Setup with new DM601s

[lbhkilla]

I just got my B&W DM601s and am trying to figure out what I should be using for speaker size/crossover stuff. My reciever only has 100, 150, and 200hz crossover settings. The speakers are supposed to have a frequency response down to 60hz. Should I just set the speakers to large and set the subs crossover around 60? or will that make my mains sound like crap in movies with all the super-low stuff coming to it.

[N. Abstentia]

Definitely don't set them to large, as they can't handle LFE freqencies. Set them to small and use the lowest crossover point you can.

[RJW1138]

I just got my B&W DM601s and am trying to figure out what I should be using for speaker size/crossover stuff. My reciever only has 100, 150, and 200hz crossover settings. The speakers are supposed to have a frequency response down to 60hz. Should I just set the speakers to large and set the subs crossover around 60? or will that make my mains sound like crap in movies with all the super-low stuff coming to it.

It's always a bummer when your receiver doesn't have the crossover options that you want. As you know, your options are to do 100 to both, or run your speakers as large and set your sub to where it best integrates. Unfortunately, you'd probably be best off with an 80 or 70 Hz setting for your mains. Doh!

At 100 Hz, the problems are sucking the impact out of your mains, which are capable of going quite a bit lower, and a subwoofer which is too localizable, which is annoying and unsynergistic.

Running full range, your mains face the problems of reduction of maximum overall output, muddying of the mid-range frequencies, and the possibility of distorting your woofers on low frequency info.

My best advise, unfortunately, is to cop-out and tell YOU to try out your options, and determine which you like better. There's a lot of conflicting advice/proof/anecdotal evidence regarding this matter, but I have yet to hear a panacean answer. I think you should envision what your goals from your system are, and then pull off a marathon test session trying each combination. Hopefully by the end your ears will tell you which combination you like better. If not, there's no way that anyone here is going to do any better by trying to apply generic rules to your situation.

Of course, I think you should do this because I don't have much experience with this myself, and none with my current system. I have a receiver with a fixed 80 Hz crossover, and 602 s3 mains, which have a 49 Hz -3dB point. Ideally, my crossover setting would be 60 or 70 Hz, which I don't have. In the future, when I get a sub, I'm going to have the exact same problem as you, and I don't know which way will be best. (Fortunately for me, my 80 Hz crossover is more favorable than your 100 Hz one, and 80 Hz IS the THX standard...whether that means anything or not)

So again, my advice would be to try the combinations yourself and report back to us, but if there's anyone here with better experience in this matter, I'd sure like to hear from them. Maybe they could save you the, uh, "hassle" (?), of testing your system out. ;-)