AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Speakers › Bass Mgmt with an 80hz cutoff
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Bass Mgmt with an 80hz cutoff  

post #1 of 7
5/15/01 at 3:47pm
Thread Starter 
I am running a processor (Parasound AVC 1800) to my maggie MGIIIa's and I want to use my subs for both music and HT. The parasound gives me an 80Hz cutoff so I want to bypass its bass management. Should I:

o split my mains signal to my subs and my fronts (running the fronts "large"), and use my sub controls to get what I want.
o use an external crossover to get what I want. The Behringer cx3400 looks nice though it has balanced connectors (I would need RCA to XLR adapters... yuck). One advantage of this is I could biamp my maggies (yowza).
o just live with the 80hz cutoff cause it will never sound good for music anyway.

Any opinions? Thanks!

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 7
5/16/01 at 3:58am
Hi, what is wrong with the 80 Hz cutoff? Too low or too high? I believe the MGIIIs go reasonably low so I assume that you are looking for a lower crossover? The rule of thumb for setting a crossover is that the speaker should be flat up to an octave past the crossover point. This means that the Maggie should go to 40Hz, which seems about right to me. But it's worth it to try at least your currently available options and see which one you like. Also, check out Brian Florian's posts in this " instant classic thread ".

In my own experience, I used the 80Hz crossover point on my Vandersteen 2ci's (which are flat to about 35Hz) and it sounded great for music. Much better than when they were setup as large. This was with a Sunfire Signature subwoofer.
post #3 of 7
5/16/01 at 7:06am
Paradigm makes an external x-over. The X-30, x-20 and x-10. None of their Servo subs come with built in x-overs any more.
post #4 of 7
5/16/01 at 11:41am
Thread Starter 
Thanks Pham... very good thread.. thanks for referencing it. Essentially, I am just paranoid about getting the bass right with my maggies and I want all the control I can get. From what you say... I would likely settle on 80 hz anyway ;-)

I am debating an external crossover/amp with a pair of SVS subs... it is fairly economical and should offer plenty of control. I do not see SVS subs mentioned much here though and I have never had a demo... so I may go for a safer choice.

Thanks again... m.
post #5 of 7
5/16/01 at 5:57pm
The SVS Subs sound great with my Maggies (MG1.6/QRs).
I'm using the Tag AV32R with the bass cutoff set at 80Hz and my Maggies selected as bass-limited.

I find that the sound is much better this way, then when I had the Maggies selected as full-range.

By the way, I am using an SVS 20-39CS sub.
post #6 of 7
5/16/01 at 7:16pm
80Hz is usually quite a good choice. Keeps the low bass out of woofers which have to reproduce upper mid bass and lower midrange. Also keeps the first (and worst) room mode peak in the subs range in most rooms.
80Hz was not some arbitrary number, it was pretty well researched.
Keep in mind, just because your speakers can go lower does not mean the system will sound best with them doing so.

------------------
Buzz Goddard
TAG Mclaren Audio
post #7 of 7
5/17/01 at 7:13am
Thread Starter 
Thanks... I think I will try the SVS subs with an external amp first and run with 80hz. I may go buy a 2/3 crossover at a later time and play with it... at the very least I could use it to biamp my maggies and put some tubes on the ribbons.

Nothing sweeter than an upgrade path!

Thanks again.. med.
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Speakers
This thread is locked  

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Speakers › Bass Mgmt with an 80hz cutoff