Crossover help plz

Agent

I posted this over at the AVS forums but haven't had much of a response so I thought I would try here.

My current setup consists of a Pioneer VSX-9040TXH, RtiA7s, CSi5, SVS PC12-NSD sub and a XPA-3 powering the fronts and center. My question has to do with the crossover setting and whether to set the fronts to small or large. With the XPA-3 powering the fronts should I still set them to small and if so, should I set the crossover to 60hz since they have pretty darn good bass or bump it up to 80hz? Or, should I set them to large and let them do their thing in conjunction with the sub? What do you all recommend? So many settings, so little time, lol.

I had two responses, one said set to large and the other said small, lol, to which I responded...

If I set them to large can I still cross them over at 60 or 80hz? Would the speakers sound and perform any differently set to large crossed over than they would set to small and crossed over the same? It would seem that they should be crossed over at some point because those 7 inch woofers are not going to be able to accurately produce the lowest of frequencies without some distortion, no?

w_coyote

Ok, Here's my say about it. Keep in mind that I'm a long ways from being any kind of expert. Set it up one way and listen to it. Does it sound good? Now try it the other way. does it sound better. If not change it back. What I like and what you like could be the same or completely different. All you have to satisfy is yourself. So play around until you get it sounding like you want. Your done. Sit back and enjoy.

Agent

w_coyote wrote: »

Ok, Here's my say about it. Keep in mind that I'm a long ways from being any kind of expert. Set it up one way and listen to it. Does it sound good? Now try it the other way. does it sound better. If not change it back. What I like and what you like could be the same or completely different. All you have to satisfy is yourself. So play around until you get it sounding like you want. Your done. Sit back and enjoy.

Well obviously, I was just hoping to tap into the minds of some of the people who have been going through this for a while because this is my FIRST run with a nice system. I am coming from an old Onkyo HTIB and this is a whole new ball game. Most of the stuff I have read says resist the temptation to set your fronts to large, especially if you have a nice sub...which I do, so IF that is the general consensus, how low should I let the A7's go, given their capability WITH 200w behind them before handing off to the sub? 40, 60, 80hz?

vc69

80hz on mains and center is a good general rule of thumb. Let your sub amp handle anything lower. Music is a different story, I run my mains large for multi-ch music.

Agent

vc69 wrote: »

80hz on mains and center is a good general rule of thumb. Let your sub amp handle anything lower. Music is a different story, I run my mains large for multi-ch music.

This where I am a little confused. I understand setting 80hz for front stage but when listening to music you set your mains to large and don't use the sub at all? I hope my receiver has a quick swap setting, otherwise, going into the setup menu to change back and forth would get old. I have so much to learn With old onkyo (don't have the new pioneer yet) the only crossover setting I had was for the sub. Then it was either small or large for the speakers. I beleive my new pioneer has a crossover setting for each speaker. What about the surrounds?

Conradicles

Welcome to Club Polk Agent. Based on my experience, try this:
Set all speakers to "large"
Set the sub crossover at 60HZ
Then plug up the mic and run the MCACC
When completed, listen to some samples of movies/TV/music
Adjust the EQ in the AVR (one feature I love about that Pioneer) and sub level as needed to fit your liking (usually I crank up the low bass a bit around 40 HZ because I'm a bass head like that)

The key is trying different ways and seeing what sounds best in your room.
Enjoy!

Agent

Conradicles wrote: »

Welcome to Club Polk Agent. Based on my experience, try this:
Set all speakers to "large"
Set the sub crossover at 60HZ
Then plug up the mic and run the MCACC
When completed, listen to some samples of movies/TV/music
Adjust the EQ in the AVR (one feature I love about that Pioneer) and sub level as needed to fit your liking (usually I crank up the low bass a bit around 40 HZ because I'm a bass head like that)

The key is trying different ways and seeing what sounds best in your room.
Enjoy!

Whoa, that was a little confusing. I too am a bass head:) But your saying set all speakers to large? You mean fronts AND center? Ya, since I don't actually have the avr yet, I don't understand the eq fully. I assume there is a bass equalizer setting that you crank up. Can I use the sub WITH the fronts set to large because somone said I can't. What is the difference between setting them small and crossing over at 60hz and setting them to large and crossing over at 60hz?

vc69

When listening to multich music (something I rarely do) I set my receiver to "Direct". It takes my room correction and crossovers out of the picture. I love Audyssey for HT. Not so much for music. But I'll say it again, I almost never listen to 5.1 mixes on my DVD-A's or SACD's. I'm a two-channel music guy.

My surrounds are crossed at 80hz (for HT) too.

Agent

Does direct still implement the sub? I suppose it wouldn't if the crossovers are taken out of the picture.
Oh and if I have the fronts set to small for HT, does direct put them in Full range mode?

vc69

In "Direct" the .1 (LFE) channel is sent to the sub. There is no bass management (redirect) of the 5 channels. At least that is my understanding. Again, this is a configuration I rarely use and really am not too concerned with.
Let me put it another way: It's what works for me. YMMV

Conradicles

Agent wrote: »

But your saying set all speakers to large? You mean fronts AND center?

I run fronts, center and surrounds on large. Now, if I had tiny speakers:o I would run them small.

Your speakers are not "small" in my opinion.

Pretty sure your receiver can run a sub with the speakers set to large. Mine can and it is a lower model Pioneer. Some AVR's can not.

When you get the Pioneer, spend a lot of time getting to know the settings as it is an extremely flexible receiver.

Agent

Man there doesn't seem to be a right or wrong answer to this, lol. When you set them to large are they sill crossed over to the sub at low frequencies...like 40hz or 60hz? You even set your center to large? Why? I just can't see them 7 inch woofers on the RTi7's digging down enough to not cross them over at real low frequencies.

I also have a new question. My CSi5 is rated for 200w. Is there any chance of over driving it with the xpa-3 when its cranked up? I mean the CSi5 is rated at 200w but its nothing like an rtia7. Its the under powering that is the real danger correct and that shouldn't be a problem with the xpa-3 pumping out a clean 200w per channel. Thoughts?

cnh

Ok....as said the rule of thumb for HT is 80hz! Let the SUB do the LFE work under that!

In two channel music, IF YOUR AVR HAS A DIRECT OR PURE DIRECT OPTION...usually that will turn off your sub and your two mains should be set to LARGE or FULL RANGE for 2 channel. IF YOU HAVE TOWERS, which you do! Turning off all equalization and room correction for 2 channel is usually best. PURE DIRECT does that for you!

I NEVER use a sub when I am listening in 2 channel.

Does that help or are you still confused....?

cnh