RTiA's Bass Management Settings "Large" vs "Small" with SVS Subwoofer

Brithon

Looking for tips on Bass Management with the RTiA9. Recently purchased an SVS PB-12 Plus (800W) subwoofer to add some kick to low end. Have read through several schools of thought on bass management and what speaker settings are best to use with full range speakers. Some advise to set full range speakers to "Small" vs "Large" even if those speakers are capable of low end bass (i.e. RTiA's).

Presently I am using AVR as pre-out to mains (A9's), center (CSiA6) and rears (R50's) through Parasound 220 wpc power amp. Sub is running in 20 Hz ported mode via subwoofer cable to sub out jack from AVR. Have played with several settings in AVR and subwoofer and I am conflicted on the best parameters to use.

What do other people here set their full range mains/aA9's to, either "Large" or "Small"?
If setting the RTiA9's to "Small" what X-over setting are you using?
Since there is only a global X-over on my AVR, going lower than 80 Hz I'm certain it will likely impact surround performance as those speakers are nowhere close to full range.

Like most AVR's there is the optional third setting "Plus" delivering LFE to both "Mains + Sub". Have read through all kinds of audiophile forum advice regarding the "Large" v "Small" v "Mains + Sub" debate, including tips to avoid bass cancellation from using mains to deliver LFE. However there is so much conflicting information out there.

Looking to see what other people find works best?


Thanks,

Inspector 24

I set the LFE crossover at 80hz. My receiver allows individual crossovers for the speakers when set to small. I run the A9's as Large, and all the others as small with their x-overs set to 60hz.

I tried running the A9's as small with a x-over of 40hz a bit, and while I didn't experiment a whole lot I didn't prefer it. The bass seemed to shrink a bit, didn't seem quite as boomy when I wanted boom for explosions, and lacked a tiny bit of impact, even with the dual VTF-15h's. So I left them at Large.

I've found that the A9's with plenty of power put out a surprising amount of bass on their own, and seem to dig pretty well into the 40hz region, and have useable output into the 30's in my room with my Radio Shack meter, so I theorized, let them run full range. I have the power, and my ears prefer the sound.

Maybe some day I'll get fancy with REQ and figure out exactly what is going on there.

Dennis Gardner

With separate amplification, it really doesn't matter. You have plenty of power reserve to handle the bass needs if the mains are run large. If you were using the receiver to power the mains, you would really have more chance of potential clipping damage during heavy bass scenes running large.

The THX guidelines suggest 80hz regardless of speaker size to give better clarity to spoken word and I found that to be speaker dependent on the size and numbers of speakers used in the tower's design. My Polk RTi70s sounded very congested when ran large (vocals were very much clearer with the bass removed from the cabinet as their dual 6.5s are woofers doing mid duty too), but my ADS L1230s with a nice mid/tweeter set in addition to the dual 8 inch woofers sounded no different run large or small in the vocal range. I run them large crossed at 40hz.

Trial and error testing is needed, and there is really no right or wrong, just what sounds best to you......

4xoddic

In our 11' X 19' HT, the 4 RTia9s ran for some time in small off the Pioneer SC-07 (140 wpc), with a Velodyne FSR-15 (- 3db @ 18 Hz).

Then the front 2 in Large, using preouts to a Yamaha P7000s (700 wpc).

Now w/out the sub, all 4 in Large. IF there is a decrease in the impact of explosions, it's below the WAF threshold.