I have only ever purchased a subwoofer that has high-level inputs as it's the only way I like to connect mine, I am running two 8" subs at the moment with one on the left channel and the other on the right. Thank you Paul for explaining this.

I was impressed by several of Paul's videos What would make them even better is the inclusion of a schematic drawing to aid this talk.

Wow! I had just bought a new sub (SW 10s) and I was really struggling with it. No matter what I did, I could not get the sound to even out with my towers. Placement and settings I spent hours. I figured what the heck, connected the speaker outs to the HL inputs and bam! Ten minutes later, switching to direct mode and it's sweet as honey. Thank you so much for this tip. Downside no level control I have to get up and fiddle with it if I want to change the level to the source music, but let's be real if I was worried about that I wouldn't have started down the vinyl road. Thank you thank you!

Paul is saying use the speaker outputs on your main power amplifier to the speaker inputs of the sub woofer. There is also speaker outputs on the sub woofer that go to your main speakers. This way, the sound qualities of your main amp are reproduced both in your main speakers and the sub woofer. Paul is saying the high level outputs are the speaker outputs on the amp and the high level inputs are the speaker inputs on the sub.

@mochipepper

2 жыл бұрын

This is exactly how my Sony subwoofers (one for each channel) are connected to the main speakers (MartinLogan ESL). They integrate seamlessly to produce accurate, synchronous sound. I also tried connecting the same subs using LFE ports to Schiit Freya Plus via a Y-cable and a pair of RCA cables. The sound from this connection method was weak, noisy, and rather unlistenable. I would follow Paul's advice if your subs have the speaker in-out ports. Unfortunately that most modern subs do not come with such speaker in-out ports.

What about impediance/resistance on the speaker/amp when hanging on a cable on one channel to a subwoofer?

Sure does help. What you say makes complete sense. Thank you.

This is what i have thought for 25 years! And it sounds great high level.

Not being very computer savvy I have just discovered this channel and I'm learning quite a bit. I have only ever come close to having my sub disappear. I will be hooking up the sub this way tomorrow to give it a try. Thank you for the explanation as to why you do it this way, it just makes sense. I was using the sub out because I thought it would be " cleaner" but what you said about producing the sound of the amp turned me around to your way of thinking. I mean I bought my amp because I liked the way it made my speakers sound so why wouldn't I put that same signal to my sub? Thanks again.

hi paul. i asked the same question to you guys not long ago regarding my bhk pre or my bhk 250 and the email reply was " use the preouts on the bhk" . so im going to try this way now and see which sounds better.

Thanks Paul, This is very helpful.

I discovered REL subs are made a few miles from me recently. That made my day. Wonder if they have any jobs going for an electronics engineer like me.

I think I will try this out. Just out of curiosity. I now have pre out used for this. But find it interesting to try this out.

Good insight

Words from the Master and the truth still rings true.

This is exactly how I was taught by my mentor. How my system is hooked up to this day.

My preamp is controlled by a remote. It has subwoofer volume control. In order to utilize I need to use the LFE out. My subwoofer has it’s own crossover and gain also in the back of the box. I only have 1 subwoofer. It was two 12’s where one fires downward. It’s an M&K sub. It also has the high level inputs and outputs but I choose not to connect it this way. I have a 5.1 system and can listen in 2.1. I used to only have Paradigm Studio 20 6.5 2 way book shelf speakers and I would say the system lacked some mid bass punch and overall soundstage. I then picked up some Studio 60’s and when listening in 2.1 it was much better. I don’t find any issue with the double crossover situation. Using LFE output and then going into the subwoofer crossover. I listen to all kinds of different music and every recording is different. Some are bass heavy and some are light. It’s a pain having to get up and adjust the gain on the subwoofer manually. I like to be able to adjust the bass subwoofer level with my remote control. I still see value in the set up being discussed but to me a passive type woofer mid bass box might be preferred for those who have smaller type main speakers or bookshelf’s.

And that's exactly how I connect my subwoofer. I use REW software and this yields the best results. It even helps place the subwoofer in the room.

Thank you,

Well done paul!

That's the reason I chose to build 2 speakers that include the sub + a good midrange + a tweeter. if you have a powerful receiver it can be done easily.

A lot of people gonna be blowing their subwoofers preamp up now haha.

Truly inspired.👍

High level is indeed best for music for a 2.1 system. I do and have never looked back. Much better timing and integration in my experience.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Absolutely. Once I started using hi-inputs so that the sub is always on with all sources, I never regretted it. Positioning of the sub was vital and suddenly I heard the "sweet spot". Sounds great now.

@chriswelljack4910

5 жыл бұрын

@@photomusicman9413 high level is best for music it can make a shitty sub sound right if set up right and not push to hard but will sound boomy in surround set up because it will respond to almost everything

Comments from an EE: First and foremost, if you are building a 5.1 setup, you must use the AV receiver preamp outputs. This is the only way to get the LFE track reproduced properly. If you use the speaker outputs to the sub woofer, the LFE track is no longer separated from the main channel sub bass. Plus not all receivers allow the LFE track to be mixed back to the mains. For a 2.1 music systems, there are several options below. 1) Yes driving speaker signals into the line input of an amplifier can certainly cause damage. However any competent subwoofer with speaker input terminals has internal pads to reduce the speaker level to a safe voltage. Note - do not send a speaker signal into the RCA or XLR jack. This can cause damage. 2) The absolute best way to feed a sub woofer from an amp located across the room is via a balanced audio system. Some better sub woofers have XLR balanced connectors but this does no good if your preamp is not also balanced. Only the higher and AV receivers have balanced outputs. There are some cable wiring tricks to get some advantage of the sole balanced subwoofer input but a full balanced connection is still the best. But to DIY this you need pro audio interfaces which can cost hundreds of dollars alone. 3) Using a long RCA cable is asking for hum problems. These can be minimized by making sure the sub woofer is on the same electrical circuit as the amp. Using RG59 coax or other heavily shielded cable as an RCA cable is a limited attempt to fix a ground loop. It may help some but hardly a proper solution. The issue here is not RFI shielding. The heavier shield means less resistance so less hum voltage can be developed across the cable. That is why coax sometimes helps the problem. 4) Using the speaker inputs means all the added noise and distortion from your main amplifier is now also feeding the sub woofer. After all you have a power amp driving another amplifier. However there are some often overlooked benefits here. The speaker signal is very low impedance - less than an ohm. So hum pickup is greatly reduced if not eliminated altogether. Since the sub woofer is typically located with your main speakers, you can use short speaker wire to interconnect it thus even further reducing hum pickup. As for the added main amplifier distortion and noise, it really doesn't matter for a sub woofer. you won't typically hear it. You decide!

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Andy, no, use the sub output on the AV receiver into the .1 LFE channel on the sub. Use the speaker outputs on the back of the amp to feed the Hi inputs on the sub. You do not ever want the LFE track to be mixed back to the mains as only a sub can really handle the low (and explosive) content that is put on the .1 channel of a bluray. Mixing the LFE to the mains is a big no-no and your main speaker will hate it. A speaker signal is fine being sent to the hi inputs on the sub, not the LFE input on the sub. One sub REL systems should have the sub positioned near and behind the front speaker into the corner. Best way to get a signal to a second REL sub across the room is with REL's wireless Arrow or Longbow system. Forget long cables and forget balanced connections. You also say that using speaker inputs (you mean outputs?) feeds noise into the subwoofer. That is absolutely wrong. You only use the speaker outputs on an amp to feed the Hi inputs on a sub. The sub output feeds the LFE input on the sub. You will hear distortion on the sub if it is there in the first place and you should not be getting any distortion in the first place! What system do you have? You have wired something up incorrectly if there is noise there. No offence meant but your answers are incorrect.

I agree 100% about the using the amp(s) for feeding the subs. Makes great sense, but as you stated power amps produce their 'own' sound, so shouldn't a driver produce it's 'own' signature sound (in this case a woofer.) Once you introduce a sub(s) to your system are you now producing two different signature 'sounds' ? Or do you believe that all woofers produce the same 'sound' and it's just a matter of producing certain HZ? Thanks!

Paul, Wouldn't servo-controlled subwoofers be a better choice? Obviously, in this case, they would HAVE to have its own amps (a la IRS-V's)

As stated, it does sound counter intuitive ......until it’s thought out. Hmm. I’ll try it just to hear what it’s all about. Your argument sounds solid.

The key requirement of this approach is that your Sub-Woofer has a high-level input(s), described here: 5:07

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Correct.

@mydogskips2

Жыл бұрын

Yes, but still, how does one connect those high-level inputs(on the sub) to the power amplifier when it is already being used to power the main speakers? I mean, I don't believe most amps have separate dedicated terminals to output to a sub, and the terminals/posts are already being used to power the main speakers. Are you supposed to just run a second set of wires from the same binding posts powering the main speakers to the sub?

I have 2 Infinity 12"s . Once u hear em u dont want to unhear em . Love my subs .

Cheers

Shout out to Perth! My beloved home town. Now in SC. Planning on being in Boulder early December; will music room 01 be ready then?

Yes, very interesting subject with lots of positions. Excellent explanation from Paul. I’ll share my situation. First off. Correct me if I’m wrong. The vast majority of subwoofer products today contain their own amplification and crossover. That eliminates the complex problem of powering and creating a low pass crossover point in front of the sub. Correct? I am a proud owner of a classic sub ( name of which I will leave out here ) but it’s simply a box ( a big and heavy one with complex chambers inside, slot loaded ) with no electronics inside and an Altec Lansing 16in theater sub driver inside. So I have to provide the amplification ( Bridged Crown XLS1000 ) and crossover. I used to own a Dahlquist Active Crossover and lost that quite some time ago :-(. The sub is extremely sensitive ( 1w in 100db out @ 30Hz ). But if I feed 100Hz to it it’ll kind of do the same thing. Without a crossover it’ll go over 300Hz so a very steep crossover point is needed. So I use a 24db/octave ) active and adjustable crossover. The sub works best with my system in only the two lower octaves ( 20 → 40 Hz and 40 → 80Hz ). I’ve found that tinkering with the crossover point, location of the sub in the room and level of the XLS1000 the best xover point is always somewhere between 60Hz and 70Hz. The resultant is that there is no content in the L & R channels at 50Hz and below.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Bill, do you use both Hi and LFE .1 channels on the sub? The LFE volume should be adjusted but no crossover is needed on this.

@wilcalint

5 жыл бұрын

The LFE channel is in the sub only. If you crack open a DTS .mp4 file most often you'll see 5 full frequency channels and one LFE channel. I can then look at all 5 channels spectrum analysis using Audacity. www.audacityteam.org/ I keep everything around 70Hz and below into the Sub. It's a bit old fashion but that's what I've been doing for some time. If your only feeding the LFE channel, the .1 of 5.1, then you shouldn't need a crossover. I think these things have gone way out of fashion.

Added amplifier is added distortion, sure it colors the sound but you get another step away from a pure signal, it is nothing but THD. And on a tube amp it is disaster due to the low damping factor of the tube amp.

Nice

Grandmas malibu sir which input to powered sub woofer is good ,is it speaker out put or from pre amp out put . please .I jave a two channel power amp and a powered sub woofer thinking of connecting it to the existing .please help .

Perfectly explained, I love running my RELs this way. Of course, the .1 channel still kicks in when it needs to. I watched "Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle" last night and those rhinos sounded great!

@InsideOfMyOwnMind

5 жыл бұрын

You raise an interesting question. Can you do both and rely on the LFE output of the processor to stay out of the way with music and only deliver when .1 soundtrack content dictates?

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, exactly, you can do that. This took me a long time to figure out. I am using REL subs. If you have one sub this is how to do it (it is different for stereo subs but just as easy): I have an Arcam AVR and what is important to remember is that the .1 LFE channel that goes from the AVR to the sub from the sub output on the amp is only for the .1 channel and speakers in my system that are set with a crossover point. The LFE input on the REL sub has no crossover and only a volume control. The crossover on this sub ONLY affects the Hi input (the Neutrik Speaker connector). I run my front L&R speakers full range and out of the back of the amp's speaker terminals I wire three cables into the L and R Positive outputs and one cable into the Negative L or R speaker output. These join to a Neutrik Speakon connector that plugs into the Hi input of the REL sub. This way, whatever I play on my system, the main speakers will always play full range + sub. The sub takes over the really low frequencies that my main L&R can't handle. I do this by setting the crossover on the sub to the point where the main speakers tail off and I can adjust the volume of the sub to match the main L&R speakers. The correct positioning of the sub is vital. On the amp, there is a setting to run the main speakers full range and a setting to set all my surrounds to 80Hz so that the low frequencies that those speakers cannot handle go to the sub over the .1 channel too. If I play a 5.1 SACD or a 5.1 bluray, the main speakers are still reinforced by the sub via the hi-input on the REL and the .1 LFE input on the sub receives any information that is on the .1 channel and the lower than 80Hz frequencies that the surrounds can't handle. **If your main speakers cannot handle a full-range signal (ie standmounts) then don't do it this way for risk of harming your speakers.** REL do not make this clear in their manuals and should do. It sounds complicated, and I suppose it is, but once you learn it it all makes sense. Any help wanted, please ask me.

@berj79

5 жыл бұрын

My fronts are b&w s684 s2, HTM 62 s2 as centre, S686 s2 as surrounds. The Rel sub i have is the S2. My avr is Nad t758 v3. On my previous avr Denon i was using the High Level & .1 life connection method but since i got the Nad i am bit sceptical as the avr is much more powerful then the Denon i had earlier. According to Rel support by email they said my front speakers can handle Full range but still skeptical. You used your S684 s2 full range with the Rel previously? Thanks.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Your system is exactly like my old system that I sold last year. I had the same fronts, centre and surrounds. I used my 684s full range but I was sceptical too. Having the NAD will make no difference at all, don't worry about more power. If you take a feed from the speaker amp outs to the S2 with the REL Speakon cable you will be fine. You can do no harm to the Nad or S2 as long as they are switched off when you do the connections. Make the copper wire short when you connect to the speaker outputs on the NAD. Sent the Hi input crossover on the sub so it fills out the sound where the 684's cut off and adjust the sub's volume. Sorry if I'm saying what you already know.

@berj79

5 жыл бұрын

when you ran the S684 s2 fronts on full range with your Rel sub, you had an issues/distortion? Thanks.

My aunty lives in Perth Rokingham!

My subs are passive , I have L and R from mixer into Crown amp bridged to drive subs. My tops are powered and use line out of the crown amp. How would I achieve your results with this setup

Sundown sub in the thumbnail haha

@NvTwist

Жыл бұрын

It made me click on the video. Huh?? PS Audio & a Sundown Sub No way

REL are fabulous. On my RELs I I use the .1 input for the LFE channel and the hi-inputs on the REL from my amp's speaker outputs and run my main L&R speakers full range.

@marcellangoor1854

5 жыл бұрын

Just a double check: Do you use separate REL subs, i.e. one sub solely for HT as .1 channel using its LFE connection and one sub for stereo music listening using its high-level input connection?, OR can this be done with one physical sub and the sub together with the other gear "figures it out for itself" depending on what type of signal (.1 or stereo) it is being fed? And I'm curious what REL(s) you have, will you pls share? Thanks, Marcel.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Hi Marcel, I have two REL T9/i subs run as a stereo pair. In my case, I use the hi-input Neutrik Speakon connector on both subs by running L&R speaker outs from the amp. My amp has two LFE sub outputs which go to each sub too. I use both for hi-level and LFE on the sub. By using the hi-level, the sub always gets the same full-range signal as the mains and is on permanently. The LFE kicks in only when there is .1 content on the source. This can be done with one sub too.

@marcellangoor1854

5 жыл бұрын

Many thanks PhotoMusicMan for sharing your type of REL and clarifying. What other gear are you using? Reason for asking is that I'm planning to renew everything. Currently I'm looking at the newly launched Kaya 45 speakers from Vivid Audio as 2-ch units and to be used as FL and FR in HT mode. These will be driven by two Mola-Mola Kaluga mono block amps which will be fed by a Mola-Mola Tambaqui DAC. For HT I do not have a clue yet except using an Oppo 205 as source. As surround processor I'm looking at Trinnov Altitude16, Lyngdorf MP-50 and Emotiva (the model that was recently announced but is not yet available). Surround speakers no clue yet. As a sub REL is on my list as well as SVS and Velodyne, or perhaps it will be from the brand to be chosen for the SR, SL and height speakers (Center will probably be from Vivid so as to match it with the FR and FL). All speakers except FR and FL will be driven by a multichannel amp; currently looking at Trinnov Amplitude8, some Emotiva models and a NAD M27. The latter as it uses the same Ncore class D technology that resides in the Mola-Mola gear (though the M-M Kaluga's use an Ncore 1200, an upgrade of the chips used in other brands). Actually one of the founders of Mola-Mola is the inventor of this class D amp technology being sold under the name Hypex, and he is cofounder of the Kii brand of active speaker systems. But I guess you all know this. Being from the Netherlands I'm probably too biased when mentioning the NL brands Hypex and M-M, but I've heard the M-M / Vivid Kaya combo twice at recent high-end shows and was super impressed ;-) Cheers, Marcel

Paul is a good joe. :) He just is. Excellent demeanor and he doesn't pretend to know it all. He seems to simply want to share what he knows and thinks he knows and always in a professional non-conbative manner. Paul, in theory I get what you're saying here. And you already stated some of my arguments against high-level connections. First I should mention that according to a REL instructional video (I own a Rythmik 15" sub) I ought not try connecting my 575wpc Class D monoblock amps to a single sub as I could damage either the sub's amp or the main amps. REL does not state why or how I might damage either. Personally, I doubt that I would damage anything but I'm not willing to take that risk. That said, I have a few theoretical questions for you. 1. Do you agree with REL that I could damage anything if I connect the high-level output of my monoblock Class D amps to my single sub? 2. If connecting high-level outs to the sub because I want the same signal at the subs as my main speakers, would it not make more sense to connect the high-levels at the speaker binding posts instead of the amp's binding posts? After all, doesn't every cable have a signature of its own as well? 3. Regarding #2 above, if REL and others are truly committed to high-level output/input as being the superior connection, why does REL supply its own propriety high-level input speaker cables? Especially since every speaker cable has its own sonic signature? Wouldn't the cabling differences alone allow for a potential difference of say eating half-baked vs fully-baked cookies? For example. In my limited experience with subwoofers and low-level inputs, I learned a long time ago that one of the best hopes to synergize a subwoofer (not sound disjointed) to the mains is to use identical interconnects used elsewhere in the system. Again, because every cable has its own sonic signature small or great including dare I say speed. 4. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't potentially significant (audible) distortions added to the input signal everytime the signal is amplified? If so, then with high-level inputs am I not guaranteed that the subwoofer driver is getting a double-dose of this amplified signal distortion? 5. I dabble with extreme forms of electrical and mechanical (vibration) mgmt and in my experience, unwanted resonant energy at the amplifer induces huge amounts of distortions. So much so that every last amplifier can only perform at its base performance levels rather than its full potential. Think universal and severe performance-limiting governor that no sensitive instrument can escape without applying vastly superior forms of vibration mgmt. Assuming for the sake of argument this is true and assuming we're dealing with active subs with internal amps, then besides the usual doubling up on distortions induced by an amplified signal, wouldn't high-level connections also implicitly double up on any distortive harm induced by 2 amps instead of 1 regarding poorly managed vibrations? Regarding this subject, since main amps are about as poorly managed from a vibration perspective as an active sub's internal amp, I suspect all amps involved are already thoroughly saturated such that things cannot sound any worse but even so, shouldn't one prefer a single dose saturation than guaranteed double-dose? 6. Many active subs use Class D amps. Though Class D amps are not digital, it is my experience (and others) that Class D amps will induce a bi-directional digital-like noise back into the AC line and thus impact other electronics. My audible experiments tell me this is absolutely true. Might some of this digital-like bi-directional noise also make it's way to the high-level speaker cables and then back to the main speakers and amplifiers via the high-level speaker cables? Granted the same argument might be made using low-level internconnects. 7. Using the same hardware config, have you done A/B comparisons between low-level and high-level connections with subs? If so, can you share some of the differences you heard? Then there's the seemingly obvious timing delay inherited with high-level connections that I presume in some cases can easily be corrected. But the more I think about high-level connections between sub and mains, the more I'm convinced that with high-level connections there's more potential for sonic harm to be induced at the sub and since Class D is most always involved somewhere in the mix, perhaps more sonic harm can also be induced at the main speakers and/or amps as well. One thing for sure. I'm convinced that achieving truly well-defined, tight, deep, tuneful, and otherwise musical low level bass is perhaps the most difficult and greatest art form known within high-end audio. Anyway, I'd appreciate your thoughts on these theoreticals. Thanks and always enjoy your videos.

@mesonto

3 жыл бұрын

Best comment in this thread! And while I really do like Paul putting it all on the line every time, I cannot help but agree with you on many of these points/ questions. Bottom line, I will always try and make sure that I keep my amp out of this subwoofer connection. BTW, think your Rythmik has so many controls on the back for integration I would bet it can be better integrated than the RELs.

@ToadStool942

3 жыл бұрын

@@mesonto Thanks for the comment. Yes, since my OP above, I've derived at maybe 5 or 6 excellent reasons to avoid high-level connections at all costs. In fact, for those making subs for high-level connections and those partaking, I can only ask, what in the world are you smoking or thinking? With the additional BS of high-level connections, any hope of preserving the amp's sonic signature are blown out of the water while inducing other distortions that low-level connections avoid. But high-level subwoofer connecitons all sounds so good on paper provided we don't give it much thought. I've got a friend across the country who purchased 3 pair of the REL x25 (2 tower stacks). That's 6 subwoofers in all. He claims to have achieved a truly musical bass, yet he spends much time in the forums asking others how to achieve a musical bass. I suspect he's all mouth as many seem to be. :) To better clarify my OP, I have the following concerns about high-level subwoofer connections: 1. To preserve the main amp's sonic signature implies that the sub's amp has no sonic signature of its own. I suspect every amp has its own sonic signature. Thus making this desire to preserve the main amp's sonic signature moot because mixing the main amp's sonic signature with the sub amp's sonic signature implies anything but preserving the main amp's sonic signature alone. 2. I suspect IC's and speaker cables induce a sonic signature of their own. In the case of REL subs, one must use REL's high-level cables which no doubt have their own sonic signature. How does this mix and match do anything for maintaining the fidelity of the original input signal? 3. It should be a guarantee that the fidelity of the input signal at any amplifier will be sonically compromised at that amplifier's output. A subwoofer with high-level inputs guarantees that the subwoofer's signal is compromised twice by having to go thru two amplifiers instead of once. Considering the potentially great significance of distortions induced by amplifiers, this is a rather serious compromise, IMO. 4. Any time an input signal goes thru yet another component (a 2nd amplifier) there's potential timing issues no matter how small or great. I had another reason or 2 to avoid high-level connections at all costs but these alone should give anybody concern. Seriously, what in the world are people smoking when they come up with or believe this crap? Preserving the main amp's sonic signature sounds oh-so-good on paper, almsot snooty, like, I'm doing something you haven't considered so my bass must be superior sounding. But for those who think things thru, preserving the main amp's sonci signature is just nonsensical BS and should be futile and an absolute impossibility. For those who say high-level connecitons make for superior bass, well, it's no secret that many lack the ability to discern what they hear. Which itself is a huge problem in the industry. There's so much fluff and folklore in this industry/hobby and supposedly highly intelligent types just buy into it all - hook, line, and sinker and without giving it any real thought. The mind is a terrible thing to waste. Especially in high-end audio. :) Anyway, thanks much for your comment.

Paul - does that mean that you feed the active servo bass amps on the IRS V speakers at speaker level and not line level?

how do you connect multiple subwoofers this way? do you just need more speaker level outputs on your receiver?

Can you connect a HT Avr via line in (LFE) and stereo receiver via high pass at the same time? I won't be using both receivers at the same time.

So... If I understand this right you have both the subwoofer and the main speaker (assuming non active system) being feed from the same amp output? Isn't that going to cause some kind of electrical resistance / impedance, throwing off the xover in the main speaker?

Paul l have a denon pma 390iv receiver, so I hope to add a sub woofer. Please tell me the best way to do it

Hi Paul Great vid and very helpful! Question though the Power Amp only sends the signal to the subwoofer right? The intergrated Power Amp in the sub still powers the subwoofer?

@graxjpg

3 жыл бұрын

From what I understand, yes

The way I hook up my Velodyne (RIP) subwoofer would be to... Plug the front L/R pre outs into the subwoofer, and the subwoofer filters out low frequencies and then passes that on to the power amp. I think that this would be the best way if it’s possible with your sub, but I don’t know. Any opinions from y’all?

If you want to connect a sub to a class D amp output terminals (like the M-700) you should not connect it to the amp minus output terminal because a class d amp is different than most class AB amps in that the negative terminal is not ground - it actually floats may tens of volts above ground. If your sub uses a grounded (3 wire input) this can short the class D amp out through the sub's safety ground. You should connect the sub input to the + class D amp output and the chassis of the class D amp (i just loosen a cabinet screw and put the minus wire under that). This will stop and potential of shorting out the class d amp and works just fine.

I'm still confused on this. I have a vintage Sony amp with normal L&R speaker outputs. I have reasonable speakers but also have an orphan subwoofer from an old 5.1 surround system. Can I wire in that non amplified orphan subwoofer into the outputs of the amp? And if so, how? Do you attach it to the left channel? or the black on the left and the red on the right? Or just not bother at all.

Sounds good amplifier RCA speaker wire keep it short

Which channels should you use on your power amp to send to the sub? Most surround receivers don’t have a powered subwoofer output (as they rely on the pre out). Zone 2 outputs perhaps?

Can you connect the high level inputs of the subwoofer to the speaker (power amp) output of your amplifier if you are bi-amping your front speakers (connecting your bookshelf(s) woofers via the sub's high level inputs, and the tweeters directly from the relevant bi-amped speaker terminals of the amplifier/receiver)? Assumptions: The subwoofer has both high level and LFE inputs, while the bookshelf speakers have two pairs of terminals for bi-wiring / bi- amping, and the amplifier/receiver is 7.2 channel with suitable speaker & LFE terminals.

Hey Paul, I have a Pass amp, both of the speaker poles behind the amp are powered, so I have to use a special post on the amp at the back for the negative, not the black speaker post. I want use two subs. Do I use both left and right channels (High level inputs) on the subs, because the amp only has one each, right and left channel?

Paul, are you then letting the sub cross over the signal (for instance, at 80hz) then sending more speaker wire from the subs high level output to the mains? Still confused about this part.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

The .1 input from amp to sub does not need a crossover. Everything on the .1 channel on a bluray will be reproduced by the sub. The hi input on the sub will have a crossover and you should set that where the sub takes over the frequencies that the main speakers cannot handle. Don't use it this way if you don't have floor standers than can be run full range.

What do you think of down-firing subs? Is it a good idea to point a speaker directly at a surface that may dampen or reflect sound (i.e carpet or hardwood)? Or does this not matter because of the non-directionality of low frequencies?

@mesonto

3 жыл бұрын

Our even using passive woofers facing downwards like REL does.

So if u are gonna do that, just use some passive sub, taking out the extra unneeded stuff while using your main power amp as desired. Definitive has a similar suggestion, they want you to hook up your full band signal, send it to the sub, let the sub do the crossover, then have the sub send the rest to the L+R, basically making the sub the third driver to a 2-way L+R.

@PeterSz73

2 жыл бұрын

This makes sense to me but Paul advised against passive subwoofers in his other subwoofer video. He did not give a clear reasoning why though.

help please....when using a stereo power amp with two pairs of speaker posts....how do I connect the powered sub please?

The output of the power amplifier will have a worse SN ratio than the output of the preamp before it because the power amplifier will have made the noise bigger. That amplified noise is then connected to the input of another amplifier which again will amplify the noise. Paul talks about minimising the number of stages yet he includes an unnecessary stage in the signal path.

If a high level input subwoofer includes a high pass for the main speakers it is preset by the sub maker and may or may not be best for the mains. If the sub does not have a high pass and the binding posts are just a pass through then I agree with everything Paul said.

@andydelle4509

5 жыл бұрын

But you have an option here. You don't need to loop the main speakers through the sub. You can just hook the sub woofer speaker input terminals to your main speakers in parallel. That way any internal high pass filter on your mains is effectively bypassed.

@InsideOfMyOwnMind

5 жыл бұрын

True although some speakers just can't handle being driven with low LF. The voice coil WILL respond but the suspension will hit the wall and the cone will distort affecting the in-band content.Why then couldn't you use a high pass low order solution for all of it and rely on the gain of the sub to correct for it? In fact this is not new. It goes to how can you get WAY out of band data rates from a copper pair (POTS tele)? They found out that the response curve of the cable is asymptotic allowing the transmission line to carry very fast signals by just driving the hell out of it.(grossly over simplified) Hence we have DSL for what it's worth today.

@oysteinsoreide4323

5 жыл бұрын

There is no input and output speaker binding posts on the sub. Only input. So there is no high pass for the main speakers. The amplifier sees only the speakers because the impedance is so high on the speaker inputs of the sub.

I have an old integrated amp that has A and B speakers. Can I just run the fronts on the A output and the sub on B speaker output?

@graxjpg

3 жыл бұрын

I’m hoping so LOL

@AlexandruBurda

3 жыл бұрын

That's how I want to do it with my amp. It also has A and B speaker outputs. A for the fronts and B to connect the sub. The manual of the amp suggests that this is the way it should be done. For subs or bi-wireing.

Huh?!🤔 Paul, you already posted a video about this with the EXACT same title not too long ago...

Using high-level input to connect a sub could turn an Active sub into a Passive sub essentially. and you said you hated passive subs and speaks only for the active ones... I feel contradictory among your views... I currently only interested in DIYing subs...could you give some more advices on how to add a DIY sub to an existing stereo amp/speaker system?

i use a computer 12v Psu powering a car sony xplod 500W conected to my receiver

Rally quick! So is it clear to say then that the most important color (signature sound of the heart of the system) is in the amplifier and not the preamp?

@mesonto

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, I would have the preamp as the most important colour signature.

Paul, next time could you just have a sub and amp near you and just show us?

@ianr9715

3 жыл бұрын

I agree with you. My power amp only had speaker connections at the back, I don't know how I would hook them up to a sub, since the sub would have to have speaker binding posts for speaker cables. I wish he would show diagrams or actual set up for two channel setup

What cable use to connect high input sub to ouput amp?

@graxjpg

3 жыл бұрын

The best kind your sub and amp support.

Good evening paul ,from portugal this sets you talk for me the system is full range . Yam right or wrong? Bideway my name is David

Now my question is, how do you do it? I don't think most power amplifiers have a separate output(binding posts) for the subwoofer. Are you supposed to just run a second set of wires from the same posts/terminals powering the main speakers to the sub?

Paul, your thoughts about Sundown car audio? Thanks!

@Paulmcgowanpsaudio

5 жыл бұрын

Sorry, I've never heard of them.

@johnclark3067

5 жыл бұрын

I have heard a single SA-8 version 1 in a ported box on 500 watts rms. It was very loud and played pretty low for an 8. Also heard 2 18's on 5,000+ watts. I am not a bass head, so that is just crazy to me. Overall, I'd say Sundown Audio is mainly for SPL and handles "abuse" very well.

4:15 - did I hear a swoosh sound effect in there?!

Hey Paul... you need to tell us more about noise harvester...

@editorjuno

3 жыл бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/aIyWxZRmp9XUcsY.html

What's the advantage of your way compared with the signal from the pre out? One resistor is better than none? I see, identical distorsions. But the crossover for the sub is dividing the signal and the lower end can come out with less distorsions? And I can not imagine any speaker with less distorsions than any decent amp. Not fully comprehensible for me.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Use the speaker outputs on your amp to feed the hi inputs on the sub. Then the sub will receive characteristics of the amp that already go to the main speakers.

@chriswelljack4910

5 жыл бұрын

This is a great way also most high end subs allow for this

@chriswelljack4910

5 жыл бұрын

Some preamps give u crossover for both fronts and sub so wont have to go through this

@oysteinsoreide4323

5 жыл бұрын

Any phase changes that the power amplifier does when amplifying the signal will also be sent to the sub if you use speaker out. If you use pre out, you will get the original phase.

@oysteinsoreide4323

5 жыл бұрын

@@chriswelljack4910 If you have a crossover in the preamplifier, you will of course use the sub line level output to the sub.

Dear Paul, or anyone who knows more of this, I have a bit of a dilemma. I have a Rotel RC-1590 preamp with 2 stereo balanced outputs. I have this connected via balanced cables (on your advice :) ) to my power amp the RB-1582 mk2 to my B&W CM10 s2 speakers. My Sub (B&W DB4S) is connected to the 2nd pair of balanced outputs on my preamp (One of the reasons I took the pre-power combi instead of the integrated version). My Preamp also has dedicated RCA subwoofer outputs. Now I am a little in doubt. Should I use the balanced outputs or should I use the dedicated subwoofer outputs of the Rotel preamp? My subwoofer has (very sophisticated) lowpass filtering and EQ'ing available (via an app), so for that I don't need the subwoofer outputs, but they are there for a reason I guess? The subwoofer has balanced and RCA inputs, but no high level inputs. Please enlighten me :)

@PeterSz73

2 жыл бұрын

I have the same Rotel preamp and their smaller poweramp. I see you asked this question 3 years ago. What did you end up with as the best sounding solution?

@FairyNL

2 жыл бұрын

@@PeterSz73 hello, at this moment I have everything connected via a Minidsp DDRC24. I'm saving for a SHD. I don't use the subwoofer outputs anymore.

im using one subwoofer at the moment....why does my sub have humming coming from it when i turn it on....?..but when i turn my reciever on then the hum goes away...thanks

@zoltangz

4 жыл бұрын

sounds like a ground loop somewhere ..

So Thiel subs from the original SS2.2/3/4 series should be the answer if you have the appropriate crossover, even better than REL

Hi level output from the amp? You mean run a speaker wire from your amp to the ( line level) input of the sub?

Hi Paul! My amp has 2 pairs of speaker output, A and B. Could I hook up my speakers to A and the subwoofer to B, using 2 identical pairs of speaker wires(16awg)? Or is better to twist the wires together and connect speakers and sub to the same output A or B? Thank you!

I still don’t get the answer. Should I connect my subs via neutrik connector thru my power amp or thru RCA cables thru my pre amp? My dealer suggested I use RCAs and set the crossover to 80hz and adjust from there. REL and Sumiko say go with the neutrik. My ears are unsure which is better, honestly.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

You want to connect your "sub out" on the amp to the .1 LFE channel on the sub. You connect the speaker outs to the Hi input on the sub if your main speakers can handle being run full range.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

If you use hi inputs on the sub from your amp's speaker outputs you must not crossover your mains at 80Hz. Remember, the sub needs a full range signal to produce lower frequencies. Your main speakers must always be run full range but only if they can handle it. Use the amp's speaker outputs to the hi-level on the sub using the Neutral Speakon cable.

@themoistgreenorganic

5 жыл бұрын

After listening again to Paul, he’s saying to go with the neutrik (speakon) connection. I kinda noticed that the bass had more depth coming from the pre amp but lacked that dynamic punch from the neutrik. I’ll listen to a few songs again and switch back and forth to confirm. My dealer is really good and knowledgeable about subs and he thinks RCAs are better for various reasons. That’s why this hobby is such a mind game, in the end, I’ll play around and figure out the best configuration for me.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Tom, were you using your sub just with the LFE .1 channel before? If you tell me how everything is wired I can help you. Remember the Hi-input on the sub is there just for extending the bass on your main speakers. It is totally separate from the .1 channel.

@themoistgreenorganic

5 жыл бұрын

Previously I was using the Speakon connection. I just looked now and I’m connected to the Line Input using an RCA. I never connected thru the LFE .1 connection, that I thought was mainly for movies for the big booms, not 2 channel audio.

Unfortunately, fewer and fewer subs have speaker or high-level inputs compared to years ago when almost every sub sold had high-level inputs. REL is one of the notable exceptions. Can anyone here name some other subwoofer brands that still offer high-level inputs? It seems like the majority of subwoofer plate amps sold today lack high/speaker-level inputs.

@mariodavidefucci2320

3 жыл бұрын

Hi, paradigm does it. And PSB too.

Here is the link for connecting class D amps. rel.net/connect-rel-class-d-gear/

If your power amp is "coloring" the sound you need a better power amp.

@mesonto

3 жыл бұрын

Lol... I was thinking the same thing, much less your line is then from preamp to amp to sub amp! How is this better? It's just another component in the sound line.

Hello guys. How do I physically connect the subs (a pair) if today I have biwired my main speakers? I cannot connect another speaker cable to the binding posts on the amp and I wouldnt like to send through the subs the signals, that today go directly, clean and biwired to the speakers. What am I missing? What is the best way to do it???

I always have problems with this .... I can fully understand Paul's thoughts on a " totally integrated " system on a sonic quality but unless certain criteria are met, the line level (RCA /XLR) connection is far better ..!! Firstly, to utilise Paul's method , you must connect the sub to the amp and not the speaker terminals ... and second, the amplifier must have a very high damping factor ....because if it doesn't ... electromotive back energy generated by the speakers LF driver voice coil will corrupt the signal going into the subwoofer ... if you use a true high end amp I should hope it's output impedance is extremely low ( and hence the damping factor will be very high ) ... and lastly the amp must never go into clipping or suffer from distortion..the reason is obvious !

@andydelle4509

5 жыл бұрын

All you say is quite true. I run balanced lines myself. But in a typical HT situation, driving from the speaker outputs works just fine and has an added benefit of less hum problems resulting from long unbalanced lines. But yes, a purist would always want the line level drive to a sub.

@janinapalmer8368

5 жыл бұрын

Bond skyfall ......at least I say WHO I am .. Bond Skyfall..... hahaha ! Go to You Tube and see what Bond Skyfall has to offer..... " this site has no content " Say no more .! If you can't contribute anything worth reading ..stay away

I prefer non-amplified subwoofers to be run off the main amplifier instead of powered subwoofers... at least in the home. But that's me.

If sub has no hi level input, then u would not hook it up to the amp.u would u the pre out on preamp..us that correct.i have 2 b w pv1 sub if it help to answer question.using a mc452 amp.thanks edward

@chrisvinicombe9947

5 жыл бұрын

Yes that's correct. Putting power amp outputs into a low lvl sub RCA input will fry your subs amp.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

If your sub has no high level just use the .1 LFE channel for playing blurays with 5.1 (for instance) audio. The /1 channel will also play the lower frequencies from any speaker that the crossover set correctly on the amp.

@outlawklipsch

5 жыл бұрын

Maybe I need to upgrade my sub, so I could u power amp output.sounds promising.right now its hooked up pre out on the primaluna dialogue pre.

Other people here have mentioned the same and you have noticeably not replied. You failed to deal with the most glaring factor, and that's reflected impedance, in addition to then fact that you are dealing with only one sw (2 sw's compounds the problem). Since you are connecting in parallel, how do you deal with a speaker impedance already at 4 ohms..?? A definite no-no for tube amplifiers...

I wonder what Paul has to say about bi amping or tri amping ...mmm !! All these different amplifiers

@andydelle4509

5 жыл бұрын

I don't think he likes it in today's world. You know, "less is more" thinking. I'm a big fan myself though. IMHO, a true "resolving" system is a bi or tri amped system. I run pure current sink topology class A on my tweeters. Then I have midrange, then mid bass, then subs below 80hz. Lots of amps, each tailored to the frequency band it's driving. All digital crossovers with a DSP farm. The glaring problem with such system is the setup and getting all those frequency bands integrated. I don't know how I could have done it without tools like REW for calibration.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

When you watch films, do all your speakers (except sub) cross over at 80Hz? Is so, that's a shame as your main speakers are not going down as deep as they are made to do. Try running the mains full range and crossover all other speakers.

@andydelle4509

5 жыл бұрын

I assume you are asking me? My main speakers, DIY from plans, have a cone tweeter crossed at 2500hz, a 6in midrange crossed at 600hz, and a 12" mid bass crossed at 80hz. 18in subs (2). This is done via a custom made DSP farm based on MiniDSP products plus some of my own stuff. In addition the sub LFE channel is digitally mixed so that the mono LFE goes to both left and right subs, and the L&R tracks are LPF as 80hz to each sub. So I still get stereo bass below 80hz. This again is a custom mixer as I have found even my Lexicon AC3 processor does not do bass management right for stereo subs. And I can modify that bass management via the Ipod control if for example I want to drop the LR bass nad just have LFE only. As for power: LCR highs - 20w class A each LCR mids - 60w each LR mid bass - 120w each LR sub - 350w each My main speakers are not designed to go into deep bass. The subs handle that. If they are matched and balanced properly via crossover adjustments which includes a paramatric EQ per channel, it's just one big speaker array. Every driver has a parametric EQ in addition to the crossover. easy to do with DSP technology and also much more transparent than with analog crossovers.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Wow, your system is WAY beyond my level of hifi. I bet it sounds amazing.

@janinapalmer8368

5 жыл бұрын

PhotoMusicMan ..... my front speakers are B&W 800's they run as full range types and are normally quite sufficient ... don't need a sub . If I really want that non directional low end response I use a pair of Dynaudio 15inch drivers with passive radiators. You DO NOT need a left and right sub woofer set up ... any frequency below about 35 Hz is non directional and for augmented LF response in a home situation it's far better to have a single source rather than two .. because at these very low frequencies the phase response from two separate subs can cancel out ! Experiment and you will see what I mean ..ok

i once connected a cheap polk sub to a mid-fi sony receiver's low level output and got a lot of hum. besides, i have always believed that high level connections keep your main spkrs from playing low frequencies that they aren't meant to reproduce adequately after all, especially if they are bookshelf spkrs. i understand that the sub's power amp only amplifies the low frequencies the x-over sends its way, so the output of the main spkrs is not "doubly" amplified. am i correct in believing this?

I thought bass was non directional at 80hz and below? Also if you want your main speakers to sound as if they have more bass surely you stand your towers directly on the sub or have the sub right at the side of your speakers especially if the sub is set to direct 200hz to give you lower vocal/drum support? The single point source remember?

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

NEVER EVER stand your towers on the sub, that is a silly thing to do. What is the point of setting the crossover on your sub to 200 Hz? The sub is to play low frequencies that the mains can't handle and all speakers play below 200Hz. The .1 channel on the sub plays 120Hz and lower and the hi input plays whatever you have adjusted the crossover to. The crossover on an REL sub is only for the hi inputs and does not affect the .1 LFE input.

@cp070476

5 жыл бұрын

@@photomusicman9413 Because 6in drivers can't deliver the low bass grunt a 12+in driver can.. both my subs are set to direct.. As for standing your speakers on the subs i suppose it depends on the amount of vibration the subs generates.. But the idea is sound what do you think Wilson Alexadria XLF and Focal Grand Utopia's are? A tower with built in sub on the bottom... But as i said or place the sub directly at the side of the towers if not on top.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Speakers with built-in subs were made for that purpose and you should never stand your main speakers on the subs. The subs also do not necessarily sound better when placed next to the main speakers. Positioning them behind the main speakers or in the corner is often a good option too. Remember you do not want to ever be aware of the subs being there as they should only produce sound which is an extension of the main speakers when wired from the speaker outputs on the amp - except the .1 channel which kicks in when needed on blurays or anything with .1 content.

@cp070476

5 жыл бұрын

@@photomusicman9413 But mine are set to 200hz which means directional bass.. Needs to be next to the speaker. I understand low frequency extension is a different matter you need to find the best place for the sub. That's home cinema or stereo if your mains have enough upper bass. A sub next to each speaker set to direct is what i have and a 3rd sub for 60hz and below or LFE. Sounds very powerful really good for drums impact slam

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Which mains speakers are you using, please?

I don't like subs. I had dual coil passive one once . It had it's own crossover so only had to connect the speakers to crossover , that's it. Ended up selling it, my speakers have better sound without it.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

Try REL subs. They make any system, especially two channel systems, sound fantastic.

@russredfern167

5 жыл бұрын

PhotoMusicMan Don't need it.

@mark22732

5 жыл бұрын

And I dont need anything more than earbuds but that doesnt stop me from wanting sound thats actually good.

@russredfern167

5 жыл бұрын

qwerty22 True. I'm looking for some mono or stereo tube amps. I prefer Heathkit or Amplifier Company of America. Something in decent shape. I have a mac pre amp and turner I want to start using again if I can get my daughter to return them. She appropriated some of my high end stuff. There's is a turntable and speakers too but I can't find the power amp or a phono stage preamp and a shure cartridge either.

The question not answered is someone who bridges a monoblock, or has a bridged output, so their is not a common ground. How does REL then make the connection? A bottom line REL T1 has 2 10MFD electrolytic caps on the signal leads, but I think the ground is common.

I can't quite understand that it's so good too connect an active sub to your power-amp to get "the same sound signature" since the active sub has it's own amplifier, as it always have, so no matter how you connect the sub it will always have "its own signature from its own power-amp" so the only difference I can see when you connect a sub to your power-amp is that you "get 2 signatures". One from your power-amp + one from your sub and as I can see it, that will not bee an optimal solution but then again, I've never tried to connect an active sub to my power amplifiers speaker outputs so I don't know how it will bee irl.

I get that you've worked this through quite thoroughly, but I just can't wrap my brain around sending a power amp's output into a line level input. Even if you won't damage the subwoofer, it seems as if you'd be INTENSELY overdriving the input, leading to massive distortion??!?

@mattbrown3549

5 жыл бұрын

Daniel Schick, You can only connect the power amplifier's output to the High Level input of the subwoofer. Not all subwoofers have a high level input. REL subwoofers have them. (Obviously the power amplifier's output cannot be connected to the low level input of the subwoofer.) As Paul mentions, there are resistors on the high level inputs of the subwoofer which brings the signal level down and so overdriving of the input as you mention, does not occur. Bottom line is, choose a subwoofer which has both high level and low level inputs and it then gives you the choice and you can experiment. Good Luck. Hope I was helpful.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

You should connect the speaker outputs to the Hi Level sub input. The amp's sub output goes to the LFE .1 input on the sub. And remember, only use hi inputs on the sub when your main speakers can be run full range.

@ThinkingBetter

5 жыл бұрын

Matt Brown Well, it’s easy to connect a power output to also a low level sub input. All you need is to make a voltage divider with a couple of resistors per channel. If you divide to 1/20th of the voltage you should be ok. Try with 10kOhm + 470Ohm in series. You need to be careful not to short the amplifier of course. It’s simple enough to solder together as a line of two resistors per wire and hide inside the cable, perhaps secured behind shrink tube, electric tape or liquid tape...doing it right means there is zero chance for a short of the amp.

@danielschick6893

5 жыл бұрын

Matt Brown -- thanks for the clarification. Makes complete sense. I need to watch the video again, but I don't think Paul mentioned that you need to make sure your subwoofer has a high level input, like the RELs do. That's where my confusion came from!

@oysteinsoreide4323

5 жыл бұрын

Some subwoofers has speaker level input in addition to line level inputs. The line level inputs should not have speaker level signal to them, of course.

Old subs had high level speaker inputs...modern dont..that sucks

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

RELs do and they make the world's best subs.

@photomusicman9413

5 жыл бұрын

It won't overwhelm the mains if it is run in correctly and positioned correctly.

@chriswelljack4910

5 жыл бұрын

Model equipmenta have very advanced bass management so i guess thats why most manufacturers leave high level input out but i must admit high-level inputs are awesome

@chriswelljack4910

5 жыл бұрын

Some subs allow u to take the signal from the preamp to the sub cross over over in the sub then back to the power amp to the speakers.workers the same

Active vs Passive ?

One more tip for any REL sub owners. When you first buy it new and use the hi-inputs, turn the sub on and run it at a normal volume for 20 minutes. Then play a song with a heavy bass or drum beat on repeat mode for 2 hours LOUD. Turn the sub up to three quarters and set the crossover to 12 o clock. You can turn down your main speakers and turn up the sub's volume. By doing this you really run your sub in. Even if anyone out there has used their sub for a year or two at normal levels, it will sound OK but I promise that it is not working to it's full potential until you do what I say above. After running in for 2 hours on LOUD, run it for 10 hours a bit quieter. It is only then that the sub will be ready for everyday use and sound as it should. By doing this, the sub will go at least half an octave lower and sound wonderful for future use. Another tip, after doing this, screw up the screws on the front of the REL. They will not be as tight as they should be at this point. Don't over-tighten though. You won't regret doing this and it makes a good sub sound fabulous. I can thoroughly recommend the Simply Red song "Something Got Me Started". It has a strong beat. Play that on REPEAT for two hours and your sub will sound great from then on.

Man what a voice and cadence. You could give David Attenborough a run for his money.

Using speaker level inputs has SEVERAL disadvantages. First, it does not off-load the bass signal from the main speakers. What is the relationship between cone excursion and frequency low end extension? For every octave going lower, the excursion is quadrupled and the main source of distortion of all speaker transducers is due to excursion. I guess most people understand intermodulation distortion. When a low frequency making large excursion, it produces an intermodulation distortion on all higher frequency signals that do not need high excursion. To off load the main speakers, minimal of first order RC should be applied and that was suggested some 20 years ago by Stereophile. Nowadays the crossover is much better. But once you put crossover on main amplifier, it can no longer be used as a subwoofer source because the bass is filtered. Second disadvantage it limits the flexibility of bass energy adjustment. Most people think for instance CD always have correct bass right out of box. That is before they have a subwoofer with the flexibility to adjust the relative energy level of subwoofer vs main speakers. Very often the bass sounds more realistic when we just add +3db to it. But with speaker level input which does not allow for crossover, you are stuck with the adjustability only on a very narrow band. For instance, if your main speakers go down to 40hz, the speaker level subwoofer connection approach limits subwoofer to 40hz and below. At fact, the bigger the main speakers are, the less frequency band, the subwoofer plays in this speaker level input scheme. So these two are technical issues. The third one is from someone who do the actual speaker designs. If you design a bookshelf speaker with textbook damping Q value of 0.7, the speakers will be labelled as bass-shy. So practical Q value in most speakers are high Q such as 0.9 (the first one is the BBC LS3/5A). That means speakers are designed with a bass coloration in order to appeal to customers. If you don't use a subwoofer, that may be ok with you (in reality, you have way of fixing it). But if you do add a subwoofer, why shouldn't we fix that problem with a crossover? It actually elevate the overall sound quality.

@oysteinsoreide4323

5 жыл бұрын

If you have an active crossower in the preamplifier you would of course use that. Because then you will get a lesser load on the main speakers. But if you just have a stereo amplifier with no built in crossover you need to use the crossovers that are in the speakers and subs.

@oysteinsoreide4323

5 жыл бұрын

Subs are important in all sizes of speakers, because the bass is rolling off with all speaker designs, so if you want a linear bass response, you need a sub.

At the closing of your vids, who is that guy standing behind your wife.?

@Paulmcgowanpsaudio

5 жыл бұрын

Me on her right side, engineer Darren Myers on her left