So, How Did it Sound?

Frankly, I am shocked at how well the R-DES works. Having a corrected bass response is absolutely phenomenal in its effect. The intensity of all those explosions is much more satisfying now. It isn't as if the bass was not good before. It is just more like I have simply doubled the fun. I am finally hearing all the bass at equal loudness.

One last thing. Being a fanatic about low distortion, I also measured the distortion produced by the R-DES box. Knowing that placing something else in the signal path always adds at least a bit of distortion, I wanted to find out what the R-DES puts in there.

So, I measured THD+N at 40 Hz (sine wave), first with a loop through (output of the sound card connected directly back to the input), and then with the R-DES in the circuit, using the Default curve.

You can see that the R-DES does add some distortion, but it is on the order of a few hundredths of a percent. This is very acceptable for such an inexpensive component that is powered from a wall wart supply.

Conclusions

If you are a subwoofer nut, you are going to want to have something like the AV123 Onix R-DES kit in your home theater.

It is well constructed, easy to use, and it has a huge effect on the sound. For all of you custom installers out there, your customers will appreciate the improved bass, even if they might not know how you did it.

And, for us frugal consumers, it is not a strain on the piggy bank.

 

- John E. Johnson, Jr. -