Receiver subwoofer setting

[TRUCKGUYGMC23]

Hi Folks,


This is my first time posting on here and I have to say that this site is an excellent reference source. I have a questions regarding subwoofer settings for my Pioneer VSX-D412K. I have a pair of Klipsch SF-2's with a MTX SW2 12" downfiring powered subwoofer. When I set the receiver speaker settings to "FS-CS-SS" a lot more bass is sent to the subwoofer. When I set the speaker settings to "FL-CS-SS" my bass is significantly more quiet. There is a setting on the receiver for "Subwoofer PLS" which in turn is supposed to sent the same signal to the sub in "FL-CS-SS" mode as it would in "FS-CS-SS" mode. In the "Subwoofer PLS" mode I do hear more bass but not as much as if I would set the front speakers to small. Is this normal? Is there anyway to get the full signal to the sub and the full signal to the front speakers as well? Thanks for your help!

 

[JohnA]

It is

Hi Folks,


This is my first time posting on here and I have to say that this site is an excellent reference source. I have a questions regarding subwoofer settings for my Pioneer VSX-D412K. I have a pair of Klipsch SF-2's with a MTX SW2 12" downfiring powered subwoofer. When I set the receiver speaker settings to "FS-CS-SS" a lot more bass is sent to the subwoofer. When I set the speaker settings to "FL-CS-SS" my bass is significantly more quiet. There is a setting on the receiver for "Subwoofer PLS" which in turn is supposed to sent the same signal to the sub in "FL-CS-SS" mode as it would in "FS-CS-SS" mode. In the "Subwoofer PLS" mode I do hear more bass but not as much as if I would set the front speakers to small. Is this normal? Is there anyway to get the full signal to the sub and the full signal to the front speakers as well? Thanks for your help!

The settings that you are talking about are setting the "room size" for speaker placement...having the fronts set to a LARGE setting is sending more "signal" as you called it to the fronts because you are telling them that they can handle more bass, in turn setting it to a SMALL setting will send the lower frequencys to the Sub, resulting in more bass from teh sub and less from the front speakers. You don't want to send full range frequencies to the sub, it will make it sound like crap. Hope that helped!

 

[TRUCKGUYGMC23]

Thanks for the response! The settings I am referring to have to deal with the size of the speakers. FL=Front Large, FS=Front Small...etc. I hope this helps

 

[JohnA]

Same theory

Thanks for the response! The settings I am referring to have to deal with the size of the speakers. FL=Front Large, FS=Front Small...etc. I hope this helps

The same theory applies to it: FL will handle more bass than the FS, FS will send the bass that it "can't handle" to the sub.

 

[plhart]

Truck guy-

Your receiver and sub seem to both be acting normally. What happens with most subwoofers is that there is an interaction between the frequency and level control. If you turn the sub frequency all the way up it will hopefully go out past 80Hz up to 120Hz or so before it rolls off. With your frequency knob full clockwise like this you'll get the maximum gain out of the level control.
As an example let's say that level is 100dB for full clockwise frequency control and full clockwise level control.

Now, what happens if you turn the frequency control back down to something like 40Hz or 50Hz on the frequency control? If the level control is still all the way up (clockwise) then you might get only 95dB out of the sub. That's just how these subs work. There is a definate interaction between the two controls even though the input signal is still the same.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Truck guy-

Your receiver and sub seem to both be acting normally. What happens with most subwoofers is that there is an interaction between the frequency and level control. If you turn the sub frequency all the way up it will hopefully go out past 80Hz up to 120Hz or so before it rolls off. With your frequency knob full clockwise like this you'll get the maximum gain out of the level control.
As an example let's say that level is 100dB for full clockwise frequency control and full clockwise level control.

There is often a lot of interaction between the volume settings & the variable crossover settings on a powered sub. But unless I'm reading him wrong, isn't he only changing the setting on the receiver, not the sub? Sounds like the receiver is probably doing what it's supposed to...I don't have any experience with that particular model.

 

[TheAudioCARtist]

Try phasing..i dunno if it is a setting or not,but you can always..

you can always try flipping the phase of the inputs to your sub,i do this all the time in cars.. you never know what works best,you have to try..
i mentioned this on another forum,flip BOTH the inputs to your sub(unless of course,if it is a mono input!!!then just flip the one set..)
both +'s where the-'s were,etc..
in the vehicle,this is usually a menu setting,the car is what i am used to soooo....
try it,you may be amazed at the results..
this also applies to front,and rears as well,you never know until you try..
without getting into too much audio theory,One way,or another is always better! i suggest you try it,how far away from a wall,the freq limits, the size of the room,all may affect(effect??..i never remembered!) the situation..
try:
fronts out of phase
rears out of phase
subs out of phase,
the couple other permutations,i think only 5 total?(not a math whiz,but you get the idea..)
depending on the relative distance of the fronts,to the center channel,(i doubt it,but it's easy to try!) try the center out of phase as well..
you should try these things,then CLOSE your eyes,try to picture stuff,it may be weird(probably not the right combo) or amazing!!
like i said in another post,'swordfish' seams to have the 5.1 thing well worked out,i use it to test 5.1 systems in the car..it is easy to relate to your position in the scene(ok,you might want to open your eyes from time-to-time!!)
you get the overall idea..i hope..from what i have read so far,the people here seam to actually understand something about audio!(duhh..hence the name??audioholics..i think most of the car audio kids are related to the alcho--version)
enough babbling,i do that,but it's just because i am trying to help!