Subwoofer Help

[jmela]

Hi,

I just received a new Onkyo TX-SR605 receiver, which has what looks like a single phono out connection for the subwoofer. My old Acoustic Solutions sub (dont have the model number to hand) only has standard speaker inputs on the back so obviously I have a problem connecting it up. A colleague advised me to connect the sub to the outputs for the front speakers or to the zone 2 speaker connections, but if I do this (and assuming it works) will I be losing out on some of the benefit of the receiver's 5.1 decoding which I assume sends most of the bass down the subwoofer channel (sorry if this is putting it in very basic terms, but I'm not an expert on how all this works!)?

This might do as a short term solution, but I have been thinking about replacing the sub anyway as its the weak point of my system(although having just coughed up for the receiver I wasnt planning on getting one quite this soon). My current speaker setup is a pair of B&W DM602s, B&W CC6 S2 centre and Qacoustics 1010 rears - can anyone reccommend a sub to go with these? Ideally I dont want to spend a fortune, so just something which can do a decent job as opposed to something expensive which would do a spectacular job!

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Jan

[cribeiro]

You won't lose the .1 if you redirect the LFE channel to the main speakers. It is a compromise, but it will work. And use the crossover of the subwoofer at the point where your mains do not output much anymore (should be about 40-50, depending on your room).

If you want a new sub, I'd say you need a Monolith from BK, or a PB12plus from SVS (or equivalent cylinder), to do justice to the rest of your kit.

[Ightenhill]

Just send the LFE to the front speakers(Large) and set it up as your friend suggests using the crossover on the sub to blend the crossover to match around the end of your smallest speaker.

Plenty of subs to choose from, look at B&K or see if you can find good prices on M&J or REL remember it does help to demo the sub preferably in your room..

Edit~ I was beaten to it.. must learn not to try to cook whilst typing..

[cribeiro]

Originally Posted by Ightenhill

Edit~ I was beaten to it.. must learn not to try to cook whilst typing..

[jmela]

Thanks for your help!

The monolith looks potentially good, but I think it will have to wait for a while - I'll try using my existing sub for the moment while I save some money!

So can I just connect the cable for the sub into the same connector that the front speakers are already connected to? Theres no special way to wire them?

[cribeiro]

General rule is in series, not in parallel, if you use the same binding posts.
If you use the multi-room ones (I'd rather do that), you'll have no worries.

[jmela]

Thanks, I'll try and set them up on the zone 2 speaker outputs then.

I've seen a couple of cheaper subs I wondered if you had any opinion on - the KEF PSW2500 (£220) and REL Q150E Mk2 (£265)?

[mojogoes]

Also take a look at the Bk xls200 @ £289 or if you can stretch the cash the bk xls300/pr or any of the similar priced svs sub's.

[cribeiro]

If you have independent bass management for the multi-room output, you can use the Receiver's crossover, just setting the multi-room speakers to Large (for the Subwoofer, so that they receive everything including LFE channel), and the other to small, with a 80Hz crossover the Fronts, and probably 100 or 120Hz the rest.

Otherwise, set the Fronts to Large and the others to small with 100 or 120Hz crossover, and no subwoofer. I think this should do the trick, but I have not read the manual.

BK and SVS are clear forum favourites because they have proved to be the best you can get at their price points (not that I have checked this myself!), so mojoes is certainly right.

Anyway, I have had an SB12plus at home, and although it did an impressive job, I find the PB12 gives an extra dimension to the sound (more ambient, bigger sound, more realistic). It could be that I did not optimize the settings in the SB12plus so well, but I have the feeling that it is due to the sub reproducing deeper frequencies.

[russ.will]

Could I just caution that if the Acoustic Solutions sub is a passive one, which seems likely due to the lack of low level connections, that it is highly unlikely to add anything of worth to proceedings.

Aside from providing an additional load to an amplifier that already isn't that powerful, I think it would be extremely unlikely to provide a better quality of bass than is already available from the B&W 602s and could possibly make things worse by a) being worse and b) just creating another source of bass to interfere with the output from the speakers.

A bad sub is worse than no sub, every time.

My advise would be to flog it for whatever you can get and put the funds in the kitty for later.

With respect to that, the Kef PSW2500 isn't a bad sub, but there are some reliability question marks over the PSW2xxx series although I don't recall a 2500 being affected. The BK XLS-200 is a cracking little sub, being basically an MJ Ref 200 without the MJs whistles and remote control bells that don't add to the sound quality. It's more powerful too whilst managing to be a whole £400 cheaper. Go figure.

Also popular round-abouts, is the evergreen Mordaunt Short MS309i, which can be had for £175. It's ported so makes good with the power it's got, but ultimately doesn't go as deep as the BK.

In this company the REL Q150 is seriously overpriced (even at £265) unless you really need high level connections with mega low crossovers. You have an AV amp, so you don't.

Russell

[Ightenhill]

good point.. didnt realise it wasnt a powered sub

[cribeiro]

Originally Posted by Ightenhill

good point.

Yes, Russ.will is always annoyingly right

And looking back to my previous sub, I remember that it was barely making any sound because I kept setting it lower and lower until the sound pleased my ears. It did give some (not much) more grunt than my Richmond 7is, but the quality of the sound suffered.


(begin)
And guess what... My boss just transfered to my account an advance of 500 euro
for travel expenses... The BFD is tempting me, now that the hole left by the purchase of the PB12plus That should buy me some sub-sonic heaven, I guess...

(end)

Sorry for the off topic...

[russ.will]

Originally Posted by Ightenhill

good point.. didnt realise it wasnt a powered sub

I'm not saying it isn't, but the feature set makes it likely. If Acoustic Solutions website actually worked, we'd all have a better idea.

Then again, even if it were powered, how do fancy the chances of AS bass against B&Ws at any price?

Russell

[russ.will]

Originally Posted by cribeiro

And guess what... My boss just transfered to my account an advance of 500 euro
for travel expenses... The BFD is tempting me, now that the hole left by the purchase of the PB12plus That should buy me some sub-sonic heaven, I guess...

Sorry, with €500 for EQ, you're talking to us why?

That's nearly an new SMS-1 and certainly a second hand one, by the way.

Russell