Dual subs setting L/R or Mono?

Sef_Makaro

Sef_Makaro

Audioholic
My AVR has options to set the subs to left/right, front back or mono. Both my subs are in the front of the room outside of the left and right speakers. I’ve got it set to left/right, is the AVR sending bass from left and right channels to the corresponding sub? With those bass frequencies being mostly difficult to localize is there a real benefit?
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
I don't have any experience with that, but you shouldn't be able to localize the sound from your subs... might be cool to play with. ;)
 
Joe B

Joe B

Audioholic Chief
Your AVR should be sending bass from left and right channels to the corresponding sub. Is there a real benefit? Probably difficult at best to even hear a sound difference, but nice to know it's set up that way. And I'm sure your AVR will be sending any LFE information when you're watching movies to both subs.

My 5.1 channel system is in a small room, single sub, dialed in with Anthem's ARC software. Even if I get really close to the sub, it still appears that all bass information is coming from my two front towers. Chances are you'll never hear a difference between having them set at left/right vs mono, but if it were me, I'd leave it set the way you have it now.
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
My AVR has options to set the subs to left/right, front back or mono. Both my subs are in the front of the room outside of the left and right speakers. I’ve got it set to left/right, is the AVR sending bass from left and right channels to the corresponding sub? With those bass frequencies being mostly difficult to localize is there a real benefit?
Must be a Yamaha? Since almost all bass is recorded monaurally I would leave it to mono. My friend has a Yamaha and 4subs and experimented with those settings. It was a pain in the a$$. Someone with different mileage may advise differently.

Tom noussaine did some research on stereo subs and found no benefits. IMO subs should always be summed and eq’d globally as well. Although iirc @gene eq’d his separately first and then globally after that. Seems like too many filters to me but my propeller isn’t as big as genes! Lol
 
TheWarrior

TheWarrior

Audioholic Ninja
Mono!

The LFE channel, like all surround channels in a 5.1 + mix ARE monophonic!

It was a marketing department that led to the idea of a stereo subs, not a research department.
 
Sef_Makaro

Sef_Makaro

Audioholic
Must be a Yamaha? Since almost all bass is recorded monaurally I would leave it to mono. My friend has a Yamaha and 4subs and experimented with those settings. It was a pain in the a$$. Someone with different mileage may advise differently.

Tom noussaine did some research on stereo subs and found no benefits. IMO subs should always be summed and eq’d globally as well. Although iirc @gene eq’d his separately first and then globally after that. Seems like too many filters to me but my propeller isn’t as big as genes! Lol
Yep, it’s a Yamaha.

That’s good info. For someone without the tools and knowledge to do the kind of tuning, perhaps mono is the way to go.
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Yep, it’s a Yamaha.

That’s good info. For someone without the tools and knowledge to do the kind of tuning, perhaps mono is the way to go.
I think so. He has rew and a mic so he could see what was goin on. Plus he tried the from back thing. It worked differently for music vs lfe. I didn’t like it but again. Mileage...
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
My AVR has options to set the subs to left/right, front back or mono. Both my subs are in the front of the room outside of the left and right speakers. I’ve got it set to left/right, is the AVR sending bass from left and right channels to the corresponding sub? With those bass frequencies being mostly difficult to localize is there a real benefit?
Always make deep bass mono. NO EXCEPTIONS.

If you use subs stereo you will create all kinds of room problems you otherwise would avoid.

My full range speakers are stereo, but below 60 Hz they are mono. That is the correct way to do it.
 
Sef_Makaro

Sef_Makaro

Audioholic
Always make deep bass mono. NO EXCEPTIONS.

If you use subs stereo you will create all kinds of room problems you otherwise would avoid.

My full range speakers are stereo, but below 60 Hz they are mono. That is the correct way to do it.
I’ve just been thinking about that. One of the biggest benefits of dual subs is equalizing room response, if running stereo subs you can potentially be using only one sub at a given time depending on content. That sort of defeats the point.

Sort here it shall stay lol. Thanks for the guidance all!
BA18AEE2-D111-4048-9C0F-9D2DFA21EF30.jpeg
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
Let's analyze this.

In a 5.1 system, that ".1" is one mono, low frequency effects track that's generally below 80 hz and is designed to go to a subwoofer, and only a subwoofer. ...or two...or three... or, well, you get the idea. But. it's still a mono signal

In a music system, (usually two channel stereo) there is NO separate bass track. All bass is in the right and left channels.

Knowing that, how would the settings in your receiver handle this dichotomy?
 
Last edited:
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Let's analyze this.



In a music system, (usually two channel stereo) there is NO separate bass track. All bass is in the right and left channels.

Knowing that, how would the settings in your receiver handle this dichotomy?
By sending bass below the XO to the sub? Do I win?
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top