Hi All,
So I think this must be obvious somewhere, but I'm having a hard time finding it.
So I built a pair of speakers that range from about 75Hz to 20kHz. They're a little shallow in the low end, so I'm thinking of adding a sub to them, and eventually 3 other speakers to make them 5.1. My impression is the best way to do this is to add a sub driver with a sub plate amp, and a receiver to power it all.
All the plate amp I have found have an adjustable low pass filter, but no high pass filter for the other speakers. Do most receivers have high pass filters already? Do I need a high pass filter on each speaker? That would get expensive. Or do I just run the speakers in their normal range, and adjust the sub low pass down to about 75Hz to meet their range?
Thanks!
So I think this must be obvious somewhere, but I'm having a hard time finding it.
So I built a pair of speakers that range from about 75Hz to 20kHz. They're a little shallow in the low end, so I'm thinking of adding a sub to them, and eventually 3 other speakers to make them 5.1. My impression is the best way to do this is to add a sub driver with a sub plate amp, and a receiver to power it all.
All the plate amp I have found have an adjustable low pass filter, but no high pass filter for the other speakers. Do most receivers have high pass filters already? Do I need a high pass filter on each speaker? That would get expensive. Or do I just run the speakers in their normal range, and adjust the sub low pass down to about 75Hz to meet their range?
Thanks!
I don't have a receiver yet. I'm hesitant to buy anything until I have it all planned out. Right now my speakers are just powered by a little 2 way 30W amp board
Most multi-channel home theatre receivers should provide all the bass management needed - i.e. independent selection of HP crossover frequencies for all of the active surround channels - even if used only in 2.1 mode initially - and the mono-summed output of LFE (sub) channel can obviate the need for LP filter on the outboard sub amp(s), so any decent power amp that you might just have kicking around would suffice. Indeed, several plate amps I’ve seen in the past have a LFE direct / LP filter bypass function when required signal processing is handled upstream. I’ve been using RCA Y- adaptor and variety of stereo power amps to drive a pair of small subs for at least half a dozen years now. Works just fine.
And of course, the other huge convenience feature of current HT receivers is the auto-calibration function. They’ll even stop to warn if any of the speakers are wired with reverse polarity - much easier to do with 7 + channels of DIY speakers than you might think. After the initial pass, they will normally suggest HP points for the mains/surrounds, which can be revised
And of course, the other huge convenience feature of current HT receivers is the auto-calibration function. They’ll even stop to warn if any of the speakers are wired with reverse polarity - much easier to do with 7 + channels of DIY speakers than you might think. After the initial pass, they will normally suggest HP points for the mains/surrounds, which can be revised
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So if I have a 280W sub driver, I could use a 300W plate amp, just turn the LP filter on it as high as it will go, then let the receiver do the rest?
In the receiver, set your speakers to small, turn the sub volume half way and the crossover all the way up. Then run the speaker setup via the supplied mic. It will set the sub at the correct (suggested) crossover and the bass from the other speaker channels are redirected to the LFE channel. You can play around with the results such as levels, xo and equaliser shaping.
Or, as noted above, many “plate” amps will have either a separate LFE input, or bypass switch, which does effectively the same thing. It’s the auto-calibration function that takes as much as the guesswork out of the process as is possible. It’s been a while since I’ve run the full function on my Onkyo, but IIRC it wants you to set the subwoofer level to 75Db at the mic position before continuing to cycling the tone bursts to all possible channels, then repeating once it detects how many are actually connected.
Of course every make or perhaps even model year will likely have a different GUI / menu tree.
I recently price shopped for a smallish surround receiver for a family member and entry level mainstream name brands are starting at under $400 Cdn, which I personally consider a bargain, even after de-rating the “optimistic” power specs.
And FWIW, I’d consider the power handling rating of the sub driver to be interesting but almost irrelevant in the context of the likely operating levels of the overall system here.
Of course every make or perhaps even model year will likely have a different GUI / menu tree.
I recently price shopped for a smallish surround receiver for a family member and entry level mainstream name brands are starting at under $400 Cdn, which I personally consider a bargain, even after de-rating the “optimistic” power specs.
And FWIW, I’d consider the power handling rating of the sub driver to be interesting but almost irrelevant in the context of the likely operating levels of the overall system here.
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