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LFE vs High-level subwoofer connection, for FIDELITY

Simple as it sounds. What subwoofer connection method offers higher fidelity, and why? The LFE, 75 ohm unbalanced RCA cable. Or high-level, speaker wire to the binding posts of the amp. I am running 2 KEF KC92 subwoofers to a Soul Note A-2 Ver. 1 amplifier.
 

Grok Ai states it matches your speakers tonal balance, timing cues, and sonic signature, because it shares the same signal path through the amplifier that your speakers sound travels through. It’s also a great way to get tube or amp sound into your bass region. My LFE outputs from my Khozmo Acoustics pre-amp, bypassing the amplifiers elite and favorable sound.  The PS audio subwoofer had not been released yet or I’d have swoope those up, instead of the KEFs.

Also, has anyone heard that it is straining or damaging to a truly balanced, direct coupled amplifier to use high level inputs? This was mentioned to me and I can’t recall how reliable a source it came from. 

jbuddha882
jbuddha882 OP
27 posts
 

@kr4 

glenmschneider
106 posts
 

Night & Day difference in my system between low level and speaker inputs.

The difference is in the tonality and integration with the mains. Via high level you can’t tell there is a sub playing at all on my system. 
via the low level, the tonality did not match and the bass  sounded disconnected from the music. My amps are type 45 monoblocks. I’m sure they impart a specific sound across the board.

When I tried it, I expected it to be a 6 in one hand-half dozen in the other type of situation. It wasn’t. 

i remember one YouTube reviewer who had his sub configured via the low level inputs because it sounded better. He wasn’t a tube guy.

Fortunately it’s really easy to try. For me it involved buying long rca connectors to try, but they are now sitting storage. which is just to say you too should try it for yourself. It’s part of the fun.

kr4's avatar
kr4
3,788 posts
 
jbuddha882 OP wrote:

@kr4 I’ve got the same experience as the other responder. My sub has eq knobs, low pass filters and room gain filters on the back panel. So my bookshelves roll off at 50 hz, so I set the sub to 60 hz and under. Even on high pass, the sub filters it 

Granted and, many years ago, that would be acceptable, assuming you have a tool to measure and analyze what's going on. Nonetheless, there is still no control of the low end of the main speakers and there is considerable overlap between them and the sub(s).   You should try, if you can, the Arcam SA35 or similar.

deep_333
2,480 posts
 

Guess you never had a mic, spl meter or anything....Gain and phase adjustment/setting will be different for each connection type....before you started to compare any diffaw-rances.

Night & Day difference in my system between low level and speaker inputs. The difference is in the tonality and integration with the mains. Via high level you can’t tell there is a sub playing at all on my system. via the low level, the tonality did not match and the

gdaddy1
541 posts
 

The "extra fidelity" from speaker level connections is some extra foolery propagated by the REL guy...

Nonsense. Paul McGowen also highly recommends High level connection as does anyone in the world of subwoofers!!

It's so simple even a caveman should be able to understand. Your amp has a dynamic characteristic. High level connection you will get that. If you only connect to the pre-amp you bypass the amp and don't get what your amp is putting out.

If you want FIDELITY this is the best way..BY FAR!

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