[nadirmg]

Since 2 sets of wire are going onto a single amp post, make sure you terminate them differently.  Do one in spades, one in bananas.  Or you can combine bare wire with the banana plugs.

Another way to achieve high level sub connection is to piggy back off your mains.  Run cables to you main speakers in the normal way, and then run cables from your speaker posts to the sub's high level inputs.

I'm stumped on a few things.

#1 - Just to fire up my sub, I run a cable from the SUBW OUT RCA on my streamer directly into the Line in RCA, and the sub would HARDLY give off a rumble even when I turned up the volume over 50%. I'm new to subs.. so maybe I just have to let it warm up or is this part of the burn in, or did I just connect it completely wrong? Soundwise, I couldn't even tell it was on at all. I had to put my hand on the cabinet to feel that it was barely putting out some bass.





#2 - Regarding banana plugs and spades. Neither my amps nor my speakers have binding posts. Or it appears they do not. My speakers just have banana plugs. No binding posts. And my amps have these on the back of them. When I unscrew the knob, I don't see a hole in the post where I could slide in some raw wire.






I feel like I'm so close but still not quite there yet...! 

[nlitworld]

Easy fix. Just undo the wire from the banana plugs at the amp side and insert the second set of wire to run to your sub's high level input. It'll still have just the one banana plug at the amp but two wires running out to their respective homes.

[nadirmg]

That's what I figured out, but I got it flopped from what you said, nlitworld.

I've got the sub wires connected to the speaker's banana plugs, rather than the amp's banana plugs. Is there any risk to that? Should they be connected to the banana plugs coming out of the amp and not the plugs going into the speakers?

Thank you so much for all the help and bearing with my saga of newbie questions. This sub REALLY changes the experience. I'm going to cautiously listen to it, I'm a bit apprehensive of playing it too loud too soon and hurt the sub.

[nlitworld]

That should not be a problem at all. Similar to a speaker with bi-wire jumpers. Just a thought but how big is your room? If you have a bigger size room and one sub, that could be part of the reason for having to turn it up a bit extra. Even still, it should fill in the lower end real nicely for you.

[sunnydaze]

I'm stumped on a few things.

#1 - Just to fire up my sub, I run a cable from the SUBW OUT RCA on my streamer directly into the Line in RCA, and the sub would HARDLY give off a rumble even when I turned up the volume over 50%. I'm new to subs.. so maybe I just have to let it warm up or is this part of the burn in, or did I just connect it completely wrong? Soundwise, I couldn't even tell it was on at all. I had to put my hand on the cabinet to feel that it was barely putting out some bass.

IIRC you use a BlueSound Node 2i.  Its default LOW PASS is 80hz.   I'm not familiar with your sub, but be sure to bypass its internal LOW PASS filter if possible.  If not, set it above 80hz.  It's possible you have it set really low (say 30hz?), have not defeated it,  and are therefore filtering out LF between 30 and 80, and / or are maybe playing music without much LF content?

Again, not knowing your sub, maybe you need to select the sub's input with a switch, and you have it set to "high level" instead of LFE, and the sub is therefore not receiving LF info?

I own the Node 2i and you should definitely be getting greater output than you describe.

[sunnydaze]

There's another possibility.....

The Node has a built-in and adjustable low-pass filter.  Its subwoofer output is always active and like I said, the default low-pass is 80hz.  But if you have the subwoofer switched to "ON" in the BluOS app, this means the low-pass is adjustable and set by the user.  Maybe you have it set super low such that little LF info is being delivered to the sub?

In BluOS app goto "settings"  "audio" "subwoofer".  If it is switched to "on" check the level of the low-pass filter.  That is what is being employed.  If toggled to "off"  low pass default is 80hz.

Keep in mind that when the BluOS subwoofer setting is toggled to "on" that your main speakers are also being "high-passed" at the same x-over that you have selected.  The idea is to relieve your main amp and speakers of LF duty, thereby making them work less, resulting in cleaner and less distorted sound.

If toggled to "off" high-pass to mains is no longer in effect, and they are receiving the full signal.  Output to sub is still active and the low-pass defaults to 80hz, not the user setting.

[charmerci]

You also have the gain set at something around -10db.

[sunnydaze]

You also have the gain set at something around -10db.

Duh...good point!    So obvious but I didn't see it.   

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Duh...good point!    So obvious but I didn't see it.   

That's a PEQ setting which you have disabled. So it won't do anything.

There should be a "rumble filter" on the lower portion of the amp, which appears to be turned "on" which will filter out any rumble. Try playing with that switch to see if disabling it helps with the issue.

[nadirmg]

The room I'm playing in is roughly 12' x 17' but it's got three big doorways in it. The only other room I could set up in is easily 2x the size of this room.

Here's a shot of how I have things components placed. Please, don't rip me on cable management yet I'm still on day 2 of getting it all set up.




This shot shows the different doorways in the room. The third doorway on the right opens up to a long hallway. So this may not be the greatest room for this. But I think the other room will just be too big. It's like 20-something feet by 30-something feet.



Sorry, guys. I threw you off with that previous picture. Those settings were not how I was running it.

Currently I have the Subwoofer setting on my Bluesound Node 2i set to "off".

My subsettings (and the sub is definitely working now):


PEQ: On
Gain: 0dB
Bandwidth: Medium/50%
Freq: 50hz (I think)

Delay/Phase: 0 (since I'm using a Highlevel sub connect)
Crossover: 80
Volume: Halfway to max

Subwoofer
Line in Low pass: 80hz
Rumble filter: Off

Extension Filter
Freq: 28
Damping: Hi

I'm just adjusting based on what sounds good... but if I'm doing something wrong with my settings, please do tell me.
Any suggestions, guys?

[nadirmg]

I'm definitely going to get some sound treatment going in the room. It needs it.

[nadirmg]

The only thing I'm not entirely sure about my high level sub connection.... when everything is plugged in and I power on the amps, the right speaker (that has the high level sub connection) pops. It's not painfully loud. But I don't like it and I've got component damage PTSD.

This only started after I did the high level sub connection.

Should I be worried?

[nlitworld]

I would change your turn-on sequencing to keep your sub off until you have your amps on, and turn your sub off before you turn your amp off. I've heard stories of similar pops with amp/preamp sequencing as well. Also, you should be able to connect the left speaker to the sub as well, so that any low information not directly centered in the mix will also be played.

[sunnydaze]

The other channel needs to be connected to the sub.   Setup in the photo would be for one sub in a stereo pair.

[nadirmg]

The other channel needs to be connected to the sub.   Setup in the photo would be for one sub in a stereo pair.

So like nlitworld, you're saying I should connect the left channel to the sub too?
Like this?

[nadirmg]

I would change your turn-on sequencing to keep your sub off until you have your amps on, and turn your sub off before you turn your amp off. I've heard stories of similar pops with amp/preamp sequencing as well. Also, you should be able to connect the left speaker to the sub as well, so that any low information not directly centered in the mix will also be played.

I will give this a shot next time

[nlitworld]

So like nlitworld, you're saying I should connect the left channel to the sub too?
Like this?

Exactly. 

[nadirmg]

I would change your turn-on sequencing to keep your sub off until you have your amps on, and turn your sub off before you turn your amp off. I've heard stories of similar pops with amp/preamp sequencing as well. Also, you should be able to connect the left speaker to the sub as well, so that any low information not directly centered in the mix will also be played.

Changing up the poweron sequence eliminated the pop. Thanks!

[russellberg]

Just read your whole saga, what an ordeal!  I started out very similar to you, with a sealed sub and two smaller, (X-SLS) speakers.  I loved it!  I added one dual driver H frame open baffle sub it was  a wonderful combination having the SPL power of the sealed unit combined with the texture and tone of the open baffle sub.  For me this is a perfect combination.  I turn up the sealed sub when I am watching a movie or listening to electronic music for the added heft, ( I have it set so that it doesn't really play above 40Hz).  I turn it down when I am listening to jazz or acoustic music.   

[Danny Richie]

I'm just adjusting based on what sounds good... but if I'm doing something wrong with my settings, please do tell me.
Any suggestions, guys?

You have the crossover point set pretty high for those speakers. You might want to dial it back to 50 or so on the dial especially while engaging that second filter at 80Hz.

Also try a lower extension and damping settings. That might improve overall imaging.

I'm definitely going to get some sound treatment going in the room. It needs it.

I bet it needs it indeed.