Best setup between sub and 800i?

newsman

I know, I know I've read FAQ and everything, but still. I have my sub >6foot from receiver, so I can't use line out for the front speakers to feed line level inputs of the sub. Fine, I will use speaker wire to connect Sub's inputs and another pair to connect speakers to sub's speaker out. Question though, won't sub degrade quality of the signal going to the speakers? Is the filtering stage of the sub of the good quality or should I just stick with good shielded RCA cables for line out?
However, I have concerns about this configuration. Since I will select my mains as Large, they will receive full LFE channel during movies - which will put unnecessary stress on my speakers. At least when using speaker wire, sub filters out very low frequencies from my mains.

If I just connect sub level out from my receiver, what should I do when playing CD and SACD - in 6-ch Input/CD-Direct modes it doesn't output to the sub. (Unless in 6ch, sub channel has premixed information)

Thanks.

trubluluc

Hi newsman-

What model of sub do you have?
What model receiver?

-luc

jcaut

I've noticed that Outlaw Audio is now making a bass management module for sources like DVD-A and SACD. That may be the only correct way for you to handle the bass from your multichannel SACD.

OutlawAudio ICBM

newsman

Sorry, my spec are.

mains: RT 800i
sub: SW450 with all imaginable input outputs.
center:CS400i
surr: 500i f/x
Receiver: Marantz RV7000

Receiver has 6 ch input and output. When selecting 6ch input all of the tone controls including distance and size configs for the speakers are bypassed - to achieve the purest sound. Same goes for direct mode on the CD. Thus with CD I loose sub when playing CD and when playing stereo SACD. In my current configuration though speaker wire goes though sub, so it filters out low bass to itself. In my receiver sub is selected as "none", LFE should be outputted to my fronts during the movies. However my concern is that I'm degrading oh so important signal to my fronts when running though subs filter. Otherwise this configuration should work fine, unless somebody has a better idea of how to do things.

Also I haven't decided what to do with the size setting for my center and rears.

jcaut

I doubt that running the speaker wire through the sub would degrade the signal enough to worry about. Be sure and use good wire to help compensate for the extra length.

I'd suggest setting the center and rears to "small", since neither speaker is going to do much with bass below 50 Hz or so, but opinions vary. It's probably best to try it both ways, and see what sounds best to you.

Jason

newsman

Well, I just hope that Polk has a good quality electronics inside their sub, because I have no practical way of comparing sound from my fronts with or without sub filter in the way. (Too much moving around). I use standard quality 12Ga cable for my fronts, and thinking about using one for the center, since SACD is so amazing in multichannel. As far as size setting I'm not so sure - receiver will automatically set crossover to 80 or worse, to 100Hz for the "small" speakers, while both of my center and surround spk could go near 50Hz - in the same time I don't want to overdrive my expensive surround setup...

newsman

bump