Is Anti-mode worth it?

Caporegime
Joined
20 Oct 2002
Posts
75,940
Location
Wish i was in a Ramen Shop Counter
Listening to music today, a repeating bass note, sitting directly in front of the TV there is a very pronounced bass note. This is basically my viewing spot. However, if I move 3 feet to the left or right that peak disappears. Clearly there is a boom where I am sitting.

I have done the Pioneer MCACC so do you think I should give the Anti-mode a go, are they really as good as they say or a waste of money?
 
Well, I don't think I'll get the dual core one, £680 is way out of budget!

Between the £260 and £300, which one should I go for?
 
Let me know how you get on. I've had my monolith a few months now and it's fantastic. Do keep thinking how much better it 'could' sound with an antimode as well.

I will get one. Just the joys of owning my first house does like to through up jobs that cost £££

I know the feeling, endless bills but I can spare a little this month so I thought why not ! I've not bought any toys for 6 months ! :p

It is one of those things I think (and hope) that you don't think you need it until you tried it. Since the sub works without one so it is hard to imagine what it would sound with one. Will find out this week !

Hopefully it should be easy to tell since I've been using my XLS400 in the same space, same position for the best part of 15 months now so I hope subconsciously know how the bass sound from it and any improvement I would be able to tell easily.
 
Very simple.

Plug in RCA cable (goes between amp and sub). Plug in power.

Plug in mic to the anti-mode, place mic on the other end to where you sit, I had it on a tripod.

Press 2 buttons to start calibrate and I left the room with all the doors shut and let it do its thing. Went to make a sandwich and a milkshake in the kitchen and when I was done so was the calibration.

The calibration at times sounded like a washing machine on a drying cycle mind. They say you should turn the gain in the sub down low. First time I did it i did it too low and I couldn't even hear the bass when calibrating so I turned it up 1 notch and did it again.

When its done it remembers it, so unplug the mic and leave everything in place. There is a bypass button you can press like it isn't there if you want to do a before and after comparison.

You can also move the mic to another position in the room and do a second calibration and the software take an average between the 2. This does 3 sweeps (main one is like 10 sweeps) of the bass notes and this is optional and it works without doing this second calibration.

And sorry no, I like it :p

Oh, they also say you need to do your amp's own surround sound calibration again too, I did it just in case. Didn't do any direct before and after in between the sub and the amp calibration but I do notice the following:

1 - My room feels more like a cinema now.

2 - The silences in the movie and more quiet.

3 - the bass are more "to the point", less boomy?

4 - When it is low it is lowwwwwwwwwwwwww

5 - the surround sound effects are also better? May be I didn't calibrate the amp right last time, it just feel more accurate this time.
 
Last edited:
YGWc7GMl.jpg


Built quality is better than expected. Metal casing all round and they even send me another RCA lead. Was surprise with that as a review I read they didn't have one with theirs.
 
Back
Top Bottom