Small vs. Large and Crossover Settings...

[MCF]

What difference does it make if you set a particular speaker to large or small if you set the crossover for said speaker to say 80Hz? Regardless if the speaker size is set to small or large, won't any frequencies below 80Hz go to the sub if that is what the crossover is set at??

[ericl]

I don't know what receiver you are using, but I think on mine (panasonic xr50) if you set your speakers to "Large" then no crossover is used at all and the speakers run full range. Also, I believe in the large configuration no signal wil be sent to the sub. only when they are set to small will the sub be active. The XO really only applies when you have set your speakers to "small."

The XO allows you to customize which frequency your subs and sattelites crossover, as opposed to one flat "small" cut off rate. In the aperion package I am testing, for example, the satellites don't produce any sound below 100hz, so I set my speakers to "small" and set the xo frequency to 100hz. That way no sound is sent to the speakers which they cannot reproduce, and the amp is not working to produce signals which the speaker won't use anyway. all that information gets sent to the subwoofer. I wish more nicer two channel amps had this ability.

Your receiver may be different, but most likely works this way.

Does that help at all?

-Eric

[MCF]

Now I understand that the crossover means nothing if set to large. What would be a good crossover point for a center channel (Klipsch RC-25 - two 5.25" woofers and a horn) if it is set at small...80Hz, 100Hz??

[ericl]

Find out what the frequency range of that speaker is. Look up that speaker on the Klipsch website and it will tell you the specs. I'm betting it goes down to 50-60hz or so, in which case you want to set it to the lowest possible xo setting, maybe 80hz or so.

-ERic

[toenail]

Something else to consider. I had to contact Yamaha directly to get the info on x-over frequency activated by setting speakers to small. It is generally around 80hz for most manufacturers (90hz in my case) but I couldn't find this info in print on any of the literature available. Additionally, that x-over frequency is over-ridden by the x-over setting of the sub in my case, depending on the setting. If I set the sub to any setting lower than 90hz and output to the sub only it will leave the high end with the same slope it had initially allowing for a dip in the response curve where they meet. If I change the sub to a setting higher than 90hz it will alter the beginning of the slope for the high end accordingly to prevent a hump in the response curve.

I have no idea whether all manufacturers design their equipment this way or not but can say that it was frustrating trying to find out exactly how my receiver was filtering.

[nick250]

What difference does it make if you set a particular speaker to large or small if you set the crossover for said speaker to say 80Hz? Regardless if the speaker size is set to small or large, won't any frequencies below 80Hz go to the sub if that is what the crossover is set at??

Correct. However by setting speakers to small the speakesr do not get frequencies below 80Hz (or what ever your crossover is set to) and the sub, which is more able to handle them cleanly, gets the low frequencies resulting in better sound. In addition the speakers which are set to small most often will sound better better because they do not have to deal with the low frequencies resulting in better mid and high frequencies.

Ericl wrote "Also, I believe in the large configuration no signal wil be sent to the sub"

Eric, on the Denon and Onkyo receivers I am familiar with unless you set to the sub to "off" it always get the the frequencies below the crossover point. It does not matter if the speakers are set to large or small.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Eric, on the Denon and Onkyo receivers I am familiar with unless you set to the sub to "off" it always get the the frequencies below the crossover point. It does not matter if the speakers are set to large or small.

I have a Onkyo and I can confirm this.

[froberts6]

I have an Onkyo A/V (602) and the Sub gets the frequencies at and below the crossover frequency I set on the receiver whether the "fronts" are set to "large" or "small".

[Breezer88888]

I have a Denon 3802, and I think this is the case with most receivers when you leave your speaker config to include the subwoofer. The speakers set at "large" will fire in conjunction with your subwoofer, and the "small" speakers will leave the low frequencies to your more capable sub. Having your front speakers set to large (assuming of course that they are large) has the potential to fill out the low end bass response throughout your room. Even though bass frequencies are not localized and a good subwoofer should be all that's needed, a large speaker setting may contribute to the mid-woofer range without strain to the upper frequencies. To come to your decision, just play with it and see which sounds better. That's what you paid for anyway.

[musicman1999]

i have a cambridge audio 540r reciever and it outputs to the sub in every mode but one,since the 6 channel inputs are the best on the unit i feed my cd player(arcam cd73t)to the left and right front inputs of the 6 channel inputs main speakers set to large.my mains are jm labs cobalt 806s and they go down to the mid 40's,in order to fill in frequencies below i connect my sub to the left and right pre outs of my reciever cross over on sub set to 50 and they blend very well.btw crossover on reciever is set at 80.
for dvd movies all speakers set to small,sub hook up via single cable to get the lfe and cross over set to 100 on sub.maximum crossover on sub is 150 and i tried it there but i was able to localize the location.setting it at 100 and the sub blends with other speakers far better.

[shokhead]

Keep the speakers to small. If you want them to do more bass,set the x over lower.

[MCF]

Just found out that the crossover cutoff of my reciever when speakers are set to small is 120Hz. Anything below that is sent to the sub. If I set my sub at 80Hz, doesn't that mean there is a gap left out between 120Hz and 80Hz?? Should I set my speakers to large and set the crossover for them to 100Hz or 80Hz or should I increase the sub crossover to 120Hz (seems high for a sub).

[MCF]

Talked to HK and even though the speaker are set to small, the crossover is still in affect. I have them set to 80Hz and I will also set the crossover for the sub to 80Hz........