Illusion owners...where do you cross over?

[msimanyi]

Something. It’s doesn’t play as high and crackles.
1.25KW but I’m nowhere near 1200 watts. Typically 120+ at the peaks

It’s a good size but I sit fairly close

Well, there's 1250 watts of Gryphon power and there's 1250 watts of "Jimmy's Banging Amp Co" power.

Given that you're using what it likely one of the best processors available, I have a feeling you're also using great amps. That leads me to think it's a matter of quantity, not quality.

The manual states the Illusion should be powered by 50-600 watts of power. At the volume levels you prefer, in a "good size" room you might well have exceeded the speaker's limit. I'm beginning to wonder if you should be looking at a different center channel solution.

 

[Fidji99]

Something. It’s doesn’t play as high and crackles.
1.25KW but I’m nowhere near 1200 watts. Typically 120+ at the peaks

It’s a good size but I sit fairly close

the past:
blown Focus

the present:
blown Illusion

the future, if nothing else changes
???

There might 20 different reasons, why you are blowing your speakers. One of them for sure is that ESLs are not HT speakers designed to deliver ultra-high SPL. They offer different qualities.

Genuine question- why don’t you invite somebody like Adam Pelz to calibrate your room professionally. You could learn a bit along the way,

 

[user 49612]

the past:
blown Focus

the present:
blown Illusion

the future, if nothing else changes
???

There might 20 different reasons, why you are blowing your speakers. One of them for sure is that ESLs are not HT speakers designed to deliver ultra-high SPL. They offer different qualities.

Genuine question- why don’t you invite somebody like Adam Pelz to calibrate your room professionally. You could learn a bit along the way,

Because MLs make the best speakers to my ears for HT. That and Panels are near indestructible. My next setup will have a pair of 15As flanking the insides of the screen acting as center channels. Problem solved.

And because calibrated rooms sound like garbage to me. Mine sounds exactly how I like it which is no where near flat

 

[user 49612]

Well, there's 1250 watts of Gryphon power and there's 1250 watts of "Jimmy's Banging Amp Co" power.

Given that you're using what it likely one of the best processors available, I have a feeling you're also using great amps. That leads me to think it's a matter of quantity, not quality.

The manual states the Illusion should be powered by 50-600 watts of power. At the volume levels you prefer, in a "good size" room you might well have exceeded the speaker's limit. I'm beginning to wonder if you should be looking at a different center channel solution.

Illusion 87db/1watt/1meter

84 at my seat (I don’t sit far)
94 = 10watts
104 = 100 watts
107 = 200 watts
110 = 400 watts.

Given the amp internally peaks at 500 watts for my space usually needing a max peak of 107 means the speaker only need 200 watts at most to hit my level at MLP. That’s peak. Average is probably right there 1-3 watts

 

[Fidji99]

Illusion 87db/1watt/1meter

84 at my seat (I don’t sit far)
94 = 10watts
104 = 100 watts
107 = 200 watts
110 = 400 watts.

Given the amp internally peaks at 500 watts for my space usually needing a max peak of 107 means the speaker only need 200 watts at most to hit my level at MLP. That’s peak. Average is probably right there 1-3 watts

How do you account for the fact, that your 4 woofers are powered by relatively modest 250W/4Ohm internal amp, where each woofer gets 25% of it.

D-class amps, such as the one used in ML and the majority of subs are well known to have very little headroom, so once you bring them near their output max, they start to show severe distortion and/or clipping. Depending on your room, ARC (and other DRC systems) will remove 3-6dB of headroom, you add 2dB on mid-bass, taxing your internal amp even more.

You will get to power to power compression of your 6.5 woofers much sooner than to limits of your amp that is powering panel and tweeters.

 

[Fidji99]

del. double post

 

[user 49612]

How do you account for the fact, that your 4 woofers are powered by relatively modest 250W/4Ohm internal amp, where each woofer gets 25% of it.

D-class amps, such as the one used in ML and the majority of subs are well known to have very little headroom, so once you bring them near their output max, they start to show severe distortion and/or clipping. Depending on your room, ARC (and other DRC systems) will remove 3-6dB of headroom, you add 2dB on mid-bass, taxing your internal amp even more.

You will get to power to power compression of your 6.5 woofers much sooner than to limits of your amp that is powering panel and tweeters.

I don’t know and I don’t care. Point is the 4 woofers produce the SPL. They are individually asked to do 6db less as they are joined together which is 4x less power. Class D amps don’t do headroom, they just do more power. The Illusion is specd to 250/500 and I believe it. My BF subs are 850/1700 and I know for a fact that is accurate and those amps are top notch, I expect the same from the Illusion.
You may be right about compression, but I doubt it’s actually happening so why worry? You all don’t live with me and my speaker. It’s not working itself to death. I had a woofer die, I don’t feel my fault.

The speaker plays loud and sounds GREAT! That’s all I care about. The Focus was limited for my room, not this one.

 

[perryz]

Going back to the OP's original question, I'm using 80 Hz for my home theater (HT) crossover setting for the Illusion. I don't do the mid-bass boost though, and I also don't play at "reference" volume levels, as I generally prefer my loudest playback not to exceed about 95 dB.

That said, I've only looked at playback volume for music, not for HT. My Apple Watch / Phone did give me a warning about loud sounds yesterday while I was playing a show, but it was 91 dBa. I also have a warning from the 18th of 93 dBa.

But I'm confused by the first post. @TiBoneFramer Are you using 60 Hz or 80 Hz for your crossover setting? Has ML / Ron responded with any guidance?

Very sensible listening levels.
115 db is not wise at all I tend to have music around 90db which is plenty loud enough with clean sound
For movies most are dominated by dialogue with action movies having strong peaks and others nice soundtracks.
The centre speaker is the key to clean vocals.
15as and a bf 212 provide great bass.
If the room is set up right I avoid too much sound treatments
Happy listening