proper volume/sub settings...

[yakuzaboss1975]

hello everyone,

i just got back up my sub which was being repaired, which i dropped off 5 weeks ago, from a&b sound.

and i was wondering if you guys can give me some advice on subwoofer and receiver settings (crossovers, volume levels, etc.).

i have the velodyne deco 7.1 system which is being juiced by an onkyo tx-nr901 av receiver (110w X 7 @ 8ohms).

i presently have the subwoofer level at a little less than half on the sub. there is no subwoofer volume on the receiver. although the db level is set to 0 along with all of the satellite speakers. i'm using the crossover on the receiver, which is set to 120hz. if i use the receiver crossover, does it automatically override the built in crossover on the sub? does it matter what the crosserover is set at on the sub or should i set it to something higher or even all the way up or the same as the receiver?

and i was wondering how i can break in the sub? i've heard that it isnt necessary to break them in. and some people recommend it. if its beneficial for the sub to be broken in, where can i buy a break-in/burn-in cd?

your advice would be greatly appreciated. please and thank you very much.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

i'm using the crossover on the receiver, which is set to 120hz. if i use the receiver crossover, does it automatically override the built in crossover on the sub?

Yes

does it matter what the crosserover is set at on the sub or should i set it to something higher or even all the way up or the same as the receiver?

set it all the way up

and i was wondering how i can break in the sub? i've heard that it isnt necessary to break them in. and some people recommend it. if its beneficial for the sub to be broken in, where can i buy a break-in/burn-in cd?

IMO, it benefits the driver if the unit is broken in lightly at first. In other words, don't play dvd's at reference levels until the coil has had a chance to heat up and cool down. The foam or butyl surround as well as the suspension will gradually loosen up. Some guys here claim it's myth to "break in" a speaker. I disagree-especially a sub. I'm a bass guy, and into car audio as well. Polk, JL Audio, Alpine, Phoenix Gold, Cadence, and just about every other car sub mfg. recommends their subs be broken in (wonder if it's a warranty issue-hmmm). Why should a home sub be any different? You don't need a specific "break in" cd. Just play the sub at moderate levels for 20-30 hours. If you decide not to break in the sub, don't play it above moderate levels until you've hit at least that 20hr mark.

 

[yakuzaboss1975]

thanks for replying. i appreciate it.

 

[mulester7]

.....it has just been said that using the receiver crossover automatically overrides the crossover in the sub....so, if the receiver cuts the signal to be sent to the sub at 120 hz, it has no effect for the sub crossover to be set at 80 or 60 or anything below 120 relating to what is produced by the sub?....is this correct?.....

 

[T2T]

.....it has just been said that using the receiver crossover automatically overrides the crossover in the sub....so, if the receiver cuts the signal to be sent to the sub at 120 hz, it has no effect for the sub crossover to be set at 80 or 60 or anything below 120 relating to what is produced by the sub?....is this correct?.....

When using the built-in crossover on the receiver, the crossover on the subwoofer should be set to the highest or max position. This ensures that it will not be invoked - and get confused with the signal coming from the receiver.

 

[mulester7]

When using the built-in crossover on the receiver, the crossover on the subwoofer should be set to the highest or max position. This ensures that it will not be invoked - and get confused with the signal coming from the receiver.

.....thanks for the response, T2T, but the question stands.....

.....if the receiver cuts the signal to be sent to the sub at 120 hz, does it have no effect for the sub crossover to be set at 80 or 60 or anything below 120 relating to what is produced by the sub?....

 

[T2T]

.....thanks for the response, T2T, but the question stands.....

.....if the receiver cuts the signal to be sent to the sub at 120 hz, does it have no effect for the sub crossover to be set at 80 or 60 or anything below 120 relating to what is produced by the sub?....

If the receiver is set to 80Hz, everything below that level is sent to the sub. It's always easier to tell someone to set their sub crossover to the highest level to avoid interference. It's much easier than telling them to set the sub's crossover to 81Hz, which would also disable it. However, the accuracy of the crossover control on the sub itself has got to be a bit less accurate than the receiver settings. Hence, by telling someone to set it to the max level, you avoid any issues.

The sub crossover could still be an issue. For example, you set the receiver to crossover @ 80Hz, but leave the crossover on the sub set to 60Hz, you'd have a gap - between 80Hz and 60Hz where frequencies would not be produced.

I hope this has answered your question. If not, shoot it back at us.

 

[mulester7]

If the receiver is set to 80Hz, everything below that level is sent to the sub. It's always easier to tell someone to set their sub crossover to the highest level to avoid "interference". It's much easier than telling them to set the sub's crossover to 81Hz, which would also "disable" it.

.....T2T, we're getting closer....please define and take further the words you've used, "interference", and, "disable".....and apply them to the subject at hand, please....hey, I'm learning stuff here......

.....please, anyone jump in this......I'm going to go fix another cup of choice mud, and will be back in 10.....

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

You wouldn't want to set the receivers crossover at 80Hz, then set the sub's crossover at 60Hz, because you would lose the 60-80Hz frequency range. You really want to find out what your mains will do efficiently. Most bookshelves are good down to 80Hz, and towers to 60Hz. If they can reproduce those notes efficiently, that's where the crossover setting on the receiver comes into play. Never go lower than what the mains can handle. Your subwoofer should be able to handle just about anything under 120Hz, so be conservative and use the sub to it's advantage. It will allow the receiver/amp to power those higher frequencies with more headroom. Assuming you've set your receiver's crossover at 60Hz, the setting on the sub should be set at 61Hz or higher. It doesn't matter how high it's set because it's not receiving 61Hz or higher from the receiver/amp. So there's no harm in turning it up all the way. I'm still able to hear a difference when tweaking the sub crossover, but moreso when tuning it down as opposed to up.

 

[mulester7]

You wouldn't want to set the receivers crossover at 80Hz, then set the sub's crossover at 60Hz, because you would lose the 60-80Hz frequency range. You really want to find out what your mains will do efficiently. Most bookshelves are good down to 80Hz, and towers to 60Hz. If they can reproduce those notes efficiently, that's where the crossover setting on the receiver comes into play. Never go lower than what the mains can handle. Your subwoofer should be able to handle just about anything under 120Hz, so be conservative and use the sub to it's advantage. It will allow the receiver/amp to power those higher frequencies with more headroom. Assuming you've set your receiver's crossover at 60Hz, the setting on the sub should be set at 61Hz or higher. It doesn't matter how high it's set because it's not receiving 61Hz or higher from the receiver/amp. So there's no harm in turning it up all the way. I'm still able to hear a difference when tweaking the sub crossover, but moreso when tuning it down as opposed to up.

.....Buck, of course, if the surround receiver was cutting the signal to be sent to the sub at 80, and the sub cut/set to 60, you would lose those 20 decibels range from 60 to 80....and I guess that answers the question of WHATEVER setting the receiver is set at, the sub's crossover is NOT disabled, is that correct?.....

 

[Snarl]

.....Buck, of course, if the surround receiver was cutting the signal to be sent to the sub at 80, and the sub cut/set to 60, you would lose those 20 decibels range from 60 to 80....and I guess that answers the question of WHATEVER setting the receiver is set at, the sub's crossover is NOT disabled, is that correct?.....

I believe your right, the Sub's Crossover in not disabled unless there's a disable switch on the Sub or a bypass. So if you reciever's crossover is set to 80Hz set the Sub to 100Hz/150Hz or even higher that way the Sub will only recieve an 80Hz signal that it won't need to filter as it's below the 100Hz/150Hz Sub setting. Just note that these cross over #'s i.e. 80Hz, 60Hz etc.. are not 100% as there's always a bit of a +/- Factor thus if the receiver's at 80Hz go 100Hz/150Hz or higher on the sub to insure it won't "get involved"

Hope this helps

 

[mulester7]

I believe your right, the Sub's Crossover in not disabled unless there's a disable switch on the Sub or a bypass. So if you reciever's crossover is set to 80Hz set the Sub to 100Hz/150Hz or even higher that way the Sub will only recieve an 80Hz signal that it won't need to filter as it's below the 100Hz/150Hz Sub setting. Just note that these cross over #'s i.e. 80Hz, 60Hz etc.. are not 100% as there's always a bit of a +/- Factor thus if the receiver's at 80Hz go 100Hz/150Hz or higher on the sub to insure it won't "get involved"

Hope this helps

.....Snarl, your reasoning is sound indeed....unless you want to benefit from the rolloff capabilities of BOTH the sub and the receiver....

.....I don't own a surround receiver and never have, but who knows, I may one day.....if'n I ever do, I will set the receiver at 80 and adjust the sub under that cut as needed....that way, I will receive both rolloffs for a clearer and cleaner high-end to the sub....if the lower content of the signal is particularly strong, I will possibly choose 60 from the receiver as I choose 60 or below at the sub....

.....whew, I got threw a curve there thinking the receiver-cut might disable the sub's-cut....knocked a handful of posts in the head, too, haha....oh well, whatever....

.....Audioholics.com, the working man's site....

.....outa' here for awhile.......

 

[mulester7]

.....Buck, of course if the surround receiver was cutting the signal to be sent to the sub at 80, and the sub cut/set to 60, you would lose those 20 decibels range from 60 to 80

.....Buck, I blew this bad....the 20 cycles are not lost, but chosen at the sub, with the rolloff of the 80 cycles sent from the receiver within 1/4 of an octave to the sub's lower rolloffs at 61....1/4, that's close....of course, with 60 or 80 exactly desired, both are set at 60 or 80, and in Italy they would say, "We Gottuh' Lotsa' Rolloff".....

 

[Buckle-meister]

I'm still able to hear a difference when tweaking the sub crossover, but moreso when tuning it down as opposed to up.

Could you expand on this please? I can't quite understand.

Regards

 

[puertorro]

I think people are getting confused everytime someone comments in this issue. Can someone explain it in plain English. Example: receiver x over set to 60hz, then set your sub x over to 120hz. We're all learning from this forum.

 

[mulester7]

I think people are getting confused everytime someone comments in this issue. Can someone explain it in plain English. Example: receiver x over set to 60hz, then set your sub x over to 120hz. We're all learning from this forum.

.....Puertorro, start with this.....

Roll-Off

Decrease in signal or sound pressure in decibels as a speaker or speaker driver attempts to reproduce frequencies outside of its primary frequency range

.....and, a crossover cuts the signal at a certain frequency, and what you hear either stops sharply, or fades fuzzy with higher frequencies heard concerning a sub....how quickly or sharply the frequency stops, is determined by the amount of slope....

Slope

How quickly a crossover or filter attenuates signals (decreases their power) outside its passband (those frequencies intended to pass through without attenuation); expressed in decibels per octave.

.....the higher the amount of -db per octave, the sharper the slope.....higher is good......

.....gone to visit daughter.....back late........

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Originally Posted by Buckeyefan 1
I'm still able to hear a difference when tweaking the sub crossover, but moreso when tuning it down as opposed to up.

Buckle-meister: Could you expand on this please? I can't quite understand.

Sure. My receiver crossover is set at 80Hz, rendering my sub suposedly "useless" above 80Hz. The sub has a full frequency response of 25Hz to 250Hz at +/- 3dB. There is also a frequency control on the back of the sub that ranges from 40Hz to 120Hz (can't answer why it's not 25Hz-250Hz other than more precise control in that specified bandwidth). If I adjust this control (which is currently set at the 1/2 way position at 90Hz) up or down, it still can add/subtract the midbass from the sub. So in "theory," the receiver either isn't cutting out all frequencies above 80Hz, or the sub is simply boosting those frequencies from, say 40Hz to 80Hz when it's set above 80Hz (up to it's 120Hz position). Keep in mind, these are merely numbers. I've always trusted my ear to dial in bass, rather than the popular settings. Next week I'll probably set the mains to large and receiver crossover to 40Hz while listening to smooth jazz.

 

[mulester7]

Keep in mind, these are merely numbers. I've always trusted my ear to dial in bass, rather than the popular settings. Next week I'll probably set the mains to large and receiver crossover to 40Hz while listening to smooth jazz.

.....there it is....including an endorsement for live groups recorded, like jazz bands, and orchestras....just enough sub, cut at around 40, to add realism concussion, with the woofers of the mains eating cleanly to the floor, pass me a large bowl, please.....

.....trust your ears, but work those dials and knobs....cut your receiver at 80, and then set your sub at 80, and listen for a minute....then take the sub-cut to the stratosphere, 150-225, or whatever they go up to, leaving the receiver still cut at 80.....listen to the SAME reference music again, important, and listen for the low end to be not quite as tight, nor quite as cleanly oscillated....you may hear no difference, I don't know....I am going to order powered subs that have cuts, soon, and I just might report on them, arf....their position, most assuredly, is going to be "anything", but conditions-ideal for a subwoofer....yeah, both.......

 

[Buckle-meister]

...or the sub is simply boosting those frequencies from, say 40Hz to 80Hz when it's set above 80Hz (up to it's 120Hz position).

Why would the sub do this?

Unrelated: I see you're back on the Guinnes ; I preferred the older avatar though

...cut your receiver at 80, and then set your sub at 80, and listen for a minute....then take the sub-cut to the stratosphere, 150-225, or whatever they go up to, leaving the receiver still cut at 80.....listen to the SAME reference music again, important, and listen for the low end to be not quite as tight, nor quite as cleanly oscillated...

Eh? All the previous posts have advocated dialling the sub's own crossover to the max, yet you seem to be saying that this will result in poorer sound. I know sound is a matter of opinion, but who wants 'woolly' sound?

Regards

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Why would the sub do this?

Because it's evil.