Velodyne DIGITAL DRIVEPLUS DD-15+ User Manual - Part Three — Optimize
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Digital Drive
PLUS
Series User’s Manual - 19
PART THREE — OPTIMIZE
OPTIMIZATION INTRODUCTION
This part of this manual first explains the optimization methods and nomenclature. To help you choose a method,
this section then describes the capabilities of each method as well as the time each optimization requires to
complete. Next, to help you choose how to perform your selected optimization method, this part describes the
optimization software interfaces available, including the window Setup Program and your TV screen.
To help you understand the parameters you can optimize, this section then discusses each how each parameter
affects the subwoofer’s bass output. Finally, this part recommends the basic methodology for performing
manual-eQ optimization.
OPTIMIZATION METHODS
The Digital Drive
PlUS
subwoofer offers the Place & Play, Self-EQ, Auto-EQ
PlUS
and manual-eQ optimization
methods. eQ is a shorthand way to refer to all the subwoofer’s parameters that can be changed to equalize
how the subwoofer sounds throughout its frequency range. you choose what is right for you although Velodyne
recommends Auto-eQ
PlUS
as it automatically gives you great sounding bass in about 5 minutes (not including
setup time) and doesn’t require you to install and use the Velodyne-authored windows Setup Program on your
windows computer or the TV-screen interface to manually modify the bass frequency response.
Place & Play
Place & Play setup doesn’t require the use of the supplied microphone. you can get great sounding bass from
the factory-default EQ settings with the ability to use the default preset EQ settings for different audio genres.
Self-EQ
Self-eQ is the simplest and fastest way to optimize the bass response from your subwoofer for your room. Self-
eQ adjusts the levels of eight parametric eQs only. Unlike Auto-eQ and manual eQ, which use the sweep tone
on the enclosed cD and can adjust all settings on thesubwoofer, Self-eQ uses a sweep tone generated from the
subwoofer itself which is picked up using the calibrated microphone. Self-eQ smoothes the frequency response
of the subwoofer from 15 to 120 Hz and leaves the settings for volume, crossover, slope and phase unchanged.
Auto-EQ
PlUS
(Recommended)
Auto-eQ
PlUS
is recommended by Velodyne. Auto-eQ
PlUS
is the most advanced way to automatically optimize
the bass response from your subwoofer and audio system. During the Auto-eQ
PlUS
process, the Auto-eQ
PlUS
digital signal processing algorithm uses a calibrated microphone and the Auto-eQ
PlUS
sweep tone (found on
the enclosed cD) played through your system to optimize the low frequency output response. The Auto-eQ
PlUS
system first automatically mutes the subwoofer to determine the low frequency response (
speakers in your audio system. After finding this response, the subwoofer unmutes itself and matches its output
to the satellites while maintaining a smooth blend with the satellite’s low frequency output. Auto-eQ
PlUS
then
adjusts the output level, the frequency response, the crossover filter parameters, and the output phase, but only
adjusts the parametric filters for level.
Manual-EQ
manual-eQ is the most customized way to optimize the bass response from your subwoofer. The Auto-eQ
PlUS
optimizes in a manner that sounds great for many people. However, we at Velodyne understand that everyone
has unique listening preferences and that there are thousands and thousands of receiver, processor, speaker
and room combinations. Hence, the Digital DrivePLUS subwoofers and the Auto-EQ
PlUS
system are designed
to support custom eQ settings through the manual-eQ process. we recommend you start your manual-eQ
optimization with the settings from the Auto-eQ
PlUS
optimization as a starting point for you to further tune the
Digital Drive
PlUS
subwoofer to your preference. you can optimize the subwoofer for the preset levels, crossover
filter parameters, and phase as well as the full parametric filter parameters.
manual-eQ also uses the Auto-eQ sweep tone played through your system, but also requires you to use the
Velodyne-authored windows Setup Program on your windows computer or the TV-screen interface to manually
modify the bass frequency response.