Sub Question. One higher quality sub or two lesser quality? (Rythmik vs HSU)

@cleeds

sp 16 may or may not be exception. As I indicated I am not merging output with a Y connector with the ARC as I mistakenly indicated initially so in fact I have not encountered that scenario.

I suppose one would know for sure pretty quickly if one tried that.

@cleeds

The Audio Research SP16 has two stereo main outputs. One goes to main amps which remains in stereo and the other to the sub. So that is not an issue.

I’ve learned a lot from Duke (audiokinesis) here over the years in regards to acoustics and sound dispersion in particular and factored that into my choice of a sub with three drivers facing three different directions.


Actually I just checked and one correction.....the Klipsch sub has stereo l/r rca phono plug inputs, so I am actually not using a Y connector there these days with the ARC pre-amp which has the extra stereo main output for it. Glad I checked. I used to have it set up in a different system in another room where I split a single sub output off the integrated amp into dual plugs for both l/r input to this sub using a Y connector..

Starting with one to get that right first makes a lot of sense. That’s the engineer in me speaking.

I have a single powered sub setup using a Klipsch SW 308 with a pair of kef ls50s. Connection is line out from Audio Research sp16 preamp to sub using dual phono rca Y connector to merge channels. Simple and Sounds good. The miniDSP approach mentioned above would be interesting to try.

Klipsch sw 308 has one forward facing active driver and dual passive radiators one to each side. That provides 3 different wave launch geometries in the room out of a single sub and allows the sub to be smaller as well. So you get something along the lines of Bass array approach benefits out of a single compact box which works for me in that I like to keep things simple.

If you have large full range speakers that go down to the mid 30s, if you add subs, you need larger ones that deliver output below that range in that there is little to gain to start with otherwise and you don’t want to merely add to the frequencies already there.

Duke, that makes sense. Thanks.

As I read it the two outputs are already in parallel and connecting two subs to each directly would result in 4 in parallel which would could result in loads 2 ohms or less with nominal 8 ohm subs. Two in series to each would seem like a better idea?

I see two speaker outputs on the Dayton. How does that work to drive 4 subs?

2 on each wired in series?

I’d start with a single sub assuming that the subs used if two are not as good or well matched to the system. Getting the right sub to match is paramount. Best to start with one. That’s all you need if listening from a single sweet spot. Then, if needed to balance out other parts of the room, add more later. I’d stick to a single sub model that matches well though different models might work as long as all match similarly well but I would get one right first then add more of same if needed.

One question I have is how are people connecting multiple subs to their two channel systems not necessarily designed to output to multiple subwoofers out of the box in a manner that maintains proper load?