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powerlord
12-19-2006, 08:30 AM
What is the thought on mixing brands in your speaker setup,say I have polk towers and I like the sound of a diifferent brand sub.I have a friend that has a totally mixed setup and it sounds OK,is there a technical aspect that would tell me not to do this?I know alot of people run all the same speakers in their HT setup.Or are subs a different animal when matching them to your surround?

icarus
12-19-2006, 08:41 AM
Generally I don't like to mix speaker types. its generally a good idea to have your center channel match your front speakers. But the majority of people here do find that subs can be interchangable.

markw
12-19-2006, 08:50 AM
The front three should be of the same make and line within that make. this helps assure a "timbre matched" sound in the front plane.

As for there surrounds, there are two schools of thought.

For HT, you can get away with different make/model of surrounds than the fromt three. It helps if they match each other though. This is because HT uses these for sound effects, ambient sounds and backgtound music. Matching the fronts isn't a show stopper.

For multi-channel music, however, I would recommended that they match the front speakers. Music is music.

As for the subwoofer, the brand used does not come into play here. You can match virtually any subwoofer with virtually any speaker setup. Generally, get the best subwoofer tou can afford. You can always turn it down but you can only turn it up so much.

Please note this may NOT be true in all cases such as with Bose and other "all in one" packages that have integral circuitry for the other speakers contained within them. A good clue that there may be problems here is if all speakers must be connected to the subwoofer.

GMichael
12-19-2006, 09:22 AM
Mixing the sub is OK, and often better. But if you mix any of the others, the audio-fairy will make you pay.

basite
12-19-2006, 09:26 AM
well,
keep your center and fronts from the same brand, the same range (series), and if possible, the right match.
the rears can be changed, but, this is not recommended, same rule as the fronts in fact, but a little less strict,
the sub on the other hand, can be from a different brand, just make sure it matches with your speakers (in power and size and stuff) if you have huge speakers, don't buy a tiny sub, and when you have small speakers, don't buy the huuge sub, well, you can, but you'll never use it in full operation.

Greetings,
Basite.

GMichael
12-19-2006, 09:39 AM
Different speaker manufacturers often use different materials to make their drivers. Even the same manufacturers will differ between models. These leave you with different sound characteristics. So when a jet flies by and the sound moves from one speaker to another it may not sound like the same jet. This is just one example.

Subs don't count. Base is a different beast altogether.

Hope this was more helpful than my last post.

powerlord
12-19-2006, 10:59 AM
Thanks alot,that clears up many questions,I do have the same front brand and make towers and center,so I got lucky there when I bought all three together,I was going to buy a diffrent center,Whew!! I'm just getting my feet wet in the HT arena so I'll probably be asking tons of questions as well as doing searches.I'm not even sure if I need a sub at this point with the towers I bought,they are pretty thunderous by themselves and I'm not sure if there's a sub under 1000.00 bucks that would top them.(my budget on a sub).

GMichael
12-19-2006, 11:05 AM
Thanks alot,that clears up many questions,I do have the same front brand and make towers and center,so I got lucky there when I bought all three together,I was going to buy a diffrent center,Whew!! I'm just getting my feet wet in the HT arena so I'll probably be asking tons of questions as well as doing searches.I'm not even sure if I need a sub at this point with the towers I bought,they are pretty thunderous by themselves and I'm not sure if there's a sub under 1000.00 bucks that would top them.(my budget on a sub).

How about this one for just over half of your budget? It rocks the h.ll out of my house.

Welcome to AR and the HT world.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-764

powerlord
12-19-2006, 11:15 AM
Sweet and thanks. When I competed in DB Drag and USAC we used those Dayton subs for SPL. How do they sound for music?

GMichael
12-19-2006, 11:28 AM
Sweet and thanks. When I competed in DB Drag and USAC we used those Dayton subs for SPL. How do they sound for music?

Love mine. But if you don't mind DIY projects you could put a better one together with their HIGH FIDELITY SUBWOOFER.
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=295-468

Costs less, handles less power, but gets higher marks on sound quality. Not that the Titanics are bad. These are just better.

powerlord
12-19-2006, 11:46 AM
Thanks GMichael,I just ordered one,thats the best deal I've seen so far,the warranty is great and I know the sub personally.Free shipping yeah!!! How long did it take you to get yours shipped?

GMichael
12-19-2006, 12:03 PM
Thanks GMichael,I just ordered one,thats the best deal I've seen so far,the warranty is great and I know the sub personally.Free shipping yeah!!! How long did it take you to get yours shipped?

It arrived at my door two days after I ordered it.

You ordered what? Not just the speaker right? What amp are you getting? Did you order a box or will you build one? Do you have all you need?
Sorry if this seems like I'm insulting you by assuming you didn't do all that you needed to do, but I'd feel bad if you made a mistake because of my advice.

powerlord
12-19-2006, 12:19 PM
I ordered the MKIII Titanic subwoofer kit,it shows amp,enclosure,sub,and connections for 578.00 free shipping.

GMichael
12-19-2006, 12:29 PM
I ordered the MKIII Titanic subwoofer kit,it shows amp,enclosure,sub,and connections for 578.00 free shipping.

OK, sorry. Yeah, that come complete. You could put it together in about 30 minutes if you know what you're doing. You'll need glue to hold the accustic foam in place and a few minor tools. I love mine.

markw
12-19-2006, 12:34 PM
I ordered the MKIII Titanic subwoofer kit,it shows amp,enclosure,sub,and connections for 578.00 free shipping.You'll be very, very happy.

Dusty Chalk
12-19-2006, 01:36 PM
I, on the other hand, have no problem mixing brands in speakers, amps, speaker wire, sub, power cords, and whatnot.

But you do need to be more careful. Sometimes the receiver won't let you accomodate for slightly different sensitivities, for example.

powerlord
12-19-2006, 01:40 PM
I built all of our teams SPL enclosures so this should be a piece of cake,I will let ya guys know how it goes.Thanks everybody.And great site so far.

emorphien
12-19-2006, 03:07 PM
Mixing subs is a good idea IMO. A lot of the speaker manufacturers don't always make the best sub for your room or listening, and you won't have any problems with that. Using something different for surrounds also isn't a big deal (but i'd probably try to avoid mixing klipschorns with something mellow).

A matched system can look nice though :)

powerlord
12-21-2006, 05:26 PM
You wouldn't believe what happened,my wife got me an Infinity IL120S sub,she told me after she found out I ordered the MKIII,Damn am I lucky or what?Now I either tell her to send the IL back and risk serious bodily harm or send the monster back.Hers was a gift for Xmas.Or keep both and try and figure out which to run again trying to risk bodily injury!

emorphien
12-21-2006, 05:29 PM
I've never heard anything good about Infinity subs... but I also haven't heard much about them in recent years.

powerlord
12-21-2006, 05:56 PM
Well I went to the reviews section and I was surprised at the reviews,the overall opinion is they are the best bang for the buck.Boy I've heard that one alot about real bad gear.

Rock&Roll Ninja
12-22-2006, 02:14 PM
Off-brand subs are usually the way to go. Just buy your subwoofer from a reputable subwoofer company (Hsu Research, Velodyne, SVS are probably the best brands till you hit esoteric dollars.). I wouldn't just buy an JBL to spite a Klipsch loudspeaker or vica-versa.

I think you'd do well to keep your 3 front speakers as close as possible, and for HT use, you'll probably never know the difference if you split camps. I'm using PSB in the front and Paradigm surrounds myself.

I don't listen to 5.1 music (DVD-A/SACD), because I think its a tired gimmick. But people who do (listen to it) say the surrounds should match.

GMichael
12-22-2006, 02:39 PM
I've never heard anything good about Infinity subs... but I also haven't heard much about them in recent years.

I got the Infinity Primus matching PS-12 when I bought my speakers. It does a good job but was lacking for my open living space that I'm in now. It sounds great in the bedroom.
To the OP: Here's an idea. How about you keep both subs? The Infinity is a great start on a second system. :ihih:

powerlord
12-22-2006, 02:50 PM
I think the infinity is too much for my room now even on low levels,yes I got to open my infinity today.I have it set 60hz and below,my tower subs are at 80hz.Should I match these?I just wonder what the Titanic is going to do in this small room?

GMichael
12-22-2006, 04:39 PM
Small room? How small?
You may have done fine with a smaller sub.

powerlord
12-22-2006, 06:06 PM
My listening room is 12x15 with an 8 ft. ceiling,with eveyones help on this forum I have followed your instructions and tweaked this sytem to my room and it actually sounds listenable,I do however think my equipment is a bit much for this size room.There were settings on the Infinity that I did not know about that are rubber plugged holes,after reading the manual,I made adjustments and lowered the volume a bit,the sub cleaned up at around 60-70hz and the tower subs at 80hz all of them are cohesive now to a point in this room.We have a huge overstuffed couch and recliner in this room,and a large entertainment center,not to mention all the presents under the tree.Could this be a problem?

GMichael
12-23-2006, 04:29 AM
Presents under the tree are never a problem. :ihih:
I have a big soft sectional in my room also. It's not a problem, but it does suck some of the highs out of the room. Just break out that meter that I know you have left over from your car stereo days. You'll be good.

powerlord
12-23-2006, 07:42 AM
Hey G LOL! I did just that,got the Termpro SPL meter out and found all the sweet spots,I've got alot of bass on the left rear side of the room and my highs are right and a little high mid room and thats seems to be all the mic will pick up.

drseid
12-24-2006, 04:10 AM
Sorry, just getting in on this thread late... That 15 inch Titanic may be overkill for your room size at 12 X 15. As for the Inifinity, I confess I am not a fan. That said, it may not be worth insulting the wife in returning it. Maybe buy a different sub and secretly leave the Infinity disconnected while running the sound through the one you buy for yourself. :-)

In the $1000 and less catagory sub for a room your size I would look at 12 inchers, or even a solid 10 depending on your priorities. Many of the brands already mentioned I concur with... SVS makes a great 10 incher for HT (and does pretty good music in a pinch), so does Hsu.

My favorite, however in the sub $1000 catagory is "The Force XL" by ACI. This is a 10 inch sub that will not touch the SVS or Hsu in max SPL, but it is quite good with music (so it depends on priorities as to which is the more appropriate sub for your needs). Another good one that will take up less space in your room that is great for music and looks stunning is the Rocket UFW-10. This also is a 10 incher that excels at music, but not as much HT (I think you are guessing where my personal tastes lie by my recs... ;-)). Both the ACI and Rocket subs are sold Internet only. ACI's web page is http://www.audioc.com and AV123's (Rocket's distributor) is http://www.av123.com .

Good luck in any case...

---Dave

powerlord
12-24-2006, 08:35 AM
Thanks for the input drseid,I probably listen to HT and music about the same amount of time,I love both,so a sub that will do all would be my pick.We will only be in our house for another 5 years then it's off to a much bigger home,so the Titan might be a keeper.The Infinity isn't the end all of subs,but set right it does it's job.Both are overkill for my space I think,I'm not sure I even need an external sub with the powered dual tens in each of my RSF1000's,thats four powered tens up front and they aren't shabby,they get tight and they go low,so I might be adding the overkill myself,my wife says I can return the Infinity for some rear surrounds,so I'm not going to step on any toes.

drseid
12-24-2006, 02:48 PM
Thanks for the input drseid,I probably listen to HT and music about the same amount of time,I love both,so a sub that will do all would be my pick.We will only be in our house for another 5 years then it's off to a much bigger home,so the Titan might be a keeper.The Infinity isn't the end all of subs,but set right it does it's job.Both are overkill for my space I think,I'm not sure I even need an external sub with the powered dual tens in each of my RSF1000's,thats four powered tens up front and they aren't shabby,they get tight and they go low,so I might be adding the overkill myself,my wife says I can return the Infinity for some rear surrounds,so I'm not going to step on any toes.

If each of your mains has dual powered 10s you are right that probably you already have more than enough bass for your room. That said, if you are disatisfied with your current bass *quality* (not to imply that you *should* be in any way), then a high quality sub cound improve bass quality if you cross it over to cover the low-end. Maybe instead you could use the Dayton for just the LFE on HT and set your mains to large for music and non LFE HT to take advantage of their low bass capabilities? I do this with my Titan sub BTW, as my mains (pictured below my screen name) also have a decent amount of low bass capabilities,

Good luck,

---Dave

powerlord
12-25-2006, 01:07 PM
Great advice I never would have thought of that! I have my front subs crossed over at 80hz and the other sub at 60hz.

GMichael
12-25-2006, 04:40 PM
If each of your mains has dual powered 10s you are right that probably you already have more than enough bass for your room. That said, if you are disatisfied with your current bass *quality* (not to imply that you *should* be in any way), then a high quality sub cound improve bass quality if you cross it over to cover the low-end. Maybe instead you could use the Dayton for just the LFE on HT and set your mains to large for music and non LFE HT to take advantage of their low bass capabilities? I do this with my Titan sub BTW, as my mains (pictured below my screen name) also have a decent amount of low bass capabilities,

Good luck,

---Dave

I agree 100%. His RSF1000's should be more than enough for music. He could use the Titanic for HT only. I'd set the receiver's crossover to only send the Titanic 60htz and under. Maybe even 40 and under.

powerlord
12-25-2006, 06:28 PM
Would it be the same if I set the frequencies at the amplifier crossover on each sub? I have the sub setting on my reciever at 80hz,it has 150,100,and 80 for the sub settings on my reciever.I kinda don't get that either,if you have powered subs with their own crossovers why would you even have to mess with the recievers sub setting?

GMichael
12-26-2006, 06:41 AM
Would it be the same if I set the frequencies at the amplifier crossover on each sub? I have the sub setting on my reciever at 80hz,it has 150,100,and 80 for the sub settings on my reciever.I kinda don't get that either,if you have powered subs with their own crossovers why would you even have to mess with the recievers sub setting?

On many receivers, those sub settings also affect what goes to your mains. If I set mine at 80htz then my sub gets 20 to 80 and my speakers get 80 & up. (not counting the roll offs) I can set it so that the mains get 20 to 20k no matter what the crossover is set at. I have to set the mains to large and choose "both" (base goes to both the sub and the mains) for the base output.
These newer receivers have so many options it can make your head spin. Well, mine at least.
You can play around with your options and let your ears & meter tell you what's best.

powerlord
12-26-2006, 07:39 AM
Thanks G,I know after playing with my settings now,when I play my music you can't hear the external sub,but when I run them HT they seem to meld and you cannot tell where the external sub is now,and I have it on the right side of the room due to no space.So I can feel the bass more now than hear it.

GMichael
12-26-2006, 07:54 AM
That's great. I love it when a plan comes together.