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Subwoofer & pre amp

I like JL Audio subwoofer, had F113 for a brief period and thought it was better than Rel B1 & Stadium I used to own.

I now have a pre amp with only 1 set of output; JL only takes line leve input and no speaker level input. Short of using a Y-adaptor which will degrade sound more or less, will I be better off getting a Velodyne DD or Rel again? Either one will be physically larger than JL whcih could be an issue.

This sub will be 30% music & 70% HT, I normally don't use sub for music but like to have that option.
semi
semi OP
649 posts
 
that will require buying new cables and long XLR IC are not "cheap", probably cost as much as a subwoofer.

Purist Audio sells Y-adapter for $300 and they openly admit it will degrade sound.

JL subwoofer has variable/fixed gain selection in front. According to the manual, fixed is used when volume is controlled by pre amp or processor. what about variable? my pre amp has RCA line out which has fixed output, can that be used?
miner42
709 posts
 
Does the JL have an 'out' line level to run back to the amp?
semi OP
649 posts
 
it does, but only 1 channel. it's for connecting more than 1 sub using daisy-chain method.

even if it has stereo out, it will degrade system sound. my emphasis is on maximizing 2-ch performance, otherwise I can't justify spending the kind of money I spent on pre & power amps.

if all fails, I might even down grade to a cheap sub just for HT...
jwpstayman
402 posts
 
Semi- my advice would be to NOT use a Y cable of any kind. Many 2 channel preamps will exhibit crosstalk when the output is put into this sort of condition. Even tho the F113 is a very good sub, my advice would be to sell it and go back to REL. BTW - what pre-amp are you using that has only one set of outputs? Most modern pre-amps that I have seen, heard, used have at least 2.
semi OP
649 posts
 
I am using Einstein pre amp. simply the best I have owned, but it lacks many useful feature like HT bypass, 2 sets of output, or even volume setting. German likes to do things differently, form follows function at its best.

guess it's either Velodyne or REL for me?
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