Can I turn a subwoofer off?

[audioholic_1]

Allright, i am a newb here, I just signed up because I need to take care of this problem. I recently moved into an apartment and I don't want to disturb the neighbors above me. I live on the ground floor.

I have an Altec Lansing ATP 5 speaker system. It is 5 years old. Is there no way to turn off the subwoofer or lower its power... because the bass seems out of place and unruly during slower songs. And even otherwise I cannot seem to figure out how to lower the bass.

I might use it with my iaudio X5 mp3 player or my computer. Here are user reviews of the ATP5... notice how users complain about heavier bass than usual even at the lowest setting. http://www.insidemacgames.com/reviews/user_reviews.php?ID=168

So:
1. How can I lessen the bass.. if not on the hardware, than how so on the software/ mp3s?
2. What can I do to prevent heavy bass from getting into my neighbors homes? I heard suspending them might work? I notice that when I put the subwoofer on my bed, its noticeably lower bass in the next room... but I can't put it there.

So i need your help audioholics

 

[brian32672]

With that sub, and it turned all the way down I can suggest 2 things at the moment. A L-Pad connected directly to the sub wire. Or this http://www.auralexelite.com/sound_isolation_subdude/sound_isolation_subdude.asp

 

[audioholic_1]

With that sub, and it turned all the way down I can suggest 2 things at the moment. A L-Pad connected directly to the sub wire. Or this http://www.auralexelite.com/sound_isolation_subdude/sound_isolation_subdude.asp

What is an L-pad and how does it work? If I had to use only one, which one would you go with (more effective)?

thanks a ton!

 

[brian32672]

Here was the quickest thing I could find about a L-Pad, I'm to lazy to type it out. So I found this. This person did it for a center channel, and it will work for the sub. This will give you a general idea. Anyhow they can be picked up at Radio Shack for abot 10-15 dollars...

Splice the positive lead of the center speaker into the positive wire running to the front-left speaker and its negative lead into the negative wire running to the front-right speaker (see Figure 1). The link-up is passive, since it's made after the amplifier. To control the volume of the center speaker, you install an L-pad (available for about $10 at Radio Shack) in line with the center speaker. This device is simply a high-power volume control that allows you to vary the power delivered to the speakers without changing the impedance "seen" by the amplifier.

 

[brian32672]

Its basically a potentionometer....

 

[audioholic_1]

Can anybody please show me how this can be done in a little more detail? The L-Pad to the Subwoofer. I have a Right, Left, Rear left, and rear right speakers.

What level of L-Pad do I need? ie 50W, 100W? what does this depend on?

And the actual work itself?

Thankyou

 

[mulester7]

Can anybody please show me how this can be done in a little more detail? The L-Pad to the Subwoofer. I have a Right, Left, Rear left, and rear right speakers.

What level of L-Pad do I need? ie 50W, 100W? what does this depend on?

And the actual work itself?

Thankyou

.....Audioholic, go to a Radio Shack and tell them you want a 100 watt rated L-pad or a bigger one if they got it, but I don't believe they will....anyhow, it's a small round pod about two inches across with a shaft coming out of it to mount a knob onto....it's a little volume control that can ONLY TURN DOWN the now watted signal....ask for a mono L-pad....put the L-pad inline of the speaker wire both plus and minus....cut the speaker wire where you want to install the L-pad, and strip all four ends....go in one side, plus and minus, and out the other, plus and minus.....you might can get by using only the plus wire going through it.....with this, you can turn down the sub.....Radio Shack....good line of gold plated rca's at working man's prices also.....L-pad will run about 7 bucks for a mono....

 

[markw]

Woah. Is this an amplified 4.1 computer speaker system?

If so, the subwoofer box contains all the curcuitry and alll the amplifiers for all five channels. You're gonna have to get into the guts of the circuitry in order to accomplish what you are trying to do, which is a minor re-engineering of the Altec engineers work..

I do hope you're comfortable with this kind of stuff 'cauase it ain't a job for a totally inexperienced amateur. Be careful, very careful or you'll be replacing the whole thing.

hint... make sure it's totally disconnected from everything else and unplugged from the power.

 

[Sheep]

Another way to turn down the bass without chopping your subwoofers head off is you run your music through a program with an EQ.

Winamp for example.

Open the EQ on it (should be a button labelled "EQ") Crank down the 60hz bar, and 170hz if nessesary. This should drop the bass down enough.


SheepStar

 

[jcPanny]

Speaker adjustments

I have a similar 2.1 speaker setup on my computer. On mine, the speaker that has the volume control also does the tone controls. Turn bass all the way down to reduce the sub output.

Location will also have an impact. Moving the sub away from a wall or corner will reduce the bass.

Finally some of the audio player programs include an EQ which you could use to attenuate the low frequencies (30 Hz to 80 Hz). They these simple adjustments before you atempt to re-engineer your speakers.

 

[audioholic_1]

Another way to turn down the bass without chopping your subwoofers head off is you run your music through a program with an EQ.

Winamp for example.

Open the EQ on it (should be a button labelled "EQ") Crank down the 60hz bar, and 170hz if nessesary. This should drop the bass down enough.


SheepStar

bumping this old thread, have a question.

thanks for that!, that helped btw. Now If I want to play music videos or movies that are embedded in websites or webpages like myspace or yahoo music video.... how can I do so with a lower bass?

How do I adjust the EQ for these? Any tips? Are there any programs that adjust the whole EQ out of the soundcard (basically a blanket program for the whole computer sound?)

thanks

 

[Josuah]

Is the subwoofer module in the corner? Place it farther away from the wall and corners and that will reduce the bass.