External crossover good next move?

Can you tell us about your speakers and how they are crossover over/hooked up?

-Rob

Also- why do you need to cross over in the first place?

Well, my second question alluded to my reccomendation.

But if you like the sound that is all that matters.

However, it is somewhat atypical to do what you are doing and it opens up multiple cans of worms like this.

9/10 people are simply going to use parallel speaker level runs straight off the NAD and dial in the sub where the speakers naturally roll off. This avoids your very fragile low voltage line signal from having to unneccessarily traverse long IC runs and an additional crossover that might not be well enough engineered to provide pure transparency.

YMMV though.

-Rob

If you were bypassing the passive xo in the speakers than your point would be better taken. But your not.

Also, the distortion/noise added at the line level is completely different than what is created by the transducer. It is far more audible and nasty.

Finally, if you were talking about relieving a tiny amp of a horrendous bass load than it may make sense. But the NAD is more than adequate to drive these relatively efficient speakers.

But again, if he likes the sound that is all that matters.

But there is a reason why hardly anyone utilizes this approach.

-Rob

The comparsion should not be done with and without the sub.

You can still run the sub. By all means you should if you like it. All I am saying is get the signal to the sub via speaker level. Cheap speaker wire is all you need. 1 pair going to the sub, and another going to the AEs on each side. 4 leads coming off the amp.

You have a nice little speakers, and a well built intelligently designed amp. I just do not see how running your sub in the preout/main in loop is going to help anything. I dont believe it is helping the AEs in any way.

-Rob

Your missing the point. This is not a line level vs speaker level debate.

The issue is running it in the preout/main in loop. In this case line level forces it to be in the loop, which is why speaker level makes more sense to me.

Simple logic says that adding 12ft of ICs and an additional crossover to your signal chain is not ideal. If you are going to do it, it better have a big sonic payoff. This is where we disagree.

His speaker is efficient and represents a benign load to the amplifier. In addition, the amplifier has a respectable power supply. The NAD does not need to be relieved of the load.

If you are looking for a 75hz wallop, than okay. But if you are looking for flat response you are better off letting the speakers roll off naturally and filling in with the sub at this point. That 6.5in Peerless woofer is going to do far more justice to an upright bass than the sub.

Finally, due to this config the OP is asking about buying an external passive XO as an upgrade. His money is much better spent in other places. Why force yourself down this road when you can simply work this need out of the design?

There is no right or wrong. Just opinions- ours differ. Im suggesting he try speaker level. I see it as sonically superior and more simple.

-Rob

OP is original poster.

Why dont you run a search for "subwoofer line level speaker" at audioasylum? Might help.

Here is something from www.rel.net

<<
A2. Agreed, most do. However, REL sub-bass systems use the unique REL ABC, which circumvents this problem completely. The ABC is part of the electronics of the sub-bass system and as such does not interfere with the main signal route between pre amp, power amp and the speakers of the main system. For hi-fi use, the signal for the REL is taken at high level via the main speaker terminals on the main amplifier. The impedance of the REL’s high level input (100,000 ohms) has no adverse effect on the main system whatsoever. >>>

Here is the questions; it didnt post initially.

Re; issues with subwoofer integration.

Q2. They either need a crossover hanging on the end of the power amp or an active filter between the pre and power amps, aren't both likely to ruin the sound from any carefully chosen system?

Answer in post above.

Generic, yes.

Search in the speaker asylum for more info.