[darkclouds]

I'd like to try out a powered sub for my two channel system but not quite sure how.

I use an integrated amp (ASL 1005DTI), with no sub out. I've just recently picked up a little creek OBH-12 passive pre cause I wanted the remote volume control. It has 2 stereo pair ouput, one fixed and one variable.

My source is the sony SCD-555ES.

Any ideas on how I should go about would be appreciated.

 

[Gopher]

wouldn't you want to run the speaker wires directly to the x-over, and run an additional pair from there to the speakers? Thats how I have my setup going with my MMGs and M&K powered sub.

Fred

 

[darkclouds]

Thanks Fred,

That's what I was thinking, but I've never used a sub before. Hence I was a bit unsure.

Just to be clear, I would have to run the speaker cables from my main amp to the sub's x-over/amp and a second pair of cables from the sub's output to my speakers, right?

In that case, it would be a good idea to get a decent sub with a good x-over.

 

[Gopher]

yup, 2 separate pairs... kinda sucks for us college kids... I already broke my budget buying Kimber 8TC for my 2 channel setup, now that I have a sub I'm running Jolida1501RC --> Kimber 8TC --> M&K MX-90 --> Radio shack gold

--> MMGs... oh well, I'll hold off on the second pair till I find a good auction on ebay or have the disposable income.

 

[darkclouds]

LOL Fred,
'em Radio shack golds sure does stand out in your system.

Well, lucky for me I have a spare pair of Zucable Julian.

So all I have to do is come up with the money for the sub

. I'm looking for something relatively small and affordable but doesn't sound like crap.

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

You are much better off running your powered subwoofer by a line-level (RCA) connection, and powering your front speakers directly from the amplifier.

 

[darkclouds]

Sounds great Crescendo, but how do I do that with what I've got?

 

[lan]

I think splitting up the RCA source which then goto sub and amp is the way to go. I wouldn't use the crossover and amp in the sub to drive the main speakers.

If you're looking for cheap cable better than radioshack, check out Canare 4S11. It's bulk cable and you can easily work with it.

 

[Gopher]

whoa... so your telling me going through my suubs x-over the M&K is taking over amplification? Ick, I thought it was only self amplifying, and though I never looked into it, I was under the impression that it was a passive loop. My system doesn't have pre outs to send to the sub... am I degrading the signal quality big time here or what?

 

[lan]

Now I'm not super knowledgeable on this so somebody correct me if I'm wrong. I was just thinking that having, a "complicated" device such as a sub between the main speakers and amp in series may degrade the sound more than directly going to each. Then again this degradation maybe small. *shrug*

Speaking of amps, a tube amp can't really provide enough current for a passive sub right? So if you use an active sub, the power gets provided by the sub totally or just helps the speaker level signal coming in? So after the sub uses some power, do the main speakers hooked up to the sub get less power or is that lost power supplimented by the sub's amp?

 

[soundboy]

The idea of having a powered sub in the system is to relieve both the main amp and the L/R speakers from reproducing the lower frequencies. When this is done electronically using line-level outputs, for example using a home theater receiver, both low pass and high pass filters are used so that the "right" frequencies go to the appropriate speaker. When using speaker-level setup, most powered subs don't include high pass filters to filter out the lower frequencies for the L/R speakers, therefore omitting one of the most important benefits of having a powered sub in the system. Some powered sub, like the top-of-the-line sub from Energy, does include such filters when using the speaker-level outputs. And I am sure subs from other manufacturers have this feature as well. Short of that, you can also buy outboard electronic X-overs that will do the filtering. I know Energy and Mirage used to make one, but as far as I know, only Paradigm makes them now.

 

[lini]

Quote:

Originally posted by CRESCENDOPOWER You are much better off running your powered subwoofer by a line-level (RCA) connection, and powering your front speakers directly from the amplifier.

I've recently read in the Stereo magazine over here, that this was a prejudice that's not true (at least if you're using proper speaker wires) any longer. They even claimed that in their experience with the more recent products, it sounded even better with from the speaker level inputs than from line level...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[soundboy]

lini,

You are right. Check out this from REL's website. Go to the section that begins with "The End of the Line".

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

Quote:

Originally posted by lan Now I'm not super knowledgeable on this so somebody correct me if I'm wrong. I was just thinking that having, a "complicated" device such as a sub between the main speakers and amp in series may degrade the sound more than directly going to each. Then again this degradation maybe small. *shrug*

The degradation isn't small by any means.

 

[asdfeproiu9]

oops