Vandersteen 2wq with two way monitors


anyone know if we can use vandersteen 2wq subwoofer with a small 2 way speaker? Richard Harvesty from audio perfectionists mentioned in his journal that it is not possible to mate with mini monitor, but would like your comments on this subject. the speaker is JM lab micro utopia be
dizzyizzid

Showing 4 responses by jimburger

In the Vandersteen website, it is suggested when the wall-mounted VSM(-3db @ 60Hz) is used for left and right main or surround speakers that it be mated with a 2WQ but with the crossover set 2 below the input impedance rather than the customary 1. So it can work with smaller speakers. However, the 2W was originally designed to be used with full range speakers with response -3db @ 40Hz.
Maxgain. Forgive me for oversimplifying. You are correct that the published input impedances of power amplifiers are imprecise and the proper setting of the subwoofer crossover is ultimately determined by experimentation. I was referring to a starting point for experimentaion that I thought I read in the owner's manual. I may have read it someplace else or perhaps even misread it. The main point I was trying to make is that the setting for the VSM would be different because its -3db point in the bass range is not the desired 1 octave below the internal 80 hz low pass crossover of the 2WQ. And although the setting would be different than that for a full-range speaker it would still work with it. Vandersteen does suggest in the owner's manual that an "ultimate" home theatre could use 2WQ's crossed over to VSM's for the rear channels.
Maxgain. I'll tell you where I got the folk lore. Straight from the Vandersteen 2WQ owner's manual. So I guess Richard Vandersteen is the guilty party in spreading such tall tales.

From page 3 of the 2Wq manual:
"Using the chart on the bottom of the WX-2, locate the value one setting below the actual input impedance of your main amplifier.(For example, if your amplifier had an input impedance of 100k, you would select the 50k value.)

Also in the 2WQ owners manual(page 5):
(When 2Wqs are used with Vandersteen VSM surround speakers, the crossover should be set two settings below the surround amplifier's input impedance. This will avoid interaction with the VSM series speaker's integral high-pass filter.)
Dizzyizzid. As far as avoiding interaction with the HP filter, I don't know the answer. You could go to the Vandersteen website and ask the man himself. As for using the HP filter supplied with the 2WQ, yes you would use it.