newbie needs more bass from system

[majorloser]

SORRY, my bad!

This is a Dolby Pro Logic receiver, not a Dolby Digital 5.1 receiver. The good new is that the bass frequencies on a Pro Logic system is in the front R&L speakers when you select the "normal" setting. As long as you have a powered subwoofer with speaker-level inputs you could run the front R&L channels through the sub. If it had a variable crossover even better.

The manual states you have 70w per channel in the front two. I still think a little more power to the speakers you have would do miracles. Moving the speakers into corners can also boost bass. But a Dolby Digital 5.1 receiver with more power will probably be cheaper than a powered subwoofer.

Do you have a buddy with a receiver or amp you can try before you spend money?

 

[markw]

Before dolby digital 5.1 there was (analog) Dolby Surround, otherwise known as DPL

Hot all DPL receivers had subwoofer outputs. Some did, but not all, particularly the older ones.

 

[mulester7]

That is exactly what happens. It is stepped down to line-level, the xover applied, and the reamplified.

.....thanks, MDS, and of course there's the option to send the full-range amplified signals from the receiver to the powered sub, back out of the sub, and on to full-range speakers, ok.....

 

[majorloser]

.....thanks, MDS, and of course there's the option to send the full-range amplified signals from the receiver to the powered sub, back out of the sub, and on to full-range speakers, ok.....

As I stated, only if the powered sub amp has "speaker-level" in's and out's. Some subs with speaker-level in's also run the signal through a crossover which would cut the frequency headed to the speakers. One with a variable crossover (or no crossover on the speaker-level) would help keep the frequencies the speakers CAN produce properly.

 

[mulester7]

.....and, if inserting a plug into the headphone jack doesn't automatically kill the speakers, you can take the left and right pre-amped signals from the headphone jack to two rca's sharing the common ground of the headphone jack, to a slave amp, as Mac said in another thread....you could still do that even if it did kill the speakers, but in a surround effort where you want the surround receiver to power a portion of the speakers, you'd be dead in the water with only two channels....but if your surround receiver has pre-outs, you're home, and you can stick a short-stimmed rose in the headphone jack and get some WAF, buddy....

 

[mulester7]

Some subs with speaker-level in's also run the signal through a crossover which would cut the frequency headed to the speakers

....are we talking Bose, Major?.....

 

[markw]

No, properly applied this high pass situation can be a good thing.

....are we talking Bose, Major?.....

Why bother sending low, low frequencies to small speakers that can't reproduce them? Unlike Bose, we're not talking 280 hz, but more like 80 - 100 hz. By blocking bass from smaller speakers it helps prevent them from, well, farting out when they go for the gusto. It also cleans up the upper bass and lower midrange that they DO reproduce.

 

[mulester7]

Why bother sending low, low frequencies to small speakers that can't reproduce them? Unlike Bose, we're not talking 280 hz, but more like 80 - 100 hz. By blocking bass from smaller speakers it helps prevent them from, well, farting out when they go for the gusto. It also cleans up the upper bass and lower midrange that they DO reproduce.

.....couldn't agree more, Mark, both in application and theory......

 

[j_garcia]

As I stated, only if the powered sub amp has "speaker-level" in's and out's. Some subs with speaker-level in's also run the signal through a crossover which would cut the frequency headed to the speakers. One with a variable crossover (or no crossover on the speaker-level) would help keep the frequencies the speakers CAN produce properly.

I can't think of any subs that have speaker level outs that are not filtered. Also, on pretty much every sub I've seen, the speaker level outs are fixed and they are unaffected by the x-over setting on the sub. The variable x-over only adjusts the low pass.

 

[mulester7]

.....but, when does this low-cut to the satellite full-range speakers come into play?....let's follow the signal path....the full-range amplified signals come to the sub via speaker wires....then, the amplified signals are stepped down, inside the sub, to millivolted pre-amp line level status, mixed as mono, and fed to the amp section of the sub....at that point, the sub's amp section would have to convert the signals back to stereo, which it can't, and, the sub's amp section would have to be the power for the satellites....so, the amplified signals by speaker wires would have to go two routes upon entering the sub from the receiver....one, stepped down to line-level millivolt status and mixed to mono for the sub's amp section, and two, remain amplified seperate stereo signals to go on to the satellites....the pass cut for the sub is obvious, it must be before the sub's amp section....where is the pass cut for the satellites?....wouldn't it have to be inside the sub after the amplified stereo signals enter and before the stereo amplified signals come out and depart for the satellites?....I'm not sure a powered sub does this, but I've never owned a powered sub....

 

[Pyrrho]

.....but, when does this low-cut to the satellite full-range speakers come into play?....let's follow the signal path....the full-range amplified signals come to the sub via speaker wires....then, the amplified signals are stepped down, inside the sub, to millivolted pre-amp line level status, mixed as mono, and fed to the amp section of the sub....at that point, the sub's amp section would have to convert the signals back to stereo, which it can't, and, the sub's amp section would have to be the power for the satellites....so, the amplified signals by speaker wires would have to go two routes upon entering the sub from the receiver....one, stepped down to line-level millivolt status and mixed to mono for the sub's amp section, and two, remain amplified seperate stereo signals to go on to the satellites....the pass cut for the sub is obvious, it must be before the sub's amp section....where is the pass cut for the satellites?....wouldn't it have to be inside the sub after the amplified stereo signals enter and before the stereo amplified signals come out and depart for the satellites?....I'm not sure a powered sub does this, but I've never owned a powered sub....

Typically, a powered subwoofer with speaker level inputs and outputs steps down the signal from the speaker level inputs to preamp level for its internal amplifier to power its woofer, but the speaker level outputs are simply letting the speaker level input signal pass through, with only the bass filtered out.

 

[oaktons11]

I have the same speakers and hooked up a 10-band equalizer. What a difference. It really seperates the sounds and made the bass stand out more without added more power.

 

[bobwood]

The latter

The latter. Your speaker level outputs are not powering your powered sub.

BTW - the suggestion to move your speakers or seat around is a good one - you are probably in a bass null. Also try opening or closing doors and windows and see what happens as the room loading changes.

Bob Wood
www.GreatHomeTheater.com
www.woodsgoods2.blogspot.com