Couple Subwoofer for Dummies questions

Shadowfax

Shadowfax

Active member
Joined
May 8, 2013
Messages
3,724
Location
Bucks County PA
Is it safe to use both inputs from different sources as long as you only use one at a time?

I have a sub I use for HT and have been playing around trying to integrate it into my 2 CH system.

How do you dial the sub in so it agrees with anything you play?

I tried setting it to less bassy music but then I played Primus and it overloads the whole room at same settings. I don't know if I really need a sub with my Fynes but figured I would play around some. If I really liked it, I have an old Paradigm sub I could use. Just seems very hard to dial in. I figured if I can get it right for stereo, then I could rerun the Audessy from the HT so the settings don't need to be changed. Does that work?

Thanks
 
Hey Brian,

Are you able to move where the sub is located or is it locked in?

If is it moveable have you tried the "subwoofer crawl?" The Art of Subwoofer Placement | SVS

I actually found adding the $300 Antimode to my sub made a huge difference in the smoothness of the sub.
 
Speedskater said:
Safe , Yes.
But generally you don't want to "Y" two outputs into one input. It increases distortion.
So in this case it depends on how the sub-woofer inputs are configured.
Click to expand...

In this case it would be a single RCA from the HT and the Speaker wire connections for Stereo. It looks like I may need to flip the Filter switch between ST and HT tho.
 
MichaelsMinute said:
Hey Brian,

Are you able to move where the sub is located or is it locked in?

If is it moveable have you tried the "subwoofer crawl?" The Art of Subwoofer Placement | SVS

I actually found adding the $300 Antimode to my sub made a huge difference in the smoothness of the sub.
Click to expand...

I am pretty much locked in for placement but I know about the crawl. I will review the rest of that link, thanks.
 
Shadowfax said:
I am pretty much locked in for placement but I know about the crawl. I will review the rest of that link, thanks.
Click to expand...

The Antimode will make a big difference in flattening out the response of the sub which will help with integration.

I had a tough time integrating my SVS with the La Scala's as the woofer on them is horn loaded. Mike suggested the Antimode and I ordered one. I did a video on it as I was so pleased with it. I was honestly quite surprised how easy it was to use and how well it worked.
 
MichaelsMinute said:
The Antimode will make a big difference in flattening out the response of the sub which will help with integration.
Click to expand...

I've used the Dual Core 2.0 on and off since about 2014. Very easy to use and gets the job done. The wall wart power supply is noticeably veiled /opaque in a really good set-up if you're using this full-range and you care. I bought a linear power supply to replace it. Obvious improvement. The postage stamp sized screen is a little hard to see and low in resolution, but you probably won't mind unless you're obsessive like me. If you use REW, you'll have a greater appreciation for what it does...or just listen carefully.
 
Shadowfax said:
Is it safe to use both inputs from different sources as long as you only use one at a time?

I have a sub I use for HT and have been playing around trying to integrate it into my 2 CH system.

How do you dial the sub in so it agrees with anything you play?

I tried setting it to less bassy music but then I played Primus and it overloads the whole room at same settings. I don't know if I really need a sub with my Fynes but figured I would play around some. If I really liked it, I have an old Paradigm sub I could use. Just seems very hard to dial in. I figured if I can get it right for stereo, then I could rerun the Audessy from the HT so the settings don't need to be changed. Does that work?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Many HT preamps have adjustable output volume for each speaker. If yours allow for that, then without making changes to the sub itself, you can set the subwoofer volume in the HT preamp so that it plays lower or higher when playing movies only.
 
Barry said:
I've used one of these on and off since about 2014. Very easy to use and gets the job done. The wall wart power supply is noticeably veiled /opaque in a really good set-up if you're using this full-range and you care. I bought a linear power supply to replace it. Obvious improvement. The postage stamp sized screen is a little hard to see and low in resolution, but you probably won't mind unless you're obsessive like me. If you use REW, you'll have a greater appreciation for what it does...or just listen carefully.
Click to expand...

I use the one that does the sub only. I wouldn't put one on my main speakers.
 
Shadowfax said:
Yes, I use the HT Bypass on my Lux to drive the Fynes, center, rears ans sub driven by the UIntegra
Click to expand...

This is similar to my setup. One popular approach is to connect the sub to the main speaker outs and run your mains full range. This assumes that your main loudspeakers have flat response down to some bass frequency, and gradually roll off below that. It makes sense to use the natural bass rolloff of your mains as the high pass portion of the system and the built in filters in the sub to handle the low pass duties. It works mostly but takes a lot of tweaking to get right. I use REW and 1/3 octave pink noise to initially set the sub controls. Then I listen to music that has upright acoustic bass to finish tuning the sub. Rob Wasserman and Rebecca Pidgeon come to mind.

Digital crossovers as described do work so that’s an option if the simple method didn’t do it for you.

Then there is the HT setup. You will want to run your mains with a moderately low crossover, say 40 Hz, and then run LFE and the 40 Hz and lower stuff through the sub only. You do NOT want to run LFE through your mains.

In this way you can use both without adjustment or fiddling.

If you have to fiddle to get it to sound right with different types of music it is not set up correctly.
 
My $.02

IMO HT sub integration is different than Stereo integration. For example - in HT I believe you can get by with only one sub fairly well. In a stereo you need 2 or more subs or you need zero - Never just one done in mono.

Primus is a good test. It's extremely hard to get a system to articulate the bass - most of the time it is muddy.

From what you describe you probably have the crossover frequency to high more than the bass up to loud.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top