Sub Woofer

[tony]

Looking at an active sub on ebay. It has its on built in amp. Does anybody know or could explain how I connect it to an integrated amp?. Do I need a long interconnect ( if i need that,it would be 3-4metres from the hifi). I want it for hifi not av. Reason being I wouldn't mind a bit more bass. (or at least the option of it if required) It is a Spendor S3 by the way. I am hoping I could run speaker cable to it and that would be sufficient but that sounds too easy.

[Matt]

I found this http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/e ... orsub3.htm
Hard to tell from the picture but it looks like you need to run a pair of interconnects from pre outs on your amp to the sub or a single sub interconnect cable from an Av amp's sub output.

What speakers are you using?
The spendor has a lower frequency setting of 50hz which you may find too high to intergrate with your speakers.
I have a Rel Strata 5 sub and had it set at 20hz with PMC DB1i speakers even though the pmc's lower frequency specification is 50hz.

I now have Atc scm19 speakers and have my sub set at its lowest 16hz setting to intergrate with them.

A sub's frequency output is always higher than its setting due to their usual 12db per octive crossover.
With a test cd i have, my scm19's will play a 25hz test tone which would lead you to think the sub should be set at 25hz but this isn't the case. And the specifications of the scm19's suggest an in room lower frequency response of 54hz at -6db.

For purely hifi, id look at a Rel or Mj acoustics sub, preferably with a downward firing driver, because a front firing driver can lead to hearing where the sub is located in the room.

[tony]

Thanks Matt, I saw that article.I have old avi positrons floorstanders. The sound is good I just wouldnt mind trying a sub. Enjoy having too much bass every now and then. You have lost me on the hz settings and whether it can be integrated with the speakers. I thought that it would be interconnects that I require which doesnt suit me because of the distance but are you saying with the downward firing I can put the sub anywhere?. Dont know or understand if I can mix a set of passive speakers with an active sub. it may be immaterial as I will be bidding very low but I wasnt hoping to be sure it would work.

[Matt]

Sub's can be placed anywhere really. My brother has my old Rel Q201 behind a sofa in a bay window to the far left of the room when your in the listening position.
But a ported sub will need careful placement with regards to distance from walls as this can have a large effect on its sound.
Sealed box sub's aren't so sensitive to placement but Rel recomends corner placement regardless of if the sub is ported or not.

If you go for the spendor sub, have a look on ebay for long interconnects to suit, providing you have pre outs on your amp.
The Spendor should be good really i suppose as they make very good hifi speakers.

As for a downward firing sub, ive found they are much easier to intergrate as you can't hear where the bass is coming from unless you turn it up loud.

[tony]

Thanks again Matt. I checked the net and see that long sub cables are available. Wasnt aware of that. The notion of spending huge money on a good quality interconnect similar to what goes from my cdp to amp was not on. The very long distance was because I was working on the notion of placing a sub between both speakers(virtually in the middle of the fireplace, I could have it firing up the chimney). It looks like this is not necessary. I have preouts on the amp so hopefully it will work. Doesnt look like anybody else considers this as a solution so kinda feel it must be very hit and miss which raises the doubts.
I am just looking at it because I reckon the spendor should be fairly controlled and not rattle the house to bits,also a potentially cheap option to fill out the sound of what I think are very nice speakers but just a bit lean.

[Matt]

No problem Tony
Just remember that you need a stereo pair of interconnects exactly as you would for a cd player.
A subwoofer cable is only a single interconnect used for surround amp's dedicated sub output.
I have my speakers either side of the fire place with the sub in the left corner and it works perfectly

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[tony]

Fair play to you they were the next 2 questions. Thats good as a similar situation exists for me and that means sub can be put in a inconspicous position. Wife will be delighted we can still use the fireplace for its original purpose. After all this it will probably go for £300+.
Glad I got it clear,coz it might be worth trying if something reasonable comes available.

[Matt]

Ill keep an eye out for sub's for you.
If your looking in the uk, be prepared to pay around £50 postage depending on exact weight etc.

[paulb]

tony, i still think the best thing to do is to try and listen to a sub in your system first....try to borow one from somebody on the forum....they are very hard to integrate...and when you think you got it-you change the cd and you will start allover again unless its a really good quality one you'll be able to hear differences even by changing your seat 1meter in any direction.i tried 2 subs so far and while they would sound great on one song on the next there will be booming or too much bass...than next song to little...and so on...you will endup listening for your sub for most of the time....not the music
also you need to hear one with your cyrus amp....they are fast and detailed and you dont want to lose that..

[Matt]

As Paulb say's, a sub can be very difficult to intergrate into a stereo system.

I found my old Rel Q201e, to slow and easy to hear where the bass was coming from due to its front firing driver.
Also, even its lower frequency setting of 26hz proved to high to intergrate properly so you had to keep the volume really low which pretty much defeated its purpose.

When i upgraded to the Strata 5 which has remote control, this proved much easier to setup but still takes some patience.
You need some cd's with lots of sub 25hz bass that you are very familiar with on your speakers and also a test cd or two.
Usually you get it right but find after a few days its a little loud so turn it down a notch and listen for another day to get used to it.

Then the next day you may want to turn it down again, almost to the point where you think you have wasted your money and where has all the bass gone i just bought.
But then, when you get it right, turn the sub off and you realise the subtle but worthwhile improvement it has been making that you just cant live without anymore.

If you can get a decent looking sub like the spendor cheap, then give it a go.
But if your prepared to spend say upto £4-500, look for a used Rel Strata 5, Storm 5 or Mj Acoustics sub. All of which have remote control and a low frequency setting on them to intergrate properly and a downward firing driver.