[Wayner]

I have been fooling around with this and that this forum would be better suited as I know that there are many Salk HT systems with sub-woofers out there. Are you at 80, 50 or greater?

Wayner

[floresjc]

I'd be curious to know as well. It seems 80 is the most popular choice, although I had been pondering 60. If you read this thread Jim, I'd be interested in your opinion on the best choice for SongTowers, matched either with the SongSub or one of the Rythmiks you've been putting out.

[vintagebob]

I'm using 80hz.  My sub is nearfield behind the listening position (18" from the sidewall, 50% from back/front) and I cannot locate it while listening to music.  My room is well treated so I think that helps reduce the ability to locate it.  I had it in a front corner for awhile and even equalized with my antimode 8033 I could locate the bass due the added "boom".

[Wayner]

Goody, I'm glad I'm not the only one pondering this question. Obviously, the the cross-over too high, we loose the bass impact from the  mains and really point out the subwoofer's location. If we set it too low, we may loose some system power, the reason we got the subwoofer in the first place. I also run my Sub with the LFE input which usually by-passes the crossover knob on the sub, allowing the preamp's LFE output control the split between mains and sub at the selected frequency. At least that's how mine works.

Wayner

[coke]

From my experience, it's equipment and room dependant.

I usually end up somewhere between 60 an 80.

Also it seems to me, that the farther away the sub is from the center of the screen, the lower the crossover required.   

[saisunil]

My experience with Rythmic Sub and GR-Research Monitors and another poular brand combo was to set it close to 50-60 Hz for a smoother integration, but this was done for two channel audio, dont know how it would be different from HT. I guess. ultimately it is to try to get a smoother, flatter integration. I agree with the previous poster - it is room dependant. It will also depend on the Sat / Stand-mount Frequency response and also if it is a sealed or ported design ...

Cheers

[bpape]

I run mine at 55Hz with a 12db slope on the sub - 65Hz with a 24db slope on the mains. 

[Wayner]

Brain Bryan,

I'll assume you separate the cross-overs to prevent overlaping?

Wayner

[bpape]

Yes.  I allow some but prefer to control which is rolling into the other.  My processor allows separate xover points, xover slopes, and xover types for the mains vs the sub(s)

Bryan

[Nuance]

The best weigh to find out where to cross over would be to listen AND measure.  Measurements will generally show where to cross over, but you need to listen as well to ensure it sounds good.  My subwoofer crosses over at 80Hz, but not by choice (for music).  For movies I can go as high as 100Hz if I want to before it starts to be localized.  It just so happened that the forced 80Hz x-over of my Parasound 2100 preamp is the exact spot where the measurements tell me to crossover.  I got lucky. 

Also, and this should go without saying, don't cross over your mains too low.  The crossovers build into our receivers and preamps are not a brick wall, so setting it at least 15-20Hz higher than your speakers are rated to go down to is a good idea.  Since the ST's are rated down to about 40Hz, for HT I'd say start with 60Hz and move up...just don't go lower than 60Hz.  For the HT2 TL's - who knows?  They measured down into the 20's at a buddy's house, so you'd just have to measure and listen to find the best position. 

In short, it all depends on the room, subwoofer placement and seating location placement.  A combination of measuring AND listening is best to determine where to place the subwoofer and set the crossover.  YMMV, of course.

Also it seems to me, that the farther away the sub is from the center of the screen, the lower the crossover required.   

That is probably a factor of your room.  The distance is probably effecting the phase, which might change the response between 60 and 80Hz.  Measurements would tell you for sure.

My processor allows separate xover points, xover slopes, and xover types for the mains vs the sub(s)

Bryan

That's always a plus. 

[Russell Dawkins]

I'd say  as a general rule, if your mains are fairly full range - say, flat to 40-50Hz - then a crossover in the 40-60Hz range is easiest to integrate and tends to sound better, but gives little dynamic advantage.

If you can manage to cross around 80Hz, then a significant advantage is gained with regards power handling and dynamic range, but you are pushing it if you are working with a single mono sub, especially if you listen much to orchestral music where stereo bass is important and mono bass below 90Hz is clearly audible and inferior.

If you have the luxury of stereo subs then you can cross as high as 100-150Hz and gain big power advantage, but integration is usually difficult at those high frequencies.

Easiest integration I have experienced was at 40Hz between my stereo 10" Hsu subs and either my Tannoy Ardens and my SP Tech Timepieces, flat down to 40Hz and 30Hz, respectively. The TPs, especially, were easy to match.

[TJHUB]

I basically agree with every post on this thread.  I've spent a ton of time trying every x-over point I could try and I always seem to settle at 80Hz.  For me, some sort of EQ'ing on the sub is an absolute MUST.  If you have the gear to measure your room, you can see how your room is affecting both your mains and the sub to help pick the best x-over points. 

For me, 80Hz and the ability to EQ the sub. 

[zybar]

60-80Hz gives me great results for my SongTower equipped HT.

I used measurements (via Velodyne SMS-1 or XTZ Room Analyzer) and test tones to come to this conclusion.

This is with homemade subs or OB GR Research/Rythmik subs.

George

[NekoAudio]

+1 for measurements.

You really need to find out what actually measures correct, because your room may be influencing things, and manufacturer specifications may not match your reality. Plus, you don't necessarily want to pick the lowest point possible at a 75dB test. Your mains may be able to play flat to X Hz at 75dB, but cannot at 100dB.