Integrating a subwoofer


I had a 10 inch AR subwoofer I purchase more than 20 years ago.  Condition is still quite good at least cosmetically.  Everything functions as it should.  It has phase switch, crossover frequency and volume adjustments.  My amp is a parasound NC 2125 v2 which has a "high pass" filter (HPF) with two cut off frequencies at 20 and 40 hz.  My main speakers are Wharfedale Linton with the frequency response from 40 hz to 20 khz.  When I integrate the subwoofer (connected through loop out) in without any filtering, the bass from subwoofer is boomy, tempo is off and can not catch up with the bass from the Linton.  I experiment the crossover of the subwoofer from the lowest frequency all the way to 60 hz, no notable improvement is made.  Then I set the HPF (in amp) at 20 hz, bass is cleaner, more defined but is still not as tight or speedy as I desire.  I do not wish to set the HPF at 40 hz because it defeats the purpose of having a subwoofer.  Any advise?  What should I do to make it the integration better, OR do I need a better subwoofer?  Any recommendation?

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Showing 1 response by elliottbnewcombjr

At least try 40hz. You cannot go by specs, it’s actual performance in that particular space. ’Real’ bass extension takes more than a single 10".

I think even 40hz crossover is too low, my subs (1 office with smaller wharfdales, 1 home theater with dbx 100’s) both do better at 80hz.

Office, I just add enough to keep the system from sounding ’small’. Only aware of it when I turn it off.

Home Theater, it’s to give some ’Dinosaur Stomp’, i.e. Jurassic Park, Black Hawk Down, not for music extension, the dbx soundfield 100’s do well enough on their own.

 

If you buy an inexpensive sound meter, it will give you good info. It doesn’t need to be perfectly calibrated, just shows output of specific frequencies relative to other frequencies. This one, on a tripod, ear height, listening position helped me a lot

 

this test cd has separate tracks for each frequency, and they are 1 minute long (longer than needed, but not too annoyingly short).