New for Bi-wire

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  • Dr. Spec
    Dr. Spec Posts: 3,780
    edited May 2003
    I heard my name, so I figured I'd chime in.

    If you set the fronts to large, they get a full range L/R signal in that channel. If you also set the sub to yes, it gets the LFE channel (".1"), and also any low passed bass from any other speakers set to small.

    There is sometimes an option available when you set your fronts to large. It's called "LFE+Mains". This function sends the subwoofer the LFE channel, plus duplicate low passed bass from the mains (even though they are set to large), and of course still any other low passed bass from surround channels set to small.

    The "LFE+Mains" often results in too heavy bass, and can also cause the sub and the mains to intefere with each other acoustically depending on the subs location in the room. So use this with caution, if your AVR can do it.

    This is the evergreen problem with powered towers. They have puny amps and small bass drivers and can't do bass as well as a sub, so the dilemma is how to run them - small, large, etc.

    If I had powered towers, I'd run them on small with a filter point of 60 Hz. They would still see significant bass below that point, but would not be overwhelmed with a true full range signal that they cannot hope to properly reproduce at the higher volumes common to HT.

    Doc
    "What we do in life echoes in eternity"

    Ed Mullen (emullen@svsound.com)
    Director - Technology and Customer Service
    SVS
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited May 2003
    Thanks to all who have responded. It has been a learning experience for me, but I understand the bi-wiring and crossover/filter with the powered tower much more thoroughly than when this thread started.

    Onkyo says the 787 sends 100 hz and below to the lfe when the fronts are set to small. Fronts set to large it sends 80hz and below to the lfe. This occurs only if you set the subwoofer to yes. If you set the subwoofer to none/no then the full range is sent to the fronts.

    I am going to set to small. The polk sub calculator suggests two 450 for the size of my room. CC is closing them out for 250.00 on clearance, so I have bass thread started for opinions/comments on this.

    Doc, your explanation is clear to me, but I do not have the option to set the lfe to 60 at the receiver, but can at the sub, but then what would happen to the freq. between 60-100 if the fronts are set to small?
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2003
    Think Doc will say...

    If you are using the sub's LFE input, which you should if it has one, you are bypassing the sub's crossover, so the setting does not matter.
    If the sub does not have an LFE input. set the crossover to its highest setting to avoid double filtering the bass signal and let the AVR do the filtering.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited May 2003
    Well guys, thanks for the help. I have hooked up another sub added some wires I got from Mantis and am pretty happy with things right now. Still needs a little tweaking, but at this point I am really thinking the only way I can make a big improvement is to move away from the two 450's and go with a sub that can go lower.

    Everything in good time though. Still getting another 450 from CC for 250.00 new in the box to the door was a good move for me based on my room. :)
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