jb001e9634
Established Member
I've read loads of info on avforums about setting up my sub, lots of it very useful, but some things aren't still 100% clear and I've got some specific questions about my setup I'd like some help with.
Until very recently I was using an Onkyo 607 with a Tannoy SFX 5.1 set-up. Recently I've replaced the front/centres and the sub. I'm now using a pair of Castle Pembroke floor standing speakers that I used several years ago for hi-fi (there's nothing wrong with them and it seemed a shame to waste them) and I've replaced the Tannoy centre with a Cambrdige Audio S50 (it needed to fit in fron of and under the TV and was one of only few I could find locally that met that brief). The Tannoy sub was replaced at the weekend with a BK XLS200, the original Tannoys are still being used as satallites.
Notwithstanding the fact that these speakers weren't bought as a "matching set" I'd like to get the optimum setup overall, mainly for DVD/BD movies, with a little CD music from time to time.
When I run the auto set-up on the receiver I get the front speakers set to full range, centre at 40hz and satellites at 120hz. I've been playing with these settings, after looking at the specs on the manufacturers web sites here and here I've currently have the crossovers set to 60hz for the Castles and 90hz for the centre. I' have the crossover for the satellites set at 150hz (specs here). I'm thinking of replacing the satellites with the Cambridge audio S30 to match the centre in the near future (not sure if this will help?).
When it comes to the sub I'm a bit less clear. My XLS200 does have the "hum" problem on LFE at more then 12 o'clock gain and I will ring BK for some advice on this. I've also (currently) got the sub connected via both inputs, RCA and the supplied Neutrik.
The sub is set to LFE and the crossover currently at 120hz with the gain at approx 11 o'clock and when watching movies there seems to be plenty of oomph, much lower down than the sub I was using and with a lot of control, bass sounds tight and is "felt" as much as heard.
I have the LFE cross over on the receiver set to 80hz at the moment.
I'm looking for the best integration I can get at the moment and advice on:
1) Should I leave the front speakers set to full range or set their crossover on the receiver about 60hz, which is just under 10hz above the 52hz response quoted by castle?
2) With the receiver set to LFE should I leave the crossover dial at 120hz on the sub or have it set to 80hz?
3) Should the centre crossover be set approx 10hz above the 80hz response quoted by Cambridge Audio?
4) Should I set the LFE crossover on the receiver to 120hz or change it to 80hz?
5) I've also found that after the auto-setup I amend the volume levels on the speakers, centres (couple of db louder), satellites (couple of db lower), sub (reduced by -5 db).
6) Is using a mix of speakers in this way a bad idea fundamentally or one that can be resolved through tuning the config?
7) Would adding the S30's or something similar (size and price wise) help in any way?
Right no I'm not unhappy with how the system sounds but i guess part of that is having something to reference it against and if I don't have a point of reference, unless it sounds truly awful (i.e. amending phase 180 degrees removes most bass) will I know?
Any specific advice welcome, if it's go and buy a full set of matching speakers for £1500 I'll take that onboard, but at this point I'm looking for advice that will help me work with what I have.
cheers,
Until very recently I was using an Onkyo 607 with a Tannoy SFX 5.1 set-up. Recently I've replaced the front/centres and the sub. I'm now using a pair of Castle Pembroke floor standing speakers that I used several years ago for hi-fi (there's nothing wrong with them and it seemed a shame to waste them) and I've replaced the Tannoy centre with a Cambrdige Audio S50 (it needed to fit in fron of and under the TV and was one of only few I could find locally that met that brief). The Tannoy sub was replaced at the weekend with a BK XLS200, the original Tannoys are still being used as satallites.
Notwithstanding the fact that these speakers weren't bought as a "matching set" I'd like to get the optimum setup overall, mainly for DVD/BD movies, with a little CD music from time to time.
When I run the auto set-up on the receiver I get the front speakers set to full range, centre at 40hz and satellites at 120hz. I've been playing with these settings, after looking at the specs on the manufacturers web sites here and here I've currently have the crossovers set to 60hz for the Castles and 90hz for the centre. I' have the crossover for the satellites set at 150hz (specs here). I'm thinking of replacing the satellites with the Cambridge audio S30 to match the centre in the near future (not sure if this will help?).
When it comes to the sub I'm a bit less clear. My XLS200 does have the "hum" problem on LFE at more then 12 o'clock gain and I will ring BK for some advice on this. I've also (currently) got the sub connected via both inputs, RCA and the supplied Neutrik.
The sub is set to LFE and the crossover currently at 120hz with the gain at approx 11 o'clock and when watching movies there seems to be plenty of oomph, much lower down than the sub I was using and with a lot of control, bass sounds tight and is "felt" as much as heard.
I have the LFE cross over on the receiver set to 80hz at the moment.
I'm looking for the best integration I can get at the moment and advice on:
1) Should I leave the front speakers set to full range or set their crossover on the receiver about 60hz, which is just under 10hz above the 52hz response quoted by castle?
2) With the receiver set to LFE should I leave the crossover dial at 120hz on the sub or have it set to 80hz?
3) Should the centre crossover be set approx 10hz above the 80hz response quoted by Cambridge Audio?
4) Should I set the LFE crossover on the receiver to 120hz or change it to 80hz?
5) I've also found that after the auto-setup I amend the volume levels on the speakers, centres (couple of db louder), satellites (couple of db lower), sub (reduced by -5 db).
6) Is using a mix of speakers in this way a bad idea fundamentally or one that can be resolved through tuning the config?
7) Would adding the S30's or something similar (size and price wise) help in any way?
Right no I'm not unhappy with how the system sounds but i guess part of that is having something to reference it against and if I don't have a point of reference, unless it sounds truly awful (i.e. amending phase 180 degrees removes most bass) will I know?
Any specific advice welcome, if it's go and buy a full set of matching speakers for £1500 I'll take that onboard, but at this point I'm looking for advice that will help me work with what I have.
cheers,