Need Advice for System Set-up

4WardMotion

Hello All,

I am looking for some help with my setup. I just purchased a DSW Pro 500, but they sent me a 550wi instead. Unless I hear otherwise, I will be keeping this sub and not using its wireless capabilities. I would like to know what is the best way to set my system up? I am in the process of building a full HT system, but at this time I have a Pioneer Elite VSX-33 receiver, RTi A5's for my fronts and then the new sub. Is using the LFE out to my receiver the best way to go and if so, what should I set everything to on the sub and my receiver? The sub will be sitting beside my couch to the left of the front speakers and firing downward.

I would say that we use the system for about 80% HT and 20% Music. I will be purchasing a CSi A6 for my center channel as soon as I have the money. Any help you can offer me in getting this set-up right would be greatly appreciated. Also, how important is the quality/type of RCA cable that runs from the sub to the receiver? I need to go purchase this cable and want to make sure I get the right one.

Thanks for your help!

4WardMotion

jbooker82

Use LFE for the input on the sub (make sure you have the switch selected LFE on the back of the sub). Then run the automatic setup. The sub low pass frequency setting in the avr should be set to 120 hz.

4WardMotion

Thanks jbooker82!

I got the new sub hooked up tonight and it sounds great! The only thing I did different was to set the crossover via the receiver to 80 hz, which was recommended by the manual. Is there a reason you recommend 120 over 80? It definitely adds some great bass to my movies and music. Can't wait to use it to its full potential.

nhhiep

80hz for the A5 is right. Anything above that, you will hear voice coming from the sub, which is never good.

4WardMotion

Thanks nhhiep!

ravaneli

I would agree that 120 is way too high for these towers. I would actually use 60 as crossover, if I use crossover at all. However
using LFE is alternative to crossover, i thought. If you do LFE, the receiver sends LFE tagged signal to the sub regardless of what the frequency of the signal. Using LFE is a little tricky, you should google it and read a page or two. When you switch to music you have to make sure you turn the LFE off and use the crossovers (at 60 I recommend). The sub, and yours in particular, sounds tighter when you don't stretch it in a big range. You have very potent towers, they should dig down to 60 w no problem.

Lietuvis91

lol! 120hz is not too high... The crossover point is VERY subjective.

I run one of my systems at 120hz because that is where it sounds best, in that room, with that sub, and that particular sub location. It is entirely possible that in the OPs case 120hz will work very well. However, these towers can definitly sound good going lower. I wouldn't run them below 80hz though, because almost certainly the sub is better at handling that range, when blended in properly.

In just about every case you have to Test-n-tune, and find out what works best. 80hz is merely a recommended starting point because it takes nearly nothing else into account about your room or your system.

specd_out

I have a nearly identical setup to you. See my sig. My sub (dsw600) is even beside my couch down firing. After alot of playing around I found that setting the fronts to large with the sub set to "yes" and "plus" and x-over @ 80hz sounded better then the normal all speaker small 80hz x-over. But thats just me.

Also if you speaker is downfiring onto carpet place a 18x18 piece of tile under the sub. It helps clean up the bass some.

On my sub my phase is at 0 my setting is in corner, and the x-over knob is at the highest setting so that the x-over on the avr is controlling the sub.