How to set up a subwoofer?

[admin_exported]

Hey

Thanks to david @ frank harvey

, got myself a nice R370HD at a wicked price, Nice 1.

Anyway, the sub has setting on the back ect, what do I set them to? I have no eyed deer.

My amp is a Pioneer VSX 819 and I like to watch action movies.

My last sub blew when the Romulan ship passed the screen in the new star trek ,and dont want to mess up a 500.00 sub.

Thanks so much

 

[bigblue235]

Just have a Google, there are loads of guides out there

 

[Anonymous]

Don't set it so high, around 11 o'clock on the dial is ok.

 

[Anonymous]

Use the THX set-up found on star wars dvd's (for example) for a quick and easy starter and tweak a bit to your own tastes, try using eg. a bassy dance song on a music cd, which should give away if you have set it too loud.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that.

 

[ElectroMan]

I'm sure there have been other threads here about how to set the crossover, phase controls etc.

If not, perhaps Frank Harvey could help!

 

[Nick_Shepherd]

The manual for my sub said that if i switched it to LFE, then the amp looks after the cross over by its self. And in another thread, a helpful poster replied that the phase should be played with a bit until it sounds right. The phase I believe is the timing of the sub??

I didnt have a clue either! Still dont really!

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes, LFE should bypass the sub's crossover, so the filtering is done in the amp or receiver to which the sub is connected.

And phase simply adjusts how the sub responds to the input signal, and thus interacts with your other speakers. At 180 degrees, the sub will be sucking when it should be blowing - in other words, the cone will be moving backwards when the input signal suggests it should be pushing, and vice versa.

Depending on the room, the sub's position in it and the phase correctness or otherwise of the rest of your system, setting reverse phase on the sub can give smoother integration with the rest of the speakers in the set-up.

 

[Nick_Shepherd]

Hi Andrew,

Can you try and explain what to do with the phase again? (clearly I'm a tad slow!)

My room is sqaure with a 5.1 set up. Sub is on left hand wall (as I face the TV) and about a quarter the way up, pretty much where the guides all seem to reccomend it being.

Where should I place the phase dial?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Set it to 0, have a listen, then set it to 180 degrees and listen again. Use whichever setting, or indeed any inbetween, you prefer the sound of.

It's as unscientific as that, and indeed automatic receiver set-up may well apply some degree of phase correction, so the dial may be even more irrelevant.

 

[Nick_Shepherd]

Thanks Andy! I'll have a play.