Advice needed on optimum settings for 5.1 system

[richardc1983]

Hey everyone

Been a long time since I posted but I have now started to get back into my setup as I actually disconnected all my equipment when we had work done on the house the other year and only just got back to putting it all back but to be honest I am underwhelmed and things just don't sound good any more. It's left me feeling like I have lost the love for it and thinking of getting rid. I need advice as to what the crossover point should be set to and what speaker size should be, (small or large etc obviously I know the centre is small). Currently, the front and rears are set to large but I know below certain frequencies that the sub handles with them being set to large/full range the front vibrate and rattle.

I have the following equipment, old but in good condition and reluctant to spend money on new stuff:

• Cambridge Audio Azur 640r AV Amplifier,
• Fronts: Wharfedale Diamond 10.4s - frequency response down to 38hz
• Rears: Wharfedale Diamond 10.1s - frequency response down to 48hz
• Centre: Wharfedale Diamond 10CC - frequency response down to 75hz
• Sub: BK XLS200 DF. - frequency response down to 17hz

So the amp is more than capable albeit old now. The crossover is currently set to 80hz on the amp and on the sub I have set it to about 60hz as that's approx 10hz above the 10.1s rang and 20hz above the 10.4s range so thought that would be a good place to be. Obviously, the front and rears being set to large/full range they receive the full signal and no bass management. Should the crossover set in the amp be less at say 60hz as well and the speakers set to small?

That aside I have a 2.1 setup in the kitchen and they sound decent set to large (Wharfedale Diamond 220) with a Yamaha NS-SW200 sub running off of another of the same amps that I acquired 2nd hand but again should the speakers be set to small and what should the crossover point be on these. These go down to 56hz and I have the crossover point at 70hz approx 10hz above the lowest limit. But again they have been set to large/full range on the amp. Prior to me getting the sub only this week for the kitchen system there was no bass whatsoever it was very poor even up loud. So my thinking is that it is the sub that has made the difference so set them to small?

Any help gratefully received I really want to get back into this hobby.

 

[swiftpete]

Set the sub to max as lfe channel is up to 120hz. I’d probably just set the speakers to small and crossover at 80hz.

 

[John7]

On your sub, set the filter to LFE and the frequency to 120Hz. Set all speakers to small, crossover to 80Hz and run the AVR’s calibration setup.

see how that sounds. Play around with the crossover frequency and see if you prefer it either side of the 80Hz. For example, my system sounds better to me with it at 100Hz.