[HT1278]

Good evening.

I am considering getting a Schiit Freya S, preamp, but it is stereo only.  No sub out on the preamp.  Are the X-Statiks "full range" so for stereo listening no sub is "needed or required"?

Or is there a way with an external crossover box and somehow provide a sub out at a given freq range and below?

Danny, or Hobbs has there been any more news about an "old school" speaker?  Like a 1970's style 3 way speaker? 

[cementhead]

I have the X-Statics with 2 REL T-5X's and LOVE them. IMO, a sub or 2 is necessary with these.

[corndog71]

The Freya has 2 pairs of RCA outputs and one pair of balanced outputs so you’re fine to use one of them out to a sub or two.

My PS Audio GCD only has 1 pair of RCA outputs but I just use RCA splitters to send the signal to both speaker amps and sub amps. 

X-Statiks go down to roughly 60Hz.  Maybe a little lower with room gain.  I ran them full range at my previous apartment and didn’t feel the need to use the sub.  At my current place they definitely need a sub to fill in the bottom.  With even just a single sealed servo sub this combo is awesome!  And if you want to hear what the Statiks can really do, get a pair of Tyr amps.

[Hobbsmeerkat]

Depends on the room and speaker placement.

In narrow/small rooms they can easily get down to 45-50Hz.
In large or wide rooms, they will likely be limited to 55-60Hz.

We should have the test cabinet ready to go fairly soon, the plans have been sent off to Killian, and he's in the process of planning out the necessary information for the CNC.

[HT1278]

So on the REL sub high level input I would connect to say a Vidar bare wire, under the 5 way binding post and then plug in my Stereo Speakers using banana plugs into the same biding posts? 

Is that basically how one would use the high level input?   

I had not heard of this sub company or high level inputs to subs.  I had only heard of balanced and unbalanced connections to a sub with RCA's or XLR connections.  Thank you for that information. 

[HT1278]

Or would it be better to use a receiver like a Yamaha A-S701?  It has speakers A and B connections and I believe that you can select on the Reciever to drive both A and B speakers at the same time and if I remembering right the wattage does not drop with Speakers A and B going at the same time.   

[corndog71]

Do you want a stereo (2-channel) or do you want home theater?

I think the Freya would be better than any receiver unless you want whatever benefits that come from a receiver such as a radio, multi-room system, etc.

Using the high level connections to a sub is nothing new.  Some people prefer it, some don’t.  The sub essentially is connected in parallel either at the amp or at the speakers.  Personally I prefer the line level connection.

[HT1278]

I am putting together a stereo setup and a 5.1 setup. 

I see, you would recommend the Schiit Freya over the Yamaha Receiver.

I do not need the FM tuner.  I do like that is has tone controls.  I have just ordered a Schiit Loki MINI+ for tone controls for my turntable, but I would like tone controls on the CD player also. 

[HT1278]

I do not need multi room, just need a preamp and amps, the integrated unit from Yamaha looked interesting. 

[Danny Richie]

I would add that you can split or Y the output from your preamp to also drive a sub or you can drive many subs (like ours) with speaker level inputs.

You can also make a Y adaptor with an inline filter for the lower frequencies. So it will roll of the lows to the main speaker and allow a full range signal to the subs.

I did a video on them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65eFr2rKy3M&t=137s

[HT1278]

Thank you everyone, I am watching the video from Danny now. Appreciate the link Danny.   

[HT1278]

Danny, do you have any closeup photos of a completed online filter with capacitor as an example? 

Here is a question I just posted on the YouTube comments for that video: Danny, so the three connectors on the "black parts box" are: 1. A male banana plug 2. A RCA jack for the sub, and 3. A five way binding post?   What confuses me some is that since passive speakers have a positive and negative connection, are two of the connectors on the black box for each of the speaker wires going to the passive speakers and one connection, RCA connection to a sub?

[HT1278]

I am watching the video again and I think one thing I am understanding now is that this goes between the source and the receiver or preamp, so that way like you are saying the preamp or Reciever never even sees it.   So basically all connectors on the black box would be RCA jacks and the passive speakers do not connect to the black "parts box". 

[Hobbsmeerkat]

They go between the preamp and power amp, or between a receiver and external power amps.

[HT1278]

I see, Thank you.  Is there a way to do this if the source is digital like HDMI, optical etc?

[Hobbsmeerkat]

I see, Thank you.  Is there a way to do this if the source is digital like HDMI, optical etc?

Outside of digital EQ within the source gear, no.
but then there's nothing for the subwoofers to play since it's being done at the source, before any gear gets to see the signal.
It's only viable between the amp and pre amp.

After the amp is also possible, but is dependent on the woofer impedance & would require cap values as large as 200-400uF or larger, depending on the desired roll off point and speaker impedance.

Example:
8ohm w/ -3dB @60Hz needs a 330uF capacitor.
4ohm will require 660uF for the same rolloff.
Before the amp you would need a 0.1uF on a 27000ohm amp to achieve a similar roll off point.

And at values like 330uF, you need to bundle several large polycaps in parallel, or use cheap electrolytic caps, neither of which are desirable options.

[mlundy57]

Danny, do you have any closeup photos of a completed online filter with capacitor as an example? 

Here is a question I just posted on the YouTube comments for that video: Danny, so the three connectors on the "black parts box" are: 1. A male banana plug 2. A RCA jack for the sub, and 3. A five way binding post?   What confuses me some is that since passive speakers have a positive and negative connection, are two of the connectors on the black box for each of the speaker wires going to the passive speakers and one connection, RCA connection to a sub?

Here is how I've built one with both left and right channels in one enclosure using an electrical box from a big box store. For this, I used all female RCA connectors so it requires three pairs of interconnects; one from the preamp to the input side of the filter, a second from the output side of the filter to the power amp, and a third from the by-pass legs of the filter to the subwoofer amps. In this picture, the input side of the filter is on the right side of the photo, the output side of the filter is on the left side of the photo, and the by-pass legs are on the top and bottom of the [picture.