Help with speaker Crossover frequency setup with Totem Sub

Z

zaxxon

Audiophyte
Hi,

I know there are numerous videos (I've watched some) and posts about frequency setup but I am hoping someone can just tell me what to do.

my main use case for is TV and movie watching.

Setup 5.1:
Paradigm CI Home H65-A in-ceiling speakers x 3 (Right, centre, left). ±2 dB from 70 Hz - 20 kHz
Paradigm rears (not sure the model)
Totem Storm sub - leftover from my awesome Totem set that my wife wouldn't let me play loud anymore so I found them a new home on here.
Denon AVR X2700H - brand new. My last AVR died so I lost all my settings that a pro had set up for me.

Denon Currently set too:
100Hz for all speakers
LFE+Main -- 120Hz for sub.

Totem Storm has 4 controls on the sub directly (I am confused as to what the controls on the sub should be set at. Does the Denon control the sub or does the sub-control the sub?)
Crossover - set to enabled
Frequency - set to 250Hz (I read somewhere that the Denon will override this with a setting of 120Hz on the receiver so this knob should be turned all the way to 250Hz)
Phase - 0
Gain - about 12 Oclock

I find the base no longer mingles with the speakers, it seems to be a bit overpowering, not punchy enough and is not a full as it was. For example explosions in Dolby Atmos are loud and thundering but gunshots are not strong enough.....if that makes any sense.

Thanks in advance.
 
L

Leemix

Audioholic General
You should let the AVR so the crossover work.

Did you run the auto setup? It should do volumes well, often a good idea to increase the crossover frequencies though as it sets them too low very often.


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L

Leemix

Audioholic General
And always take a picture of the settings after someone has set it up well. Just in case.


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Z

zaxxon

Audiophyte
i did do the auto set up and it set everything to large speakers at 40Hz.....no idea why. I did it again with the same result therefore I manually set it up based on the best evidence I could find.

I am more interested to know what to do with the settings that are directly on the subwoofer (knobs).

current settings on Denon
Main speakers - 100Hz
Sub - 120Hz (LFE + Main)

Sub Knobs:
Crossover - set to enabled
Frequency - set to 250Hz (I read somewhere that the Denon will override this with a setting of 120Hz on the receiver so this knob should be turned all the way to 250Hz)
Phase - 0
Gain - about 12 Oclock

thanks
 
L

Leemix

Audioholic General
With those setting on the sub you basically disable the subs own crossover so thats good. You can set crossover to disable but doesnt matter with a 250hz cross.
What volume is the sub set at in the AVR, is it -12dB? If so lower the volume/gain on the back of the sub until you get a -11 to -5dB reading with the AVR. I think there should be a pre measurement sub check though where you can see if ok or too high/low in the newer denon/marantz AVRs.


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Z

zaxxon

Audiophyte
i think the sub is set to +8DB but will double check when I am back at home and give that a try.
 
L

Leemix

Audioholic General
Just noticed, you have LFE+Main set, thats a double bass setting which sends bass to both sub and the speakers at the same time so switch that to only LFE.


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lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Yeah I'd get rid of the double bass via LFE+Main also. The 120 LPF of LFE is not a crossover, but is the usual setting for such (just limits the content in the LFE channel, which is normally 120hz anyways). You should disable the crossover on the sub (probably only a low pass filter anyways) and let your avr do the bass management, altho some subs with an LFE input do that automatically. Your crossover between speaker and sub (for redirection of bass frequencies in other than the LFE channel) is the 100hz you have it set at. Phase at 0 is a good start but compare flipping it to 180 to see what yields stronger bass with your sub's location. Gain setting on the sub is a way of matching your pre-out level of the avr to the sub amp's sensitivity level, but I'd recommend sub trim levels in the negative range also rather than in the positive. If the sub trim level in the avr was set to +8 then I'd raise the gain level on the sub until it drops into the negative range on another run of Audyssey....

Did you start of with a determination of best location of the sub with a sub crawl?
 
Z

zaxxon

Audiophyte
Yeah I'd get rid of the double bass via LFE+Main also. The 120 LPF of LFE is not a crossover, but is the usual setting for such (just limits the content in the LFE channel, which is normally 120hz anyways). You should disable the crossover on the sub (probably only a low pass filter anyways) and let your avr do the bass management, altho some subs with an LFE input do that automatically. Your crossover between speaker and sub (for redirection of bass frequencies in other than the LFE channel) is the 100hz you have it set at. Phase at 0 is a good start but compare flipping it to 180 to see what yields stronger bass with your sub's location. Gain setting on the sub is a way of matching your pre-out level of the avr to the sub amp's sensitivity level, but I'd recommend sub trim levels in the negative range also rather than in the positive. If the sub trim level in the avr was set to +8 then I'd raise the gain level on the sub until it drops into the negative range on another run of Audyssey....

Did you start of with a determination of best location of the sub with a sub crawl?
thanks! Due to my wife the Sub has one place to live and I cant change that :). So I am working with constraints.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
thanks! Due to my wife the Sub has one place to live and I cant change that :). So I am working with constraints.
Figured as much with the limited "sub" you have to begin with and the other speakers having to go :)
 

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