[Sonichaos]

My hope is that someone else will post a guide here because my research has left me with too many questions.
(sorry to those of you who are disappointed to not find a guide)
 
Information:
Speakers: I hope to acquire a set of Emotiva Airmotiv 4s, as well as a BIC F12. I don't own any speakers right now, so if this combination is bad/impossible, feel free to recommend other boxes that make sound.
Use: I will use it for music:movies at 70:30.
Source: Asus N56VZ laptop. It has a very good sound card. Good enough that I would have to buy a very good one to replace it, and I feel that the money would be put to better use in buying better speakers. In the future, I may build my own desktop and install my own sound card. (I like messing around with computers, but I have no DIY experience at all with speakers)
Misc: I don't plan on maxing out this system's volume ever. It will act mostly as my computer speakers, but as I watch movies on my external monitor, it will have to double as a mini theater setup too.
 
 
Questions
1. Is a receiver necessary? Could I use my headphone DAC (Schiit Modi) to connect to the speakers?
2. The sub has an adjustable crossover, so could somebody confirm or deny that I would run cable from my source to my sub, which would play the low frequencies and send the higher frequencies out to the other speakers?
i.e. laptop -> Modi -> F12 -> Airmotiv 4s
3. If this sub has variable bass volume, does that mean that the volume will change independently of the speakers? eg if I set my sub volume to 5 and change the volume of the whole system, would the sub's volume change to 10, or would I have to adjust it separately?
4. When we talk about running a cable, are we talking about "speaker cable" or "RCA" or some other kind?
5. With whatever recommended setup, what would the range of the speakers (and cables) be? Like I said, these are meant for small range in a small room. I'm not looking for huge sound, just clean and accurate.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I believe the BIC F12 is designed to work with passive speakers (unpowered) and the Airmotive 4s are active (self-powered) speakers.
 
Maybe get a pair of 8" studio moniters ($250) and skip the sub-woofer.
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=115&cp_id=11504&cs_id=1150401&p_id=605800&seq=1&format=2

 

[Sonichaos]

In that case, what type of sub could be possibly added to the Emotivas? Or alternatively, what are some good passive speakers to match with the sub? Would I need to look for anything specific about those speakers? (like matching impedence to output power with headphones?)

 

[PurpleAngel]

  In that case, what type of sub could be possibly added to the Emotivas? Or alternatively, what are some good passive speakers to match with the sub? Would I need to look for anything specific about those speakers? (like matching impedence to output power with headphones?)

I'm guessing active (self-owered) studio monitors are more about clarity then putting a big thump into music.
I guess people that create audio need accurate feedback from whatever they play their audio thru.
So I'm guessing it's not that common to use a (low costing) sub-woofer with studio monitors.
I'm assuming a low priced sub-woofer that you can use with active speakers, is not going to offer very good (quality) bass.
 
Were as you get something like the integrated Corsair 2500 2.1 computer audio system ($250) it's more about blasting out audio for the end user.
 
I would guess your looking at least $500(?), for passive speakers (pair) and a receiver and a sub-woofer.
I guess if you get hood deals on something used you could stay under $400?
 
The cheapest sub-woofer that I heard that is decent is the Velodyne VX-11, and I think that sold new for $175-$225

 

[Shaffer]

I have speakers on my office desk (Audioengine A5+ and a Klipsch blahblah-12 subwoofer fed from a Modi) along with a HP amp. Here's how it's setup:

USB into the Modi. Modi's output split with y-connectors - an interconnect to the A5+ and another to the HP amp. The A5+ have a line-out, which in turn goes into the subwoofer. Easy peasy.

Edit: grammar

 

[GaryWA]

Fyi, the Airmotiv's have sufficient bass for me, they're never going to shake your house, but definitely enough for a desktop environment. Maybe you should try them out before deciding whether or not to get a sub.

 

[Sonichaos]

@Shaffer So, if the modi goes into the AEs, and the AEs have a line out going to the sub, where does your amp fit in?
 
@GaryWA Thanks for your input, but the purpose of this thread was more to understand how a hypothetical system would work. I just gave those speakers as examples. I think I'd actually be more likely to go slightly more budget and just get a pair of JBL LSR305s with no sub.
 
Edit: Also, out of curiosity, what cabling would I need if I went with the two JBLs? There would be a TRS/XLR cable going into one speaker, then would speaker #2 be connected to speaker #1 somehow? Or would they be independently connected to a source?

 

[GaryWA]

  @Shaffer So, if the modi goes into the AEs, and the AEs have a line out going to the sub, where does your amp fit in?
 
@GaryWA Thanks for your input, but the purpose of this thread was more to understand how a hypothetical system would work. I just gave those speakers as examples. I think I'd actually be more likely to go slightly more budget and just get a pair of JBL LSR305s with no sub.
 
Edit: Also, out of curiosity, what cabling would I need if I went with the two JBLs? There would be a TRS/XLR cable going into one speaker, then would speaker #2 be connected to speaker #1 somehow? Or would they be independently connected to a source?

Ah I see. I can answer the question directed at Shaffer. He used a splitter. Something like this http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-adapter-male-female-assembly/dp/B0009MFRW0 one set went to the Magni, one set to the speakers.
 
As for the JBL's, they are independent of each other, similar to the Airmotiv's. That's why they are sold individually. So each speaker will have a cable run to it.
 
In that price range, you could also get out the Rokit 6's, which are on sale at B&H.

 

[Sonichaos]

I still don't fully understand where the amp fits in. It looks like Modi -> A5+ -> Sub. Also, Modi -> Amp, but it doesn't make sense that an amp would be an end point?
 
Also, if I just got http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DUKP37C/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=27LZ458BBQ8QK&coliid=I3GOF501UPZE0B and http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=27LZ458BBQ8QK&coliid=I2AG6UK5E7GSLS would that be enough to play the speakers out of a 3.5mm port? Is my understanding correct that the two ends of the Y cable would represent left and right channels?

 

[GaryWA]

  I still don't fully understand where the amp fits in. It looks like Modi -> A5+ -> Sub. Also, Modi -> Amp, but it doesn't make sense that an amp would be an end point?
 
Also, if I just got http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DUKP37C/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=27LZ458BBQ8QK&coliid=I3GOF501UPZE0B and http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=27LZ458BBQ8QK&coliid=I2AG6UK5E7GSLS would that be enough to play the speakers out of a 3.5mm port? Is my understanding correct that the two ends of the Y cable would represent left and right channels?

The amp is for your headphones. If you don't have headphones, you don't need the splitter nor the amp.
 
Yes you are correct, each end would be the left and right channels respectively.

 

[Sonichaos]

Ah, I was just thinking about a speaker only system, hence confusion. Anyway, thanks for your help.