[chanwhk]

I have been listening to the Audioengine A2 for quite a while now and recently want to add some bass to it.
I bought this subwoofer NXG BAS-500 online and it's on its way home now
This is my current setup:
PC > NuForce uDAC 1 > A2
 
So the sub will go
PC > NuForce uDAC 1 > A2 > BAS-500 (using the RCA input as output)
 
So the A2 has a frequency response of 65Hz - 22kHz +/-2.0dB
Is it still a good idea to have some sort of crossover / high level limiter to split high level signal to A2 and low level signal to the subs?
The subs itself has a low level limiter for input but it doesn't have a high level output back to the A2

 
 
I imagine if I want to separate the highs and the lows, I will need to have something like an active crossover before the A2
PC > NuForce uDAC 1 > Active Crossover > A2 and BAS-500
But I haven't found any active Crossover with RCA output, and it seems no one has a setup like that
 
What would be the best way to separate those frequencies?
Or would it be just fine doing it this way
PC > NuForce uDAC 1 > A2 > BAS-500 (using the RCA input as output)

 

[nagual]

I have a very similar setup:

PC (Toslink)--->Fiio D3--->A2

And also miss some bass. There are subwoofers that have outputs (RCA) for the monitors, like that:

PC (Toslink) -->Fiio D3 -->Sub-->A2


This, won´t fix the frequencies division ?

 

[revolutionz]

Another way to try do it, which probably isn't going to be as good as an actual crossover, is just EQ the lower frequencies down a few db, then turn the level up on your sub.  It will pull a lot of the low end out of the speakers, and the amp on the sub makes up for the reduction in output from the source.  That is how I did it with my setup.  Downside is not all applications have an EQ.  I use foobar for local audio playback, and Mog for streaming.  Mog has no EQ, so I'm kinda stuck on that one.  I have yet to find software that will eq the audiostream going out of the soundcard.

 

[Rockin_Zombie]

Try doing it without any active crossover. I just setup the Audioengine s8 with my a5s today., the same way you did. I set the crossover on s8 around 65. Yes, there is a 15hz overlap, but i don't notice any distortion or boominess.

Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk 2

 

[chanwhk]

Try doing it without any active crossover. I just setup the Audioengine s8 with my a5s today., the same way you did. I set the crossover on s8 around 65. Yes, there is a 15hz overlap, but i don't notice any distortion or boominess.

Sent from my SGH-I317M using Tapatalk 2

 
The difference between my sub and the s8 is that you have a high level output at the back of your sub. 
but the output seems to be full range according to manual instead of just high level frequency so it seems that you'll be the same as me.
 
The sub will take some break in so it should be louder after some hours

 

[chanwhk]

I have a very similar setup:

PC (Toslink)--->Fiio D3--->A2

And also miss some bass. There are subwoofers that have outputs (RCA) for the monitors, like that:

PC (Toslink) -->Fiio D3 -->Sub-->A2


This, won´t fix the frequencies division ?

 
I'm no expert but from what I've understand is that some sub will take full range RCA input and filter out the low frequency to it's high level output, back to the satellite/monitor. eg. Dayton Audio SUB-1200
Some like my sub, NXG BAS-500 doesn't have such output
and it seems that Rockin_Zombie's Audioengine s8 has a full range output.
 
Almost all subwoofers has a crossover to cut off the input's high frequency and only play low frequency

 

[chanwhk]

  Another way to try do it, which probably isn't going to be as good as an actual crossover, is just EQ the lower frequencies down a few db, then turn the level up on your sub.  It will pull a lot of the low end out of the speakers, and the amp on the sub makes up for the reduction in output from the source.  That is how I did it with my setup.  Downside is not all applications have an EQ.  I use foobar for local audio playback, and Mog for streaming.  Mog has no EQ, so I'm kinda stuck on that one.  I have yet to find software that will eq the audiostream going out of the soundcard.

 
Sounds like a quick fix, will keep that in mind. but yeah.. that means gaming won't benefit either : /

 

[cel4145]

The A2s have a bass boost in their amp and start rolling off above 100hz (see the frequency response chart further down the page). So you need a crossover of 120hz to effectively integrate them with a sub.

On the other hand, I've seen measurements for the NXG BAS-500, and it starts rolling off a lot on the high end around 80hz. Sound and Vision recently changed their CMS, so you have to use Google's cache to view the measurements (2nd link in this Google search results). So not a great choice for a 120hz crossover even if you had that option.

If not too late to return the NXG, this Velodyne DEQ-8R has a 120hz high pass on the line out, so good match up for the A2s. Or this Velodyne VDR 12 has an option for a 100hz high pass filter, so not too bad a match up.

 

[Rockin_Zombie]

My setup is actually computer -> a5s -> s8
 
The a5s have variable RCA out at the back. So yeah, both are playing full range.  I may add a crossover later just to try it out, but right now the sound seems perfectly fine, don't think I wanna add more cables and complexity. The variable output makes controlling the audio much easier too. 

 

[Headzone]

There are some (rather expensive) 2.1 sets that do not use any hi-pass filtering for the satellites: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec10/articles/avi-neutron-five.htm
 
It might or might not be required with the A2. They can go quite a bit louder with some hi-pass filtering tho.
 
One cheap active crossover for example is the minidsp: http://www.minidsp.com/products/minidsp-in-a-box/minidsp-2x4 99$
You can also separately equalize each channels with it +do lots of other tweaking. Of course this might be a bit too expensive for this kind of a setup.

 

[cel4145]

There are some (rather expensive) 2.1 sets that do not use any hi-pass filtering for the satellites: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec10/articles/avi-neutron-five.htm

It might or might not be required with the A2. They can go quite a bit louder with some hi-pass filtering tho.

]

As I already pointed out, the natural rolloff of the NXG BAS-500 and the A2 do NOT match up with each other. Not even close.

 

[Headzone]

Yeah, it's totally not optimal, like you said the 120hz would be better, though the NXG starts to roll off quite severely already at 80hz?

 

[cel4145]

Yeah, it's totally not optimal, like you said the 120hz would be better, though the NXG starts to roll off quite severely already at 80hz?

Yeah. If you use this Google search result and click the arrow beside the 2nd link, you can go to the cached version of the review and see the measurement chart. The NXG actually starts rolling off around 70hz. Not quite as bad as how much the A2s low end roll off starting at around 150hz. But it's clear that the NXG really isn't a good choice for a crossover setting above 80hz.

If you set the NXG's crossover to 120hz and match the gain around that frequency point for the two, you'd have an even huger bass hump starting around 80hz than the A2s already have with the upper midbass. And if you set the gain so that the NXG's bass hump matches the A2s, then you'd have a huge dip in part of the midbass. Unfortunately, there's just no good way to do it.

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Here is a copy of somthing I wrote earlier concerning how to marry up monitors and a sub.

 

There are several potential solutions to this common problem.
 
1. Get a sub which already contains all the necessary controls. Pass through, variable filters, phase inversion etc.
 
Costs a bit more but it's a one stop solution. You might even get a remote control.
 
http://www.adam-audio.com/en/pro-audio/products/sub7/description
 
2. Get a  pro multichannel audio interface (DAC). Use separate channels for mains and sub.
 
Use the included software to filter, phase invert, EQ etc etc. Good basis for expansion.
 
http://uk.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-2i4/specifications
 
3. Get a monitor controller. With more than one output pair.
 
There are specific 2.1 controllers but a simple one will do.
 
http://www.smproaudio.com/index.php/en/products/monitor-controllers/m-patch-2#features
 
4. You could also use the booth out, mono sum or sends found on many mixers. There is also a whole class of devices called distribution amps.
 
Probably too many channels for home use and the good ones are dear and the cheap ones cheap.
 
5. If money is a real problem you could probably get away with a splitter cable and one or two inexpensive volume controls.
 
Bit of a kludge but will tide you over.
 
http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/products/PC-1eBW.shtml#1l
 
-------
 
In your position I'd suggest you have a look at this NI Audio 2.
 
http://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/traktor/dj-audio-interfaces/traktor-audio-2/specifications/
 
It's inexpensive @ ~$100. Send the same output to both output pairs and use the handy individual gain controls for mains and sub.
 
Could also act as a dual headphone amp for late at night. Free copy of Traktor into the bargain.
 
-------
 
N.B The examples linked are simply devices I am familiar with. You can get similar products from many manufacturers and spend much more or even less.

 

[Headzone]

2. Get a  pro multichannel audio interface (DAC). Use separate channels for mains and sub.
 
Use the included software to filter, phase invert, EQ etc etc. Good basis for expansion.
 
http://uk.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/scarlett-2i4/specifications

I thought both outputs sent the same signal in this kind of devices? I own 2 in 4 out DAC myself, but I don't see a way to use it like that..?