Subwoofer for Dali Spektor 2 paired with Quad Vena Integrated Amplifier

J

junvvin

Audiophyte
Greetings from India,
I recently purchased Dali Spektor 2 speakers along with Quad Vena Integrated Amplifier. Purpose of the system is mainly for 80% Music and 20% games and movies. I have decided to add a subwoofer to complement my system. Below are the subs which are available in my country and those that I have shortlisted according to my budget ($500). Kindly note that SVS subs etc cost way higher over here and hence I cannot afford them over here.

1. Taga Harmony TSW212-SE
https://hifimart.com/product/taga-harmony-tsw-212-se-html/
($410 after discount)

2. BIC America F12
($550 approx)

3. PSB alpha S10
($546 after discount)

4. Polk Audio HTS 10
($479)

My main preference according to budget and specs are Taga Harmony TSW212-SE, However, it does not have High Level Input connections. Should I be worried about this? My Quad Vena has RCA pre-out and I can simply plug in to the Line In / Low Level Input in the Subwoofer, but is this connection preferred for music listening? I am a noob when it comes to subwoofer and the associated connectivity and crossover thing. Kindly help.

room size - Medium Large. No acoustic treatment done. It has some glass windows and doors. 13ft false ceiling. Tiles floor. Speakers on Desk. Nearfield - Midfield Listening.
p.s. I do not want ground shaking, glass shattering, walls shaking kind of sound. In fact I hate those type of sounds. For movies and games, they might be okay. But for my music, I definitely do not want them. Music genre I listen to - almost all genres except rap/hip hop. I specifically like Indie Pop/Rock, Dreampop, Post-rock, Progressive/Power/Melodic Death Metal (but not so much metal these days), Alternative, Instrumentals and Mainstream music. Oh, I Should also mention that, I do not listen to these audiophile music such as Classical and Jazz. I want my bass to be thick with a good thump, punchy, clean, accurate and musical. I could hardly care about games and movies, but It would be nice to experience better bass for movies as an added advantage.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
These subs are pretty close to each other in performance, so I wouldn't worry too much about getting just the right one. Get the one that appeals to you the most, and don't sweat this choice. Use the line-level input and avoid the speaker-level input if you can. The speaker-level input does nothing to better performance but does a lot to increase the chances of a problem occurring. The line-level input is simpler and offers more predictable behavior.
 
J

junvvin

Audiophyte
These subs are pretty close to each other in performance, so I wouldn't worry too much about getting just the right one. Get the one that appeals to you the most, and don't sweat this choice. Use the line-level input and avoid the speaker-level input if you can. The speaker-level input does nothing to better performance but does a lot to increase the chances of a problem occurring. The line-level input is simpler and offers more predictable behavior.
Thanks a lot for the info, I will go with the cheapest one available. However, if there are better of cheaper alternative choices with the same performance, do share with me please.
 
Last edited:
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Thanks a lot for the info, I will go with the cheapest one available. However, if there are better of cheaper alternative choices with the same performance, do share with me please.
Since that integrated amp has right and left preouts, then use those to drive the sub. Speaker level inputs are not good connections.
The Quad has no bass management, but with 45 watts per channel, you won't overpower the speakers.
 
J

junvvin

Audiophyte
Since that integrated amp has right and left preouts, then use those to drive the sub. Speaker level inputs are not good connections.
The Quad has no bass management, but with 45 watts per channel, you won't overpower the speakers.
Is this bass management something I need to worry about? Will I be okay with the quad alone or I am better off getting a AV/Stereo receiver having bass management?
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Is this bass management something I need to worry about? Will I be okay with the quad alone or I am better off getting a AV/Stereo receiver having bass management?
I would start with the Quad, often just supplementing the speakers with a sub without bass management in a system like that works very well indeed, and more often than not, better than full bass management. Really the only advantage of full bass management is protection of bass mids from over extension. I personally only use a full crossover if I absolutely have to, and I don't think you do. After all, bass management is an offer the shelf one size fits all solution, which far more often than not is a very bad idea.
 
J

junvvin

Audiophyte
I would start with the Quad, often just supplementing the speakers with a sub without bass management in a system like that works very well indeed, and more often than not, better than full bass management. Really the only advantage of full bass management is protection of bass mids from over extension. I personally only use a full crossover if I absolutely have to, and I don't think you do. After all, bass management is an offer the shelf one size fits all solution, which far more often than not is a very bad idea.
I see, by the way, will my speakers still play all the frequencies or the receiver will send certain frequency signals to the sub and to the speakers as per the crossover settings? Sorry for my ignorance and asking noob questions, I am very new to these things.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I see, by the way, will my speakers still play all the frequencies or the receiver will send certain frequency signals to the sub and to the speakers as per the crossover settings? Sorry for my ignorance and asking noob questions, I am very new to these things.
Unless your integrated amp has bass management, it wouldn't offer a high pass for the speakers or a low pass for the sub (a high pass and a low pass together is called a crossover); but I see no indication of such in your integrated amp's manual (and is typical of much 2ch gear not to provide such). I'd need to look at each sub manual to be sure, but at a guess none provide an actual crossover for your speakers, just a low pass filter for the sub itself. You'll just need to balance the sub/speakers with the sub's low pass alone.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
I see, by the way, will my speakers still play all the frequencies or the receiver will send certain frequency signals to the sub and to the speakers as per the crossover settings? Sorry for my ignorance and asking noob questions, I am very new to these things.
No, the Dali speakers will receive a full range signal. The sub will cut in below the frequency where you set the crossover. It is generally a good rule of thumb in a system like this to bring in the sub at F3 of the mains + 50%. The F3 of your speakers is 54 Hz, so if you slide in the sub at 80 Hz that will be a good stating point. In practice I found this rule actually works very well indeed.
 
J

junvvin

Audiophyte
No, the Dali speakers will receive a full range signal. The sub will cut in below the frequency where you set the crossover. It is generally a good rule of thumb in a system like this to bring in the sub at F3 of the mains + 50%. The F3 of your speakers is 54 Hz, so if you slide in the sub at 80 Hz that will be a good stating point. In practice I found this rule actually works very well indeed.
That answers a lot of my questions, thank you so much for all the input.
 
J

junvvin

Audiophyte
So, I got the PSB alpha s10 subwoofer and I have some questions.

Gears owned:
Mission QX-2 speakers
Dali spektor 2 speakers
Quad Vena integrated amp
FX audio m160e class D amp
psb alpha s10 subwoofer

1. I bought the subwoofer keeping in mind to connect the Quad Vena along with Dali spektor 2 speakers.

Problem:
1. Dali spektor 2 sounds much much better on my cheap fx audio class D amp. But this amp does not have a pre out or sub out. It does not sound as good with the quad vena which has a pre out for connecting the sub.

2. Mission Qx2 sounds good on the quad. Fx audio sounds dry and has little bass with the mission qx2.

I would like to use the FX Audio m160e along with the PSB sub and dali speakers, but it has no sub pre out. My subwoofer does not have speaker level connection. Only line level output. Is there a way to connect the subwoofer which has only line level/rca out to the dali speakers with the fx audio amp?

Help pls.
 

Latest posts

newsletter

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