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In Reply to: How best to integrate subwoofers in HT/Stereo setup posted by fitzjohn on February 18, 2003 at 09:12:40:
My suggestion would be to get an active xover (something like a Marchand XM9-L).Use this xover in your current stereo system between the L&R preamp outputs and the L&R amp inputs.
When you add an HT processor, all you need to do is feed the L&R processor outputs to a spare L&R input on your stereo preamp. This means the HT processor can be turned off when listening to CD or TT inputs from the stereo preamp.
Then on the HT processor speaker setup, you set L&R main speakers to Large, SUB=NO, and don't use the sub-out jack on the HT processor.
This setup allows you to set surrounds and center to small with an appropriate crossover frequency for those speakers in the HT processor.
The active crossover allows you to optimize for the best crossover frequency between your sub, mains and the room thuis providing the best bass response possible.
Follow Ups:
Thanks Bstan, your method seems to be the best way to keep these two modes of listening/viewing separate. Only problem is , I am in the UK, do you know of dealers in the US who would be able to supply the crossovers?
like this one from Hsu . It has a 2nd order high pass, and you could select 2 crossover freq. Make sure you don't get one of those high pass crossovers that has the infinitely adjustable crossover freq. They are implemented with a inferior sounding circuit design, or are implemented with a high precision and expensive multi-ganged pot.
Frankly, I think it's a pretty bad idea to try and match a 2nd order high-pass crossover filter to the 2nd order rolloff of you main speakers (if they are truly 2nd order rolloff which is mostly only true for acoustic suspension) and then try to match that mess with the internal low-pass crossover of the sub.For smoothly blending bass frequencies between mains and sub(s), I prefer something like a symmetrical Linkwitz-Riley (zero degree phase offset) crossover with a rather steep 24dB/octave slope.
This equalizes signal amplitude at the crossover frequency, and IMO makes it easier to pick a correct crossover frequency for a specific set of mains and sub(s).
Here is Marchand's website
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