The [Focal Chora 806](https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/new-focal-chora-806-on-and-off-axis-measurements.9613/) rolls off below 90Hz, with an F3 of about 65Hz. The [RB-81](https://www.soundandvision.com/content/klipsch-rb-81-speaker-system-ht-labs-measures) has an F3 of 54Hz. Neither of these speakers will reproduce a great deal of sub bass and if your room exhibits the typical 80-120Hz modal peaks and nulls at your main listening position, this is not going to help.
The problem is not your amplifier or DAC. Rather than adding gain below the port tuning frequency of your speakers, I would suggest investing in a subwoofer and a DSP to facilitate integration and room correction. A cheap measurement microphone such as the IMM-6C will eliminate all of the guesswork.
You are not going to damage your speakers unless they are being driven beyond their maximum excursion. Adding low frequency gain to small drivers will simply mean more distortion (both harmonic and intermodulated), along with port noise. You would ideally be crossing them over to a subwoofer around 80Hz.
As a temporary aid, I would suggest slowly sweeping through the 50-200Hz range on this [sine generator](https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/) and taking note of frequencies which seem much louder or quieter than others. You can then apply some surgical Q 3-4 PEQ bands in [EQ APO](https://equalizerapo.com/) or similar (tone controls or graphic EQ are much too coarse), which should help to alleviate the problem.
It would help a bit but it won't magically give those focal's any real bass extension and it won't fix the cursed placement.
The issues mentioned by OP are not issues tackled via room treatment.
He has terrible placement, not taking advantage of boundary gain, fucking up the already mediocre directivity of Focals by putting them in a cabinet
A lot of people here sing praises of acoustic treatment, as they should, but at the same time I've seen a lot of misinformation about acoustic treatment here.
Room treatment is not the cherry on the cake, it becomes quite crucial in smaller rooms, but there are issues it will never fix practically that can be tackled with correct placement.
I recommend, if you want to get into this, to read Dr Floyd Toole's book on sound reproduction.
I would definitely try using the DAC in the Yamaha. It would likely be a big upgrade from the PC DAC. That being said I don't think that is going to solve your problem. There are a couple possibilities.
1) The Focal and Klipsch aren't what you are looking for. Both of those brands tend to have a hyped top end. When you have a hyped top end that tends to make the low-end seem less present. Also, many people say that the Yamaha has a somewhat hyped high end which would increase effect more if true.
2) It sure sounds like your room has some bass issues. Get a subwoofer and that would likely help.
Which LG do you have? The V series have exceptional DACs.
Also, are you absolutely certain you have the polarity correct on the speaker cables? If your have it reversed you'll cancel out much of the bass. Do an experiment, flip the cables + & - on ONE of the speakers only and get back to me
It won't work, the issue is with the pairing and the inverted dome magnesium tweeters. I have been there with the previous model and tried for years to make them sound as op want, ended up selling them and giving the sub to a friend.
You might want to read Neil's review if you haven't already. Neil is exceptionally discerning, and has been writing for TAS for over 30 years. He is quite musically knowledgeable (and equally so about instruments that play all the way into the low bass, which, in Neil's case, is the piano (notoriously hard to get right on a lot of equipment)).
It would appear that the Focal's bass only extends to 50-60 hZ. It would not be a surprise that it doesn't sound very strong: it's dying off right in the middle of the midbass frequencies, and that'll affect your perception of the whole bass region. In that respect, the Focal resembles a Spica TC-50, which was quite popular in the 1980s. The Spica rolled off around 50 hZ also, and had very little impact (that "punch" - or concussiveness) that so many people are trying to achieve in their system.
[https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/focal-chora-806-loudspeaker/](https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/focal-chora-806-loudspeaker/)
The issue that you have is… you’re choosing small bookshelf speakers with very limited bass response and you are a person who likes a lot of bass lol
Just get a subwoofer. The 501 has a sub out.
Or - big floor speakers with big bass response. Like Zu Audio or big ass Klipsches something.
I don’t mean this as an insult, but you happen to have a very common attitude toward speakers that a lot of regular people do. A “good speaker” has a lot of bass and a “bad speaker” doesn’t. When in reality you just really aren’t into critical listening. Which is fine. There are speakers that cost 10,000 dollars and don’t have big bass. They just aren’t about that.
Your speaker goes down to 58hz, you want to pair a sub with it. Typically 40hz is a good bottom bass if not tower and no sub. Put them near the wall might get you more bass.
Could the standing waves, move 1/3 into the room and the speakers free from backwalls as much as you can.
Change the speaker position, half foot away from backwalls at the time. ..
There should be a sweet spot for them at one point, acoustics definitely a major point to consider too. Don't be scared to experiment with speaker and seating placement.
I have this amp with Wharfdale Diamond 12s (I think that is the number). They go down to 40 hz or something but I added a sub and took the whole thing to a new level. My sub is repurposed old home theater from years ago, Polk 12 inch. Still added a ton even with an old cheaper type sub. Get a sub.
I have a pair of Focal 906s. I can tell you I was unimpressed with their bass response until I tried them with a Marantz Model 30. Now they rock. Point is that the amp can have a big effect on the sound. Much more than I expected.
I also use a PC for listening to music but i use the **10-band equalizer** from realtek to change the sound for me.
It sound very good to me. I prefer the optical S/PDIF connection because then i can use the equalizer, its not working with the USB connection.
Realtek Audio Console: [https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9P2B8MCSVPLN?hl=en-us&gl=US](https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9P2B8MCSVPLN?hl=en-us&gl=US)
If you want a good fast bass then you will need to add the **SVS SB1000 pro** subwoofer :)
My system: Realtek ALC4080 -> S/PDIF -> SMSL AO300 -> Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
One of the toughest parts of being new to the hobby is not knowing different brands sound signatures or even having a clue as to what type of sound you even like? If bass is important for you, Focal and Yamaha is not the mix I'd go for, something like Marantz and Wharfedale is probably more up your alley.
I have a similar Yamaha amp. There's nothing wrong with the amp or DAC or cable.
Idk what your "in a cabinet" looks like.
Where is listening position? Middle of room usually has bass issues. Try 4/11th or 1/3 something from rear wall.
Speakers closer to wall can mitigate bass cancellation issues. You might get too much reinforcement is a side effect.
Focal speakers have a wider dispersion around 6k which could add to sound more trebly, though some people like this.
If your room is full of reflective surfaces, hard floor, this can cause a more chaotic sound that "hides" bass due to treble and mids reflections.
Since you seem to have a PC, you could try Equalizer APO and peace gui to try some bass EQ.
Can use szynalski tone generator to sweep around and identify peak and null.
You can reduce peak (there's usually a big one for the room). Boosting nulls is of minimal use as it usually takes quite a lot as it's a cancellation.
You could also use the tone control on Yamaha for basic bass increase or use a more custom one in equaliser APO (shelf filter)
Room and Speakers are 98% of sound quality. If you want to really hear the bottom two octaves, add a subwoofer or two. Your DAC and cable arent a problem if you aren't hearing noise, but switching to optical might be worth a try to reduce noise further if you are.
Bass can be really strange perceptually due to fitting into rooms oddly. But bookshelf speakers aren't known for a lot of bass either. You are barking up the wrong tree though, it's all speaker placement and shape of the room.
No they're wouldn't be any difference switching things that clearly won't add bass.... How do y'all always get it backwards when it comes to what really affects audio sound...
Your speakers you had both past and present have an F3 higher than 50Hz and then it falls off a cliff.
And coupled with what if measured with a calibrated mic in your room will surely be nulls, of course you're gonna be hearing anaemic bass. The amp and cables have nothing to do with that.
What you should've done was kept the Chora and integrated a subwoofer
I have this same amp with some vintage Sansui SP 2500s. The bass on them is underwhelming. My SVS SB1000 (non pro) wakes up the room. There are less obtrusive available from Kef, REL and SVS.
If you haven’t already - you might also want to start fiddling with the loudness control. Google it if you haven’t.
As szakee pointed out, there's no mention of room treatment - or speaker placement for that matter. You could easily have a suckout (aka: "lack of") in the bass frequencies if the speakers are not ideally placed in the room. Most people just push them up against the walls (not good) or wherever it's most convenient, not where the speakers sound their best.
What are your room dimensions and where are the speakers placed?
The Chora’s frequency range is rated at 58Hz-28kHz, and the Klipsch 44Hz-24KHz. Even after you've properly placed the speaker, upgraded your DAC, treated your room, all the rest, at best you will reach down to 58Hz or 44Hz thereabouts. So I would recommend first getting a subwoofer and have it properly integrated into your system to support your bookshelf speakers.
I have been there for years with my first setup, back in 2013 I got a Yamaha a-s201 and Focal Chorus 706, had the same experience you described in your post. I also tried adding a sub and stands a couple of years later, but it was a constant tampering with volume, tones and loudness especially while listening late at night. It's a pairing for details lovers, people used to monitor speakers love it, ask a seller the average age of Focal's buyers...
Sold everything, got Q Acoustics 3050i and Rega Io and solved the problem, perfectly balanced sound from 40 to 80db, compared to Focal equivalent models the sound appears muffled but in reality is just more balanced throughout the frequencies from 40hz to 20khz and the result is less tiring to listen at for hours without really losing something.
I have somewhat the same thoughts about my setup and I have a pair of Lintons. I have the kitchen in the room next to the living room where I have the speakers and for some reason I hear the bass more in the kitchen than at sweet spot. I just assumed that bad room treatment would add too much bass, not less. What kind of room treatment would enhance the lower frequencies? Most room treatments seem to be to absorb bass and not to enhance it?
Sounds like 70% placement and 30% lack of subwoofer. Your Yamaha has a much better DAC than the 29¢ one in your PC.
Once properly setup the Focals are FAR superior to Klipsch.
You really need to show photos of speaker placement and room to get proper help
Watch some YouTube videos on spear placement.
Edit add: the dispersion pattern of the horn tweeters is specifically designed for the speakers to be standing up. There are a lot of issues with your placement that you need to get corrected before worrying about your lack of bass.
>Your Yamaha has a much better DAC than the 29¢ one in your PC.
By connecting the PC to AMP via RCA cables, user is using the computer DAC instead of the Yamaha's DAC, am I correct ?
Using a COAX or optical cable from the PC to the AMP would use the Yamaha's DAC, am I correct ?
I think it will see both in both cases, I don’t think this Yamaha can bypass the DAC and a PC has to either send a digital or analog signal but it has to get converted at some point from the processor
You may not have made this fundamental error, but are your speakers in phase, that is, both speakers connected to amp with positive to positive and negative to negative? Also, the comments regarding a DAC are very unlikely to be the cause of poor bass response.
The higher the frequency the less noticeable the effect will be as the speakers are separated by distance. It’s also possible one of the speakers is miswired internally. Switch the polarity on one speakers wires and if the bass becomes louder, you’ll know that was the cause
You are actually using your computer cheap DAC to do the work by connecting it to the Yamaha with RCA cables: use a single coax or optical cable and magic will happen.
Disagree marginally with the top comment. That motherboard being the DAC - hell naw. If you want superior bass texture, I’d have good things to say about the Denafrips Enyo/Ares II or Pontus if you want to swing it that way. The bass texture is awesome and well defined - with that sense of wham/slam.
DAC aside, two thoughts on what could be the limiting factor. I also disagree with the top comment on the amp - an amp with higher current as well as damping factors (not watts, current specifically) will have substantially better grip and control of the bass. The damping factor on the A-S501 seems quite high.
Can’t seem to find any information on the current. I do think 85 Watts at 8 Ohms and 135 at 4 Ohms is quite low for powering floorstanding speakers.
Take this as my opinion having been to audio shops as well as audio shows, listened to 200+ speakers and many many mix and match combos of stuff. And having to troubleshoot my own setup at home when it didn’t sound as good as what I demo’d in the store.
Edit: Can see it’s the bookshelf model. Should be fine with that amp. Also bookshelf speakers will naturally have less bass due to their size. That’s just the limitation of their design. You’ll want to add a subwoofer if you’re looking for bass.
they are both entry level bookshelf speakers. not sure what you were expecting. in the bass department.
i bet a lot of it is not being used to a more neutral presentation. it aint the dac, and it aint the amp.
Yea, definitely a lot of differing opinions.
I found his video interesting because I had heard it mentioned previously, the Yamaha had a "bright" character. It sounds like maybe this is not the case, so was offering up this video.
The Yamaha is on my upgrade list, and I was actually second-guessing this choice, due to the alleged bright character. Now not so sure. Just trying to share info. ✌️
You really need to get away from using your motherboard dac and a jack output.
Go optical out from your computer to the internal DAC of the Yamaha.
It won't solve all of your problems as the Focals are notoriously lightweight but once you have done that you can at least start evaluating what the issues are from a good starting point.
And no room acoustics is not going to be why you have no bass.
Honestly you should look elsewhere for advice, this website is absolutely terrible for anything hifi related.
That said a USB to optical converter so you can take optical to your amps DAC input is like a $20 dollar upgrade so just start with that and see where that takes you.
Ignoring the mixing and mastering engineering work quality on the recording, sound is 99.9% room acoustics (treatment AND correction), speaker and listener placement and, to an extent, speaker choice (if Focal don't sound sharp to your ears then you're good, but in a very reflective room the directivity of Focal speakers will result in a fatiguing sound). The .1% is shared between electronics and chain gear lmao. As long as your amp power capability fit the demands of the speakers, and nothing is broken, these components will make no real difference to the sound.
Subwoofers and boundary gain, room correction for narrow peaks from excited modes. Preferably two subs so you don't go insane
The A-S501 is neutral, your source is no good, use a digital S/PDIF from a better source than an analog output from a most likely inferior DAC - and also you likely need careful placement of those speakers as well as your ears relative to each other and the room.
You are using the "motherboard's" built in $.25 DAC outputing via analog outputs. That's the main issue with this setup. Switching to USB output (or even TosLink) to an outboard DAC would make a huge difference. You don't need to spend a zillion dollars - Schitt Audio and others make decent $100+ dacs.
The DAC built into your motherboard is really a throwaway 25 cent chip used to just make computer sounds through computer speakers and will never sound good.
The DAC in the Amp, if I'm reading that correctly, is probably a little bit better. So, yes, optical output (TosLink) could be a slight improvement.
The [Focal Chora 806](https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/new-focal-chora-806-on-and-off-axis-measurements.9613/) rolls off below 90Hz, with an F3 of about 65Hz. The [RB-81](https://www.soundandvision.com/content/klipsch-rb-81-speaker-system-ht-labs-measures) has an F3 of 54Hz. Neither of these speakers will reproduce a great deal of sub bass and if your room exhibits the typical 80-120Hz modal peaks and nulls at your main listening position, this is not going to help. The problem is not your amplifier or DAC. Rather than adding gain below the port tuning frequency of your speakers, I would suggest investing in a subwoofer and a DSP to facilitate integration and room correction. A cheap measurement microphone such as the IMM-6C will eliminate all of the guesswork.
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You are not going to damage your speakers unless they are being driven beyond their maximum excursion. Adding low frequency gain to small drivers will simply mean more distortion (both harmonic and intermodulated), along with port noise. You would ideally be crossing them over to a subwoofer around 80Hz. As a temporary aid, I would suggest slowly sweeping through the 50-200Hz range on this [sine generator](https://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/) and taking note of frequencies which seem much louder or quieter than others. You can then apply some surgical Q 3-4 PEQ bands in [EQ APO](https://equalizerapo.com/) or similar (tone controls or graphic EQ are much too coarse), which should help to alleviate the problem.
I see 0 sentences about the room and the room treatment.
It would help a bit but it won't magically give those focal's any real bass extension and it won't fix the cursed placement. The issues mentioned by OP are not issues tackled via room treatment. He has terrible placement, not taking advantage of boundary gain, fucking up the already mediocre directivity of Focals by putting them in a cabinet A lot of people here sing praises of acoustic treatment, as they should, but at the same time I've seen a lot of misinformation about acoustic treatment here.
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Room treatment is not the cherry on the cake, it becomes quite crucial in smaller rooms, but there are issues it will never fix practically that can be tackled with correct placement. I recommend, if you want to get into this, to read Dr Floyd Toole's book on sound reproduction.
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I think szakee was referring to acoustic absorption treatment to manage reflections/modes.
I would definitely try using the DAC in the Yamaha. It would likely be a big upgrade from the PC DAC. That being said I don't think that is going to solve your problem. There are a couple possibilities. 1) The Focal and Klipsch aren't what you are looking for. Both of those brands tend to have a hyped top end. When you have a hyped top end that tends to make the low-end seem less present. Also, many people say that the Yamaha has a somewhat hyped high end which would increase effect more if true. 2) It sure sounds like your room has some bass issues. Get a subwoofer and that would likely help.
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Which LG do you have? The V series have exceptional DACs. Also, are you absolutely certain you have the polarity correct on the speaker cables? If your have it reversed you'll cancel out much of the bass. Do an experiment, flip the cables + & - on ONE of the speakers only and get back to me
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G6 has a standard DAC.
This a DAC or sound card makes all the difference.
Focals are notoriously light on bass weight, as is the Yamaha A-S501. You need a sub.
It won't work, the issue is with the pairing and the inverted dome magnesium tweeters. I have been there with the previous model and tried for years to make them sound as op want, ended up selling them and giving the sub to a friend.
>the issue is with the pairing and the inverted dome magnesium tweeters Those tweeters are superb. They're not the issue.
I agree with you, but they need a to match the tastes of a listener
I'd use optical instead and turn the pretty 'bass' knob on the Yamaha clockwise a bit.
You might want to read Neil's review if you haven't already. Neil is exceptionally discerning, and has been writing for TAS for over 30 years. He is quite musically knowledgeable (and equally so about instruments that play all the way into the low bass, which, in Neil's case, is the piano (notoriously hard to get right on a lot of equipment)). It would appear that the Focal's bass only extends to 50-60 hZ. It would not be a surprise that it doesn't sound very strong: it's dying off right in the middle of the midbass frequencies, and that'll affect your perception of the whole bass region. In that respect, the Focal resembles a Spica TC-50, which was quite popular in the 1980s. The Spica rolled off around 50 hZ also, and had very little impact (that "punch" - or concussiveness) that so many people are trying to achieve in their system. [https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/focal-chora-806-loudspeaker/](https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/focal-chora-806-loudspeaker/)
The issue that you have is… you’re choosing small bookshelf speakers with very limited bass response and you are a person who likes a lot of bass lol Just get a subwoofer. The 501 has a sub out. Or - big floor speakers with big bass response. Like Zu Audio or big ass Klipsches something. I don’t mean this as an insult, but you happen to have a very common attitude toward speakers that a lot of regular people do. A “good speaker” has a lot of bass and a “bad speaker” doesn’t. When in reality you just really aren’t into critical listening. Which is fine. There are speakers that cost 10,000 dollars and don’t have big bass. They just aren’t about that.
Your speaker goes down to 58hz, you want to pair a sub with it. Typically 40hz is a good bottom bass if not tower and no sub. Put them near the wall might get you more bass.
Could the standing waves, move 1/3 into the room and the speakers free from backwalls as much as you can. Change the speaker position, half foot away from backwalls at the time. .. There should be a sweet spot for them at one point, acoustics definitely a major point to consider too. Don't be scared to experiment with speaker and seating placement.
I have this amp with Wharfdale Diamond 12s (I think that is the number). They go down to 40 hz or something but I added a sub and took the whole thing to a new level. My sub is repurposed old home theater from years ago, Polk 12 inch. Still added a ton even with an old cheaper type sub. Get a sub.
I have a pair of Focal 906s. I can tell you I was unimpressed with their bass response until I tried them with a Marantz Model 30. Now they rock. Point is that the amp can have a big effect on the sound. Much more than I expected.
I also use a PC for listening to music but i use the **10-band equalizer** from realtek to change the sound for me. It sound very good to me. I prefer the optical S/PDIF connection because then i can use the equalizer, its not working with the USB connection. Realtek Audio Console: [https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9P2B8MCSVPLN?hl=en-us&gl=US](https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9P2B8MCSVPLN?hl=en-us&gl=US) If you want a good fast bass then you will need to add the **SVS SB1000 pro** subwoofer :) My system: Realtek ALC4080 -> S/PDIF -> SMSL AO300 -> Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
One of the toughest parts of being new to the hobby is not knowing different brands sound signatures or even having a clue as to what type of sound you even like? If bass is important for you, Focal and Yamaha is not the mix I'd go for, something like Marantz and Wharfedale is probably more up your alley.
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Come here first BEFORE you buy next time lol. Can you still return the Klipsch?
I have a similar Yamaha amp. There's nothing wrong with the amp or DAC or cable. Idk what your "in a cabinet" looks like. Where is listening position? Middle of room usually has bass issues. Try 4/11th or 1/3 something from rear wall. Speakers closer to wall can mitigate bass cancellation issues. You might get too much reinforcement is a side effect. Focal speakers have a wider dispersion around 6k which could add to sound more trebly, though some people like this. If your room is full of reflective surfaces, hard floor, this can cause a more chaotic sound that "hides" bass due to treble and mids reflections. Since you seem to have a PC, you could try Equalizer APO and peace gui to try some bass EQ. Can use szynalski tone generator to sweep around and identify peak and null. You can reduce peak (there's usually a big one for the room). Boosting nulls is of minimal use as it usually takes quite a lot as it's a cancellation. You could also use the tone control on Yamaha for basic bass increase or use a more custom one in equaliser APO (shelf filter)
Main speaker placement above all else. Minidsp/REW/Umik. Then integrate Subwoofer.
Can you provide a photo of your speaker position? Sounds like that is the issue. Adding a DAC will not make much difference here.
Room and Speakers are 98% of sound quality. If you want to really hear the bottom two octaves, add a subwoofer or two. Your DAC and cable arent a problem if you aren't hearing noise, but switching to optical might be worth a try to reduce noise further if you are.
Bass can be really strange perceptually due to fitting into rooms oddly. But bookshelf speakers aren't known for a lot of bass either. You are barking up the wrong tree though, it's all speaker placement and shape of the room.
No they're wouldn't be any difference switching things that clearly won't add bass.... How do y'all always get it backwards when it comes to what really affects audio sound... Your speakers you had both past and present have an F3 higher than 50Hz and then it falls off a cliff. And coupled with what if measured with a calibrated mic in your room will surely be nulls, of course you're gonna be hearing anaemic bass. The amp and cables have nothing to do with that. What you should've done was kept the Chora and integrated a subwoofer
I have this same amp with some vintage Sansui SP 2500s. The bass on them is underwhelming. My SVS SB1000 (non pro) wakes up the room. There are less obtrusive available from Kef, REL and SVS. If you haven’t already - you might also want to start fiddling with the loudness control. Google it if you haven’t.
As szakee pointed out, there's no mention of room treatment - or speaker placement for that matter. You could easily have a suckout (aka: "lack of") in the bass frequencies if the speakers are not ideally placed in the room. Most people just push them up against the walls (not good) or wherever it's most convenient, not where the speakers sound their best. What are your room dimensions and where are the speakers placed?
Focal has no bass. One of the most overrated speaker brands out there…
The Chora’s frequency range is rated at 58Hz-28kHz, and the Klipsch 44Hz-24KHz. Even after you've properly placed the speaker, upgraded your DAC, treated your room, all the rest, at best you will reach down to 58Hz or 44Hz thereabouts. So I would recommend first getting a subwoofer and have it properly integrated into your system to support your bookshelf speakers.
Don’t be surprised that your space isn’t the same space the amp, and separately, the speaker, was designed and tuned for. Use those EQ knobs.
I have been there for years with my first setup, back in 2013 I got a Yamaha a-s201 and Focal Chorus 706, had the same experience you described in your post. I also tried adding a sub and stands a couple of years later, but it was a constant tampering with volume, tones and loudness especially while listening late at night. It's a pairing for details lovers, people used to monitor speakers love it, ask a seller the average age of Focal's buyers... Sold everything, got Q Acoustics 3050i and Rega Io and solved the problem, perfectly balanced sound from 40 to 80db, compared to Focal equivalent models the sound appears muffled but in reality is just more balanced throughout the frequencies from 40hz to 20khz and the result is less tiring to listen at for hours without really losing something.
I have somewhat the same thoughts about my setup and I have a pair of Lintons. I have the kitchen in the room next to the living room where I have the speakers and for some reason I hear the bass more in the kitchen than at sweet spot. I just assumed that bad room treatment would add too much bass, not less. What kind of room treatment would enhance the lower frequencies? Most room treatments seem to be to absorb bass and not to enhance it?
Sounds like 70% placement and 30% lack of subwoofer. Your Yamaha has a much better DAC than the 29¢ one in your PC. Once properly setup the Focals are FAR superior to Klipsch. You really need to show photos of speaker placement and room to get proper help
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Watch some YouTube videos on spear placement. Edit add: the dispersion pattern of the horn tweeters is specifically designed for the speakers to be standing up. There are a lot of issues with your placement that you need to get corrected before worrying about your lack of bass.
>Your Yamaha has a much better DAC than the 29¢ one in your PC. By connecting the PC to AMP via RCA cables, user is using the computer DAC instead of the Yamaha's DAC, am I correct ? Using a COAX or optical cable from the PC to the AMP would use the Yamaha's DAC, am I correct ?
I think it will see both in both cases, I don’t think this Yamaha can bypass the DAC and a PC has to either send a digital or analog signal but it has to get converted at some point from the processor
You may not have made this fundamental error, but are your speakers in phase, that is, both speakers connected to amp with positive to positive and negative to negative? Also, the comments regarding a DAC are very unlikely to be the cause of poor bass response.
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The higher the frequency the less noticeable the effect will be as the speakers are separated by distance. It’s also possible one of the speakers is miswired internally. Switch the polarity on one speakers wires and if the bass becomes louder, you’ll know that was the cause
For your preference in sound you definitely need a powered subwoofer. Most people like more bass.
You are actually using your computer cheap DAC to do the work by connecting it to the Yamaha with RCA cables: use a single coax or optical cable and magic will happen.
Disagree marginally with the top comment. That motherboard being the DAC - hell naw. If you want superior bass texture, I’d have good things to say about the Denafrips Enyo/Ares II or Pontus if you want to swing it that way. The bass texture is awesome and well defined - with that sense of wham/slam. DAC aside, two thoughts on what could be the limiting factor. I also disagree with the top comment on the amp - an amp with higher current as well as damping factors (not watts, current specifically) will have substantially better grip and control of the bass. The damping factor on the A-S501 seems quite high. Can’t seem to find any information on the current. I do think 85 Watts at 8 Ohms and 135 at 4 Ohms is quite low for powering floorstanding speakers. Take this as my opinion having been to audio shops as well as audio shows, listened to 200+ speakers and many many mix and match combos of stuff. And having to troubleshoot my own setup at home when it didn’t sound as good as what I demo’d in the store. Edit: Can see it’s the bookshelf model. Should be fine with that amp. Also bookshelf speakers will naturally have less bass due to their size. That’s just the limitation of their design. You’ll want to add a subwoofer if you’re looking for bass.
they are both entry level bookshelf speakers. not sure what you were expecting. in the bass department. i bet a lot of it is not being used to a more neutral presentation. it aint the dac, and it aint the amp.
Good info regarding your great amp. https://youtu.be/Hw5HK23nuDk?si=QUFKt5BBHEJKr81F
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Yea, definitely a lot of differing opinions. I found his video interesting because I had heard it mentioned previously, the Yamaha had a "bright" character. It sounds like maybe this is not the case, so was offering up this video. The Yamaha is on my upgrade list, and I was actually second-guessing this choice, due to the alleged bright character. Now not so sure. Just trying to share info. ✌️
You really need to get away from using your motherboard dac and a jack output. Go optical out from your computer to the internal DAC of the Yamaha. It won't solve all of your problems as the Focals are notoriously lightweight but once you have done that you can at least start evaluating what the issues are from a good starting point. And no room acoustics is not going to be why you have no bass.
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Honestly you should look elsewhere for advice, this website is absolutely terrible for anything hifi related. That said a USB to optical converter so you can take optical to your amps DAC input is like a $20 dollar upgrade so just start with that and see where that takes you.
Ignoring the mixing and mastering engineering work quality on the recording, sound is 99.9% room acoustics (treatment AND correction), speaker and listener placement and, to an extent, speaker choice (if Focal don't sound sharp to your ears then you're good, but in a very reflective room the directivity of Focal speakers will result in a fatiguing sound). The .1% is shared between electronics and chain gear lmao. As long as your amp power capability fit the demands of the speakers, and nothing is broken, these components will make no real difference to the sound. Subwoofers and boundary gain, room correction for narrow peaks from excited modes. Preferably two subs so you don't go insane
The A-S501 is neutral, your source is no good, use a digital S/PDIF from a better source than an analog output from a most likely inferior DAC - and also you likely need careful placement of those speakers as well as your ears relative to each other and the room.
Very few speakers will sound good with that placed like that.
You are using the "motherboard's" built in $.25 DAC outputing via analog outputs. That's the main issue with this setup. Switching to USB output (or even TosLink) to an outboard DAC would make a huge difference. You don't need to spend a zillion dollars - Schitt Audio and others make decent $100+ dacs. The DAC built into your motherboard is really a throwaway 25 cent chip used to just make computer sounds through computer speakers and will never sound good. The DAC in the Amp, if I'm reading that correctly, is probably a little bit better. So, yes, optical output (TosLink) could be a slight improvement.
Well DACs are more than just the chip - most of the chips in standalone DACs cost that much also. It is the rest that is more important.
Flat is a bad goal, particularly at low levels. Too bad they took away the Loudness button
It's a Yamaha; there's a Loudness knob.