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External crossover good next move?

Hello Audiogoners, budget-minded post

I have an NAD C320BEE amp with a basic Velodyne subwoofer (CT-80) inserted between pre and amp sections (per Bob Reynolds suggestion--thank you). Source is a Lite DAC-AH, fed by an NAD CD player.

The problem is the cable runs to and from the subwoofer need to be quite long (at least 6 feet). I have a DH Labs cable from the DAC to pre, but cables running to the sub and back, I am ashamed to say, are $29 Monster cable. So I wonder how much I am losing in the Monster cable. Also I wonder about the quality of the crossover in my sub: this is an 80-watt HT-oriented sub I got for $300 new in 2001.

I am considering an external crossover, like Paradigm x-30 or Outlaw ICBM. Could I expect a real improvement through this upgrade? Does anyone have a sense of quality of the crossover in a sub like mine, versus those products?

I like the sub-monitor arrangement, and am not quite ready to buy a new amp, although I would not be surprised to hear that is best route. Any ideas appreciated
abarnett
robr45's avatar
robr45
319 posts
 
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
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robr45's avatar
robr45
319 posts
 
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

abarnett OP
18 posts
 
Rob, thanks for your comments, this is helpful.

The other day I took the sub out and reconnected the pre and power sections with a decent cable (DH Labs BL-1). Without the sub, it sounded kind of flat and drab compared to what I'm used to. It seems to me the extra power from the sub is a net plus for this kind of budget system.

Are there good active (external) crossovers that can be used at the speaker level?
robr45's avatar
robr45
319 posts
 
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
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