Bass management

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  • 08-20-2007, 06:18 PM
    flr057
    Bass management
    Preface this by saying that I'm only relating to watching TV or a movie NOT in Digital Dobly. For 5.1, all is cool.

    My two front mains have two 6- inch woofers, two 4" mid's and a dome tweeter but I have been calling them "small" in my receiver. My sub is a Polk PSW505.

    If I leave them on small, I don't get much from them. If I call them 'large', my sub will stay in standby mode even when I direct the LFE to the sub only. I know that there is no LFE if I'm not in DD but shouldn't the <90hz go to the sub and 'wake it up'?
    Or should I send the signal to both the sub and front mains all the time?

    Confused.
  • 08-20-2007, 08:19 PM
    Mr Peabody
    Different manufacturers do their bass management various ways. Some are more flexable where others are limited. When my processor has the mains set to "large" my sub doesn't work in 2 channel. I could set up a separate configuration just for 2 channel but I don't use it enough to mess with it. If you have the option to send bass to mains and sub simultaneously, then that's what you should do if you want the sub to work. LFE is the .1 in 5.1 and is only found in 5.1, or more, movie sound tracks. So when listening to 2 channel and mains to "large", you'll have to do some adjusting if available to get the sub to work in 2 channel. So you will most likely have to consult your owners manual to see what, if any, options there are for sub in 2 channel.
  • 08-20-2007, 11:39 PM
    pixelthis
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by flr057
    Preface this by saying that I'm only relating to watching TV or a movie NOT in Digital Dobly. For 5.1, all is cool.

    My two front mains have two 6- inch woofers, two 4" mid's and a dome tweeter but I have been calling them "small" in my receiver. My sub is a Polk PSW505.

    If I leave them on small, I don't get much from them. If I call them 'large', my sub will stay in standby mode even when I direct the LFE to the sub only. I know that there is no LFE if I'm not in DD but shouldn't the <90hz go to the sub and 'wake it up'?
    Or should I send the signal to both the sub and front mains all the time?

    Confused.
    iF YOU HAVE A FREE "pre" out for front left and right you might try hooking that to your seb and set the setting to no sub, them your bass will go the the front left and right, on your sub and on your speakers
  • 08-21-2007, 04:30 AM
    kexodusc
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by flr057
    Preface this by saying that I'm only relating to watching TV or a movie NOT in Digital Dobly. For 5.1, all is cool.

    My two front mains have two 6- inch woofers, two 4" mid's and a dome tweeter but I have been calling them "small" in my receiver. My sub is a Polk PSW505.

    If I leave them on small, I don't get much from them. If I call them 'large', my sub will stay in standby mode even when I direct the LFE to the sub only. I know that there is no LFE if I'm not in DD but shouldn't the <90hz go to the sub and 'wake it up'?
    Or should I send the signal to both the sub and front mains all the time?

    Confused.
    Could just be a voltage threshold issue. Try increasing the level to the sub in your receiver settings, while lowering the gain on the sub's amplifier to offset the increased volume. If the voltage sent through the LFE channel is insufficient to trigger the sub's auto-on circuitry, your sub just won't activate. I had HSU and Paradigm subwoofers that had this very problem. Not a big deal really.

    Also, make sure you have the variable crossover on the sub to the highest possible number or use the bypass setting if available. I would think the filter circuitry comes after the auto-on, but ya never know. Best to do this anyway.