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 Post subject: Do you use a subwoofer on non-discrete sound mixes?
PostPosted: 27 Jan 2015, 09:21 
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I sometimes-rarely use my sub with a mono track, and my receiver always automatically engages it for ProLogic.

I never know for sure if ProLogic or its variants should have the sub turned on.

What do you guys do?
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 Post subject: Re: Do you use a subwoofer on non-discrete sound mixes?
PostPosted: 27 Jan 2015, 13:57 
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If you had a modern receiver, it should be able to calibrate the sub to match (relatively) seamlessly with your main speakers.

By pumping less really low frequency stuff through the smaller drivers on your speakers and redirecting it to the subwoofer, it should allow your speakers to perform better at normal volume (i.e. lower distortion), while allowing them to play louder before distorting.

Basically it's win-win.

Of course a typical mono track doesn't have a huge amount of low frequency content.
  
 
 Post subject: Re: Do you use a subwoofer on non-discrete sound mixes?
PostPosted: 09 Feb 2015, 20:12 
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megapixie wrote:
By pumping less really low frequency stuff through the smaller drivers on your speakers and redirecting it to the subwoofer, it should allow your speakers to perform better at normal volume (i.e. lower distortion), while allowing them to play louder before distorting.

Along the same lines, I have my main speakers set to "small" in the receiver setup. This (at least in my setup) keeps it from sending the low frequency to both the subwoofer and the main speakers. Just think of your subwoofer as another crossover point (tweeters/woofers/subwoofer). Unless you're sitting really close to one speaker or you have some odd acoustics or are a card-carrying member of the audiophile league, you shouldn't be able to distinguish exactly where certain frequencies are coming from.
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 Post subject: Re: Do you use a subwoofer on non-discrete sound mixes?
PostPosted: 09 Feb 2015, 21:09 
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Depends on how revealing your setup is and your ears.

Advantage of no subwoofer: modern receivers convers all incoming signal into 16 to 24 bit pcm digital(including analog signals) then performs dolby pro logic or dts neo decoding in digital domain. If you have a subwoofer in your setup, low pass and high pass filters are used again in digital domain.

If you don't use a subwoofer or any dsp(pro logic etc.) then there is no need to digitize the signal. Your receiver wil pass the signal unmolested in stereo. If you have a nice CD or LD player with nice dacs or analog audio. This is the only way you by pass receivers processing and hear pure quality from your disc player.

Advantages of a sub(or more): they are better tuned for lower octaves. Most likely better perform bass than even most full size speakers. Applying a high pass filter on your main will take some stress away from which should result less distortion.(possibly more head room)

Also you are limited with where you can position your mains. Right each side of your tv may not be the best acoustical spot for bass. You can place your sub any where.
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 Post subject: Re: Do you use a subwoofer on non-discrete sound mixes?
PostPosted: 12 Feb 2015, 03:52 
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yes, it's usually set to 100 or 80hz.
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 Post subject: Re: Do you use a subwoofer on non-discrete sound mixes?
PostPosted: 09 Mar 2015, 18:38 
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By default, my Yamaha receiver does not engage the sub on non-discrete programming. But there is an option for "Extra Bass" that will feed lower frequencies into the sub for an extra "kick".
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 Post subject: Re: Do you use a subwoofer on non-discrete sound mixes?
PostPosted: 10 Mar 2015, 20:52 
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My Yamaha DDP-1 decoder will do ProLogic in test mode and only feeds out LCRS with no sub. Hmm. I really want one of the Shures Disclord wrote so fondly about.
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 Post subject: Re: Do you use a subwoofer on non-discrete sound mixes?
PostPosted: 10 Mar 2015, 21:05 
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Unless you have some large full range speakers, you really should be redirecting that bass to a sub, no matter the source. You aren't getting the proper sound otherwise. My powered sub blew last week and I still won't sent full range to the front speakers, they can't handle the lower frequencies and will sound really bad if they try.
  
 
 Post subject: Re: Do you use a subwoofer on non-discrete sound mixes?
PostPosted: 22 May 2015, 11:33 
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My Onkyo TX-SR875 I can if I want to but I never ever really use bass management. But spinning a bit of my dts demo disc APOLLO 13.

Set all channels (80Hz THX)
LFE.1 set at 120Hz with subwoofer output to +8.0db gain so LCRS with the LFE.1 is just a bit exciting on scenes like chapter 8, the NASA "Crawler".

Chapter 12, 35.13 the fuel pumps an extra rumble growls though the Saturn V.

There are control settings on the (audio adjust, page 7 tone control Onkyo) for LFE.1 settings
Dolby digital
dts
Multich PCM
Dolby TrueHD
dts-HD master audio
DSD

0db
-10db
-20db
-oodb (off)

Did a quick print screen of each scene with fuel pumps one with LFE.1 added the other with LFE.1 at -oodb.

Image

Image

Same applies to chapter 13, when rocket engines fire up! Feels like an Earthquake!! The score and rest of Saturn V, rocket engines soon fade out smoothly to allowing LCR carry the bulk of low end if anyone can notice it?

Right I'll set AVR back to full range as I never use bass management I drive the one 18" sub for LFE.1 for digital discrete or if playing analog I need only press a setting on cinema processor that already has LCR low end routed to the same sub. And another set of smaller subs just for LCRS only.

Image

All LCRS low end is handled though an basic 6ch audio mixer so I can trim the levels to equal match. The signal then routes to Harman Kardon AVP1a where I use the (80Hz THX) and let all the lows below 80Hz to lowest play though the extra subs. I use the Input level to suit the film for the room size and there's the extra (bass equalizer) my favorite. :mrgreen:

The LFE.1 control is on the Behringer MDX4600 so I'm all within arms reach and I rather like left front row centre front row is also nice as is right and back row seats slams it chest on APOLLO 13.
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