Best Way to Integrate Subwoofers?


What’s the best way to integrate subwoofers with monitors, or speakers?

I’m not referring to placement, or room treatments. I’m referring to what’s the best way to integrate via a crossover, without a custom dedicated crossover.

Do you run two separate signals to the subs vs the speakers and supress the lower frequencies to the speakers, while supressing the upper frequencies to the subs? It would seem that this method might allow you to move the crossover to higher frequencies, relying more on the subs for the bass and lower mids - if that is beneficial. It would also seem that this method would permit you to taylor the slope of the crossover to minimize overlap of frequencies between the subs and the speakers, which might improve clarity - depending on the capability of the particular crossover used. And, I suppose it implies / requires a separate crossover to be used to run both signals through to route the mids and highs only to the speakers and the bass and lows only to the subs.

Or do you run the same signal to the subs and speakers and just emphasize the subs up to the bottom of the frequency range of the speakers, crossing over from the subs to the speakers at that point (crossover notch). It would seem that this method would require you to fix the crossover at the bottom of the frequency range of the speakers, wherever that may be, and would not require a separate crossover to be inserted into the signal path. And it would seem to imply that the slope of the crossover would be limited to the slope inherent in the subs and speakers, which would limit the flexibility of the crossover.

Or, does it make any difference?
bassdude

Showing 1 response by sfine0

Just thought I would add my 2 cents too this discussion. I added a pair of JL audio e112s with a JL audio C1 to my dynaudio C4s and am very pleased with the results. it took me a long time with a lot of sub / main speaker placements, crossover adjustments and  sub volume changes to get a sound I liked. Barry and his coworker at JL supporting home audio equipment were both very helpful and a lot of fun to talk to. Two things I would recommend when setting up subs, first get Barry’s setup cd and try positioning a sub forward of the mains  and one to the side of your listing position. In my setup I found that putting subs in the logical positions in my listing room , next to and slightly behind mains caused a murmuring sound (I think it was group delay). In talking with Barry at JL he pointed out that putting subs behind mains causes the main speakers to vibrate/rattle from sub output. He also told me how he setup recording studios with subs forward, I tried subs forward and it worked for me. Finally, as lots of people who have tried integrating subs know, it’s a bit of a black art. 
Sorry about being long winded, Have a good one
steve