Ha! Again perhaps my clumsy understanding strikes, and this is what I'm working towards a better understanding of!
I didn't mean that the servos can do magic
... merely that they seem to allow for more finite control over blending the sub into the bigger system.
... Which I 'understand,' but don't yet
know... But I promise, Shady, I'm listening and trying to learn!
So here's where I'm at... I'm learning about bass management by asking questions, reading articles and forum posts, and seeing how it works in my setting. For example, The BMRs are rated down to 34Hz. I am currently setting crossover at 80. (Point: I can't find anything that states what Marantz XO slope is... so assuming 6dB per octave, I'm technically still sending low frequencies to the woofer below its rated threshold, correct? ) Speakers of course set to small, because they aren't full range capable down to 20Hz.
Now some of what I've read indicates I should have the XO up at 140? So if I understand correctly, it would be off 6 dB an octave lower at 70Hz, and then shouldn't be getting any signal at all by 35Hz. But that 140 seems almost stupid high. Another source claims I should set 1.5 octaves higher: which for the BMRs would be 102Hz. Since Marantz only allows 10 dB increments, I would say round down to 100Hz.
Then same exercise with the Mini-Phils, 65Hz. And the AA's, rated at 48Hz, but with "very audible output at 34Hz." Currently I have them set to 120 and 100 respectively.
Phil-3's are rated at 25Hz, with "useful bass response down to 20Hz...." Do I dare run them wide open? I would like too.
If an LF signal for 16Hz is transmitted as a pedal tone in an organ piece, will that potentially cause harm? Do I switch settings just in case I want to hit the Subwoofer Candy a little hard one day... and XO at 80?
Next, with Marantz, I only have the Sub 1 and 2 Pre-Outs available to me which includes the LFE. To get around the Marantz Bass Management, I would need speaker level inputs on the Sub, and the outputs to the main L/R channels, correct? (In which case, I should be able to choose whether I do a low pass/high pass, manually at the Sub, or pass full signal through to large speakers and just setting what freq the sub picks up at. Correct?)
Maybe not the connection, but the Low Pass/High Pass option would be ideal for blending speakers and subs in-room, and seems more in line with some of the discussion on
@Matthew J Poes's
Why I dislike traditional bass management thread.
That being said, if I had speaker level connections... can you also run your LFE line into the same Sub? (Just curious.)
Your thoughts, please?
Thank you guys, now and always for your input, advice and guidance! Greatly appreciated!