tips on wiring a sub

[yepimonfire]

i have a sub that can be wired two different ways, one way is to use the crossover in my amplifier and use the sub-out rca jack, the problem with this is the lowest crossover freq. is 80hz, well i am using large speakers that need to be crossed-over at around 50hz, the second way i can wire the sub is in-line, this allows me to crossover the front speakers only but not the back, because there is only two speaker inputs. now what i can do is set the amplifier to crossover the rear speakers at 80hz, but i have large rear speakers and they also do not need crossed over at 80hz, this would pass the 80hz and below freq, to the front speakers and then pass the 50hz off to the sub, but not allowing me to cross them over at 50hz like i need to. any ideas? im thinking if i do this the front speakers would end up being very loud and drown out the rears. i am using the system exclusivley for music so there would be a lot of LF information coming from the rears

 

[Rickster71]

Take a look at this Audioholics article on bass management first:
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/get-good-bass/bass-management-basics-2013-settings-made-simple

 

[yepimonfire]

have already read it and know how to do that

 

[Rickster71]

I just wired a new Epik sub and ended up setting things to large and crossed at 80Hz.
Try it both ways and see what you like better.

If you use a dB meter http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103667
You can set you volumes equally

 

[Rickster71]

im thinking if i do this the front speakers would end up being very loud and drown out the rears. i am using the system exclusivley for music so there would be a lot of LF information coming from the rears

Setting the fronts to 50Hz and the rears to 80Hz only changes the frequency sent to them, not the volume.

 

[yepimonfire]

it does to a point, i know i used to use small sattelites with huge floorstanding and if i set my crossover to pass low freq thru the fronts, it affected the perceived volume by about ten percent (had to adjust the rears volume to be +3dB) and i dont care what people say, i can always tell the directionality of bass, not as well as treble or mids, but i can tell if it is in front or behind me or to the side. people also claim its not possible to hear 30khz frequencies, but i can, ive tested it with 30 khz pure sine waves, i have a hearing range of 10-30,000hz im a strange exception, my main question is how can i set it up so i can use all 4 speakers with the subs built in crossover

 

[TLS Guy]

i have a sub that can be wired two different ways, one way is to use the crossover in my amplifier and use the sub-out rca jack, the problem with this is the lowest crossover freq. is 80hz, well i am using large speakers that need to be crossed-over at around 50hz, the second way i can wire the sub is in-line, this allows me to crossover the front speakers only but not the back, because there is only two speaker inputs. now what i can do is set the amplifier to crossover the rear speakers at 80hz, but i have large rear speakers and they also do not need crossed over at 80hz, this would pass the 80hz and below freq, to the front speakers and then pass the 50hz off to the sub, but not allowing me to cross them over at 50hz like i need to. any ideas? im thinking if i do this the front speakers would end up being very loud and drown out the rears. i am using the system exclusivley for music so there would be a lot of LF information coming from the rears

What are your speakers and specs? Than we can answer your question intelligently.

 

[yepimonfire]

actually scratch the large rears, they are now small, i have two sony floorstanders with an 8" woofer, 3-1/2" mid-range, and a 1" tweeter, frequency response of them is 35hz-50khz

surrounds are KLH with 6.5" woofers and a 3/4 inch tweeter with a frequency response of 60hz-18khz (the tweeters suck and need replaced)

 

[TLS Guy]

actually scratch the large rears, they are now small, i have two sony floorstanders with an 8" woofer, 3-1/2" mid-range, and a 1" tweeter, frequency response of them is 35hz-50khz

surrounds are KLH with 6.5" woofers and a 3/4 inch tweeter with a frequency response of 60hz-18khz (the tweeters suck and need replaced)

For those speakers I would set all speakers to small. Set your crossover to 80 Hz on your receiver. The Sony's are not capable. What is wrong with the KLH tweeters are they damaged?

 

[yepimonfire]

actually the sony's are quite capable, i used to have a 12" HEF sub that could make the windows rattle and these can out do it by 2x, and no the tweeters are just substandard and sound poor compared to the ones in the sony, the ones in the sony are the best tweeters ive ever heard so i doubt anything will sound good compared lol (minus stuff like Klipsch)

 

[TLS Guy]

actually the sony's are quite capable, i used to have a 12" HEF sub that could make the windows rattle and these can out do it by 2x, and no the tweeters are just substandard and sound poor compared to the ones in the sony, the ones in the sony are the best tweeters ive ever heard so i doubt anything will sound good compared lol (minus stuff like Klipsch)

I think you need to audition some more speakers and keep Klipsch off the list.

 

[tcarcio]

What ever you do don't listen to a B+W diamond tweeter, You will think everything else is crap.....IMO.

 

[Rickster71]

actually scratch the large rears, they are now small, i have two sony floorstanders with an 8" woofer, 3-1/2" mid-range, and a 1" tweeter, frequency response of them is 35hz-50khz

What model Sony are they? Are these your speakers? http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+8"+3-Way+Floorstanding+Speakers+(Pair)/8289238.p?id=1172277278079&skuId=8289238

 

[timoteo]

I liked that one about Klipsch!!.......

 

[yepimonfire]

yep those are it