Help Setting Subwoofer Crossover Frequency (1 Viewer)

[punman]

Help Setting Subwoofer Crossover Frequency
Just got a subwoofer and have a setup question. AVR is Harmon-Kardon but I doubt that is too pertinent.
My centre channel starts at 70 Hz, fronts at 43Hz, and surrounds at 50Hz. I plan on setting these speakers at “small” and setting the AVR at 80 Hz to send all signals lower than 80 to the subwoofer. I know I can change the 80 figure if I need to down the road.

My question is “what do I set the crossover frequency dial to on the back of the sub?” It only gives min. and max. settings on the dial. At first I thought that I might need to guess where 80 is on that dial, then I read the following from an audio website:

You do want to set the subwoofer's crossover to its maximum rotation so you remove it from the circuit. This is done to avoid "cascading" two crossovers, which might cause uneven and erratic deep bass output.

So now I am not sure if it needs to be set to max. (140Hz) or not? Will that override the receiver and send 130 Hz to the sub instead of the other speakers? The article seems to imply the opposite, that this avoid gaps and overlaps that you would get if you set the dial somewhere in the middle.

Also a question about the sub connector cable. I am using the white ends of an old red-white RCA connector from a tape deck. Are sub cables a gimmick or worth the money?

 

[Clinton McClure]

Set it to 140Hz, Dwayne. That way it will pick up the 70Hz and below from the receiver and you will not have to worry about it ever again.

That is correct.

I wouldn't worry too much about the sub cable. Like undercoating on a car, THX certification and the Monster brand mean nothing on cables. If you want to step up in sub cables, check out Monoprice or BlueJeans. They can get you excellent cables for less than you'd pay in a store.

 

[JohnRice]

Yes, set it to the highest setting. You have two crossovers, one in the sub and one in the receiver, but you should only use 1, and the one in the receiver is by far the best choice. The best option is to use a "bypass" or "LFE" input on the sub, if it has one.

I would try setting a higher crossover on the receiver though. Don't assume the lowest possible crossover is best, it usually isn't. 100-150Hz is probably a better range with your speaker arrangement, mainly due to the capabilities of the center.

Don't worry if you choose not to follow my advice, most people don't in this area. They are mistakenly intent on setting the crossover the lowest they can. You're just not letting the sub have its greatest value and use.