Re: Why don't you listen to both? (nt) - CD

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Re: Why don't you listen to both? (nt)

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Posted by CD on August 15, 2002 at 07:38:33

In Reply to: Re: Why don't you listen to both? (nt) posted by sunspot on August 12, 2002 at 18:38:17:

Here's my take on it;

You have satellites that will extend down to about 70-80 Hz for your speakers. If you use the low level input and set the speakers to small on your Denon with a cutoff of 80 or 90 Hz, all the info below 80 Hz (which your speakers cannot reproduce anyway) will be sent to the sub. This will be the case for music and movies. The movies will also send the LFE (low freq. effects), or the ' .1 ' channel info to the sub as well.

Here is when you would want to use the high inputs - When you have main speakers that are capable of going down well below your receivers built in cutoff (usually 80-100Hz), you will want to use the sub to exted their range without overlapping (which will cause 'bass boom'). This is especially desirable with music. Using the high level inputs will give your sub the same info as the mains are getting, and you then set the high level sub cutoff to somewhere around where your mains drop off (lets say 35Hz). The problem with this scenario is that you will now lose the LFE or .1 channel info for movies (or multichannel audio) because it is not hooked up. And if you use the low level input with large mains, the low level inputs usually bypass the subwoofers cutoff control, meaning you will get bass boom from overlapping frequency output of your sub and mains.

Interestingly, there are a few companies that make models that let you use both high and low level inputs together - the low level bypassing the subs cutoff. IMO, this is key for those who have large main speakers. It gives you the ability to use the high level inputs and set your sub cutoff to assist and not overlap your mains (set to large for full freq. range) while at the same time giving the ability for the sub to get all the LFE info as well as the remaining bass for all other speakers (center, rears) that are set to small in the receiver. This is the best of both worlds. If the sub cutoff had been designed to be inline for the low level in addition to the high level inputs in this case, then you would be assisting your mains by setting the cutoff for 35Hz, but then you would be missing some of the LFE info and whatever remaining bass was being sent from other 'small' speakers. In other words, anything between the 80 Hz cutoff of the receiver and the 35Hz you set the sub cutoff to.

I fear I have rambled here. Hope I didn't confuse.

At any rate, for your application I think you'll find the best sound by using the low level input and setting your speakers all to small.

Chris

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - high or low level inputs? - Sunspot 17:37:31 08/12/02 (14)

Re: high or low level inputs? - JAM 21:17:04 08/13/02 (0)

Re: high or low level inputs? - lingerlonger 12:09:08 08/13/02 (0)

Re: high or low level inputs? - Lowrider 08:39:07 08/13/02 (0)

Why don't you listen to both? (nt) - Rich 18:08:16 08/12/02 (10)

Re: Why don't you listen to both? (nt) - sunspot 18:38:17 08/12/02 (9)

Re: Why don't you listen to both? (nt) - CD 07:38:33 08/15/02 (0)

The only thing that matters is how it sounds (nt) - Rich 19:22:47 08/12/02 (7)

Re: The only thing that matters is how it sounds - CD 08:38:15 08/15/02 (6)

Re: The only thing that matters is how it sounds - KM 13:36:54 08/20/02 (5)

Re: The only thing that matters is how it sounds - CD 06:20:38 08/21/02 (4)

Re: The only thing that matters is how it sounds - KM 08:02:08 08/21/02 (3)

Re: The only thing that matters is how it sounds - CD 08:35:22 08/21/02 (2)

Re: The only thing that matters is how it sounds - KM 12:49:34 08/21/02 (1)

Re: The only thing that matters is how it sounds - CD 18:08:55 08/21/02 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: Why don't you listen to both? (nt) - CD 07:38:33 08/15/02 (0)

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