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How Screwed Am I?

Disclaimer: I'm a newb but I am aware I didn't make the best equipment choices when I bought this stuff. My only defense is it was five years ago, I was in a hurry, and I didn't spend much cash.

I've got a Sony STR-DE845 receiver and a Bose Acoustimass 6 Series II satellite system (it's got single cubes, not doubles, and a passive "bass module"). Please, any ranting against Bose will be preaching to the choir at this point. I will indeed upgrade my speakers...later.

I want to get some bass out of my system, and the Bose bass module is godawful. So I'm shopping for an inexpensive (<$300) active subwoofer. The problem is that the satellites run through the bass module, and the super-secret Bose crossover is apparently set around 280 Hz, which is way high. Too high to use an active subwoofer or the receiver as the crossover. The receiver will only crossover up to 180 Hz, and active subwoofers around 120 to 180. So not only would I lose 180-280 Hz, but I might damage the satellites. So it looks like I need to keep the Bose bass module just for its crossover utility.

Finally I figured, hey, I'll just leave the Bose system as is and plug the active subwoofer into the receiver's LFE jack. But I couldn't find any stats on what where the LFE crossover is for the receiver. I've seen reports of 70, 80, 100, and 120 Hz for various receivers, so I assume it's somewhere in that range. My plan had been to buy a subwoofer that went pretty high (some go up to 200Hz) to try and better match the satellites, but it looks like no matter what its range the sub would be limited by whatever the LFE output fed it.

It looks like my only option (assuming I can only afford a subwoofer at this point) is to buy an active subwoofer, plug it into the LFE, and deal with the fact that there'll be a big gap of about 180 Hz between the top of the LFE (around 100) and the bottom of the satellites (around 280).

Oh, and I have one more question. Is my LFE output only going to work as the .1 channel when I'm playing a DVD in 5.1? Or will LFE output work for regular stereo inputs as well?

Any constructive comments would be appreciated. Such as, are my assumptions correct? Are my conclusions correct? Does anyone have any alternate proposals on how to solve this? Is my only option one of sucktitude?

Thanks,

- G
sbrueckn54b7
s7horton
1,077 posts
 
If you keep the bose system the way it is and add a powered sub, there shouldn't be any gaps. Don't worry about the output of the LFE, you should be able to cut off frequency extension on the sub itself. Check best buy, I think they sell Athena subs, which apparently are decent for the money. (in your price range)

As far as I know, the LFE channel is ative in both stereo and surround modes. So you should be good there. If you are going to upgrade the speakers in the near future, I might just hold off buying a sub and try some full range-ish speakers for the front first.
reubent
6,935 posts
 
You should be fine if you run the new active sub off of the LFE port and run the bose system (sub and sats) off of the speaker level outputs from the Sony.

The Sony will output to the LFE channel anytime a DSP mode is used. So, unless you specify 2-channel direct or stereo, you will send the low pass information to the LFE line-level output.

Good luck. It seem you have "learned" something about consumer level audio components. It doesn't really cost much more to get a fine sounding system, you just need education. And you can't get that from manufacturers that depend on advertising and the media to push their products. Heck, for what you likely paid for your current setup, you could get a really decent sounding 2-channel system that would smoke it!

My advice is this: Read everything! Look to this site, AudioAsylum, AudioCircle and AudioKarma for information. There are some new technologies like class-T amplifiers that could revolutionize low cost audiophile systems. Add one of the new "giant killer" DVD/CD players and a pair of DIY speakers and you could possibly have a level of sound quality that previously costed thousands of dollars and do it for maybe $5-700 total.

It's a good time to be a budding audiophile!!!!

Enjoy,

TIC
sonofnorway
62 posts
 
Here's a different perpective. Why not put the money towards the best pair of monitors you can afford now instead of a (sub)woofer? Sounds like you plan to scrap the Bose at some point any way. I think $300 on new monitors will give you better sound than tacking a $300 subwoofer onto the Bose system. Plus it's a lot easier.
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