Separate subs for music and HT/surround


My stereo setup is comprised of Ayre 5/20 series digital hub, preamp and amp that drive KEF Ref 1s through a passive Marchand high-pass filter. For HT and surround, LR side and rear surround from an SP3 go to NAD Class D amps that drive LS50s. The SP3 receives HDMI from an Ayre DX-5 DSD, and its front LR output goes to a balanced by-pass input of the KX-5/20. I have two Velodyne SMS-1 bass managers that provide acoustic room correction, two HGS-10 subs, and two HGS-15 subs.

Question: Should I use one SMS-1 with the two HGS-10s for stereo and the other SMS-1 with the two HGS-15s for HT and surround music? I realize there are advocates for using 4 subs, and I could daisy-chain the SMS-1s, but separating the SMS-1s seems a neat way to keep stereo separate from HT.

db
Ag insider logo xs@2xdbphd
Hello DB,

     Happy Thanksgiving!  

     I'm disappointed, you're not even going to give the 4-sub DBA concept a try?  Please trust me, you'll be amazed if you give it a try on music or HT.  I certainly was.  C'mon, be adventurous.

Tim
Post removed 
Hello kgveteran,

     I don't know what millercarbon has against "horrid sounding HT" but, I know that with 1 to 4 subs optimally positioned in a room, HT does not sound horrid at all and works equally well for HT and music.  I know this because I've been doing and listening to both HT and 2-ch music with a 4-sub DBA for over 5 years now.  
     I also wanted to let dbphd know that I recently bought an Oppo 205 for a reasonable to me premium of $2,100 and won't be needing his.  
     I haven't been following this thread as closely as I was earlier and was wondering how dbphd was doing with his system.  Hopefully, he'll post again soon to let us know.
     On a side note, I've been busy lately upgrading my own system from 1080p to 4K.  I bought an Oppo 205 to replace my 105 and ordered a 4K LG C9 77" OLED hdtv to replace my Panasonic 1080p 65" plasma.  I'm also having a local hi-end retailer treat my room fully as soon as I receive my order of required room treatments from GIK. This should be interesting and educational.
     I'm also looking forward to watching that Over Lord disc you posted about.

Thanks,
 Tim
Tim,

I’m using my 205 in the living room with an Audio Engine until i get the Marantz Model 18 serviced. An Ayre A7e & Codex for Roon also reside in that room.

The Velodyne HGS-15 that was not serviced seems has developed a barely audible low frequency hum and the HGS-10 an occasional chugging. But 4th order low-passing the KEF Reference 1s at 40 Hz to the two remaining subs sounds very good to me.

For HT I’m using a Bryston SP3 to NAD 22 and 238s with six LS50s.

I’ve been occupied with a tube-analog setup using a Thorens TD 124 with SME III arm and Ortofon 30H cartridge as source through an Audible Illusions Modulus 3 to Cary CD 572 SE monoblocks. The speakers will be the Reference 1s or stacked Reference 102.2s wired in series. The Ref 1s would have to be switched between the Ayre amp and the Carys, but the 102.2s could be dedicated if I can find room for them.

db

Hello DB,
     Wow, you've been busy, too.  Why the heck do your Velodynes keep going on the fritz?
     You may be better off performance and cost wise by just selling your Velodynes to your Baldwin Hills repair guy and buying an Audio Kinesis 4-sub DBA system for about $3K.  It'd be easier to move the subs around at 44 lbs each and the included 1K watt class AB amp/control unit would be more convenient since you'd be able to set the optimum volume, crossover frequency and phase on all 4 subs once as a group rather than individually as I think you do now.
     I'm currently finalizing a plan for treating my entire room with GIK room treatment products and buying apre-owned Levinson 326S preamp and pair of Magnepan 3.7i speakers.

Later,