

[kexodusc]

Rich, this is the page you should be reading, and is what I was referring to when I said "manual"...should have been more clear:
http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/bfdmeasure/

It has everything you need, I think. You will find links to the test tone frequencies you will need to fill out the spreadsheet. If you have Avia or some HT setup disc that has those frequencies, you can use those, too.
Start by putting your sub where you want it, then take the measurements. That'll give you a picture of how nasty your room is.

Then you'll proceed to tackle a few peaks at a time....

Give this a shot and feel free to ask questions...I'm sure myself, LJ, Wooch, and eveyrone will chime in.

[GMichael]

Buwahahahahahahahahahah.....................

[kexodusc]

Oh, and the only part of the manual you need to concern yourself with are the parts relating to Parametric Equalization, and later on, the tables at the back dealing with ISO frequencies and bandwidth.

By the way what is your desired Q and and would you say your sub is stochastic, or deterministic?

[GMichael]

Heh heh heh......

[Rich-n-Texas]

Heh heh heh......

Be quiet and pay attention post whore

[GMichael]

Be quiet and pay attention post whore

That's "man whore" to you buddy.

[Rich-n-Texas]

I've heard someone else talk about "Q". It's a confusing subject IIRC. Irregardless, my desired I"Q" is well, unreasonable.

[Rich-n-Texas]

Yeah, "man whore" only gives out his discarded seconds.

And stop kissing me!!! That right is reserved for my two favorite girleys, ONLY!!!

[GMichael]

Yeah, "man whore" only gives out his discarded seconds.

And stop kissing me!!! That right is reserved for my two favorite girleys, ONLY!!!

[L.J.]

Rich, read this page first. Get your BFD connected properly and get your input level set. Once that part is finished, you can move on.

Next download the test tones and spreadsheet stuff from here and start taking measurements. Shoot the numbers into the spreadsheet and get yourself a pretty little graph.

Read everything from beginning til end a couple of times. Once you start doing it, it'll get easier and easier. You kinda learn as you go and just experiment.

BTW, when you hook it up make sure everything is off and turned on in the correct order. I plugged in my BFD when the sub was on and got a nice little heart attack.

[kexodusc]

I plugged in my BFD when the sub was on and got a nice little heart attack.

Heh, heh...Titanics don't like big voltage surges...

[GMichael]

Heh, heh...Titanics don't like big voltage surges...

Bet he had to change his shorts.

[kexodusc]

Bet he had to change his shorts.

That's ok...over the holidays when my inlaws were visiting and I was stuck on the couch I had a hard time sleeping a few nights. One night I turned my system on with my Harmony remote and forgot it was set to...LOUD....damn loud. So at 2 AM some smutty soft core show on the movie network was oohing and aahing with my in-laws down the hall. I damn near crapped my pants then.

[L.J.]

Heh, heh...Titanics don't like big voltage surges...

Yeah funny thing is you warned me and I still did it lol.

My kids turned the Denon way up on accident and it scared the snot out of both of them. I hear this loud sound like a plane is crashing in the front. I run up front only to have my boys pass me up doing about a hundred headed toward mom. It was hilarious.

[Rich-n-Texas]

Inlaws? Inlaws? Wha? Inlaws? You gotta be... Inlaws? Inlaws? Don't talk about... Inlaws?

[L.J.]

Well is it still sitting in the box or did you hook that baby up yet?

[GMichael]

Maybe he's still reading.