My receiver does not allow me to set individual crossovers to each channel!

[bjoe1525]

My front R, center, Front L, and Surrounds are all capable of playing down to 40hz (+- 3db) but my height channels are SVS prime elevations and can only play as low as 55hz (+-3db).

My receiver only lets me set the same crossover ( I chose 50hz) to all the main channels.

Is there anything I can buy that would allow me to set individual crossovers to each channel without buying a new receiver? I don't want to be overstraining my height channels.

 

[Pogre]

What receiver do you have?

50 hz is really pretty low for a crossover point. What speakers do you have? General rule of thumb for crossing over to a sub is double the fs of your speakers. So if they're 3 dB down at 40 hz, then 80 hz would be the suggested crossover point. I would just set everything to 80 hz and be done with it.

 

[bjoe1525]

My receiver is a Pioneer Elite VSX LX-503. Front towers are Klipsch RP8000F, Center channel is a Klipsch RP404C. My surrounds are all Klipsch RP-600M. Height channels are all SVS prime elevations.

 

[bjoe1525]

What receiver do you have?

50 hz is really pretty low for a crossover point. What speakers do you have? General rule of thumb for crossing over to a sub is double the fs of your speakers. So if they're 3 dB down at 40 hz, then 80 hz would be the suggested crossover point. I would just set everything to 80 hz and be done with it.

This is from the SVS website

"If you know your speaker’s frequency range, set the crossover point roughly 10 Hz above the lowest frequency your speakers can handle cleanly"

Source: https://www.svsound.com/blogs/subwoofer-setup-and-tuning/tips-for-setting-the-proper-crossover-frequency-for-a-subwoofer

 

[Pogre]

I've heard that it's okay to set your crossover at least 10hz above. Is it not good to do that?

Well, it's not "bad"... it's just that a subwoofer is designed specifically to play those lower frequencies. That's where they live and in general do the job better than most speakers. Here's another way to think about it. Don't feel like you're cheating your speakers. It's more like you're taking advantage of your sub.

A higher crossover takes a little more stress off your amp and frees your speakers up to focus on the mids and highs, which is where they live. I think it gives you a little more headroom too. The crossover point isn't a brick wall either. Your speakers will still be playing those frequencies, they're just gradually rolled off at the crossover as they trade off to your subs. They're still contributing there tho.

You should experiment and listen critically. I think you'll find a higher crossover will have a little more impact and you might just prefer it. Because of my room and some issues with a persistent null I actually found that a crossover of 90 hz (or even higher!) worked best with my Ultra towers.

 

[everettT]

This is from the SVS website

"If you know your speaker’s frequency range, set the crossover point roughly 10 Hz above the lowest frequency your speakers can handle cleanly"

Source: https://www.svsound.com/blogs/subwoofer-setup-and-tuning/tips-for-setting-the-proper-crossover-frequency-for-a-subwoofer

That's kinda generic as ported and sealed dictate different slopes. A half an octave to an octave are good starting places. Sadly most AVRs dont allow for adjusting sub out slopes. So if your speakers are ported they typically roll off at 24db and octave and 12db for sealed, you just need to blend those as crossovers are not brick walls.

Edit: note I originally reversed the slopes between sealed and ported. Post now it reflects the correct slopes

 

[Pogre]

This is from the SVS website

"If you know your speaker’s frequency range, set the crossover point roughly 10 Hz above the lowest frequency your speakers can handle cleanly"

Source: https://www.svsound.com/blogs/subwoofer-setup-and-tuning/tips-for-setting-the-proper-crossover-frequency-for-a-subwoofer

You will find many schools of thought on it. I'm not saying SVS is wrong, just that the above does not hold up in my room. I had many emails back and forth with Ed Mullen (director of technology over there) about this very subject and he agreed with me that a higher crossover was the best solution in my situation so there is no iron clad rule on it.

Dig around a little and I think you'll find the majority consensus in the audio community is to start out with a 80 hz crossover and go from there. Your situation with your surround speakers not matching the fs of your mains I think 80 hz is a great solution anyway. And you might just like it better!

But hey, don't just listen to me. Try it out for yourself. Listen critically and see what you prefer.

 

[bjoe1525]

This is from the SVS website

"If you know your speaker’s frequency range, set the crossover point roughly 10 Hz above the lowest frequency your speakers can handle cleanly"

Well, it's not "bad"... it's just that a subwoofer is designed specifically to play those lower frequencies. That's where they live and in general do the job better than most speakers. Here's another way to think about it. Don't feel like you're cheating your speakers. It's more like you're taking advantage of your sub.

A higher crossover takes a little more stress off your amp and frees your speakers up to focus on the mids and highs, which is where they live. I think it gives you a little more headroom too. The crossover point isn't a brick wall either. Your speakers will still be playing those frequencies, they're just gradually rolled off at the crossover as they trade off to your subs. They're still contributing there tho.

You should experiment and listen critically. I think you'll find a higher crossover will have a little more impact and you might just prefer it. Because of my room and some issues with a persistent null I actually found that a crossover of 90 hz (or even higher!) worked best with my Ultra towers.

Okay, makes sense. I'll play around with different points and see how they sound. Thanks a bunch for the advice!
Source: https://www.svsound.com/blogs/subwoofer-setup-and-tuning/tips-for-setting-the-proper-crossover-frequency-for-a-subwoofer

 

[lovinthehd]

I'd start at 80 and experiment from there. What subs)?

 

[bjoe1525]

I'd start at 80 and experiment from there. What subs)?

I have dual SVS PB-2000's! I'm going to start at 80 but my receiver only lets me set my crossovers as 50, 80, 100, and 120hz. I'd like to try 50hz because all my speakers can handle them except my SVS prime elevations (my height channels) which have a frequency response of (55hz-20khz). Could I potentially damage them if I set the crossover to 50hz?

 

[KEW]

This is from the SVS website

"If you know your speaker’s frequency range, set the crossover point roughly 10 Hz above the lowest frequency your speakers can handle cleanly"

Source: https://www.svsound.com/blogs/subwoofer-setup-and-tuning/tips-for-setting-the-proper-crossover-frequency-for-a-subwoofer

The info from that link is ambiguous.
If you use the merlin subwoofer tool below, it will give you custom settings for your specific speakers. I inputted Klipsch RP8000F and it suggests 50Hz if you do not have a receiver to manage the crossover (IOW, and old stereo receiver. For a modern AVR, it suggests 60Hz. I would try 60 then try 80 and 100 to see which works better, often 80 or 100 works out better, but let your ears judge!
Use music for setting the crossover and just in stereo, tuning the front towers with the sub. I think you will find that you don't lose anything if you cross at 80 or even 100, and this will make thing work better for your surrounds.
I find it strange that the Pioneer only lets you select one XO point.

SVS Subwoofer Matching Tool | Find the Best Sub for Speakers

Use our Subwoofer Matching Tool to find the perfect sub for your home theater. Complete your audio system with a high end subwoofer from SVS.

www.svsound.com

 

[KEW]

I have dual SVS PB-2000's! I'm going to start at 80 but my receiver only lets me set my crossovers as 50, 80, 100, and 120hz. I'd like to try 50hz because all my speakers can handle them except my SVS prime elevations (my height channels) which have a frequency response of (55hz-20khz). Could I potentially damage them if I set the crossover to 50hz?

That is a great question for SVS! They have great customer service with very good tech support. Give them a call, they'll know what to do in your situation and they are not going to give you crap about going Klipsch (well, they might joke about it) they know speakers are a subjective choice.

 

[ParisB]

My powered towers play comfortably down to 32hz, and they still sound (and measure) better with 80hz crossover.

The "octave" above is a better rule of thumb than the +10hz (which is ok for surrounds). You want that smooth integrated overlap between your speakers and subwoofers. Don't think of a crossover as a handoff at the limit of your speakers; you want both to be capable above and below the crossover.

Having that headroom will also allow you to play louder with less distortion.

 

[Pogre]

I have dual SVS PB-2000's! I'm going to start at 80 but my receiver only lets me set my crossovers as 50, 80, 100, and 120hz. I'd like to try 50hz because all my speakers can handle them except my SVS prime elevations (my height channels) which have a frequency response of (55hz-20khz). Could I potentially damage them if I set the crossover to 50hz?

So... what did you think of the 80 hz crossover?

Just because your speakers can handle it doesn't mean that's where they sound best. 80 hz is a very commonly used crossover point and in general offers best performance. If you really want to set different crossovers for your speakers you need a new avr.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Even when I had the Revel Salon2, I set my XO to 120Hz so that my dual Funk 18.0 subs can do what they were born to do.

Just because my $22K speakers can "handle it" doesn't mean I will LET them.

Same way with everything else in life, isn't it?

 

[Mark E. Long]

It sounds to me like it’s an older ave that only let you change the crossover in a whole system group I had a Sony ES decoder long ago that worked that way and a Yamaha avr that worked that way too . I believe your front heights will be taken care of in the cross over setting you chose . Although my 4 main towers would play way down 40 on paper I found that setting the whole system to eventually 120 with experimental tries worked best and let the subs be subs so to speak . On my current system 60 works for the 4 main and 80 on the rest . If you want independent control you need to upgrade you AVR .

 

[everettT]

It sounds to me like it’s an older ave that only let you change the crossover in a whole system group I had a Sony ES decoder long ago that worked that way and a Yamaha avr that worked that way too . I believe your front heights will be taken care of in the cross over setting you chose . Although my 4 main towers would play way down 40 on paper I found that setting the whole system to eventually 120 with experimental tries worked best and let the subs be subs so to speak . On my current system 60 works for the 4 main and 80 on the rest . If you want independent control you need to upgrade you AVR .

Pioneer is still doing it up as recently as last year's model.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah, just stick to DMY - Denon-Marantz-Yamaha.

 

[Mark E. Long]

Pioneer is still doing it up as recently as last year's model.

I found doing it that way did resolve some issues. I know that the settings on today’s avr’s while they offer a huge array of adjustments do seem at times to be harder to get right . At least to these old ears at 63 don’t help me either .

 

[everettT]

I found doing it that way did resolve some issues. I know that the settings on today’s avr’s while they offer a huge array of adjustments do seem at times to be harder to get right . At least to these old ears at 63 don’t help me either .

If running a THX based system, global would be fine. I've been running a 110/120hz crossover for a while and with my gear it works better.