What is Floyd Toole saying about extra amplifier power and headroom?
Remedies for unacceptable situations typically included spending more money on a loudspeaker with a “better” woofer (without useful technical specifications, that was a lottery of another kind) and a bigger amplifier (for useless headroom ...
@mapman very interesting. So what would I do to increase current delivery? I've done a fair amount to treat the room and I feel like my sub is already pretty well integrated. Here's my room: https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/9016 |
So a couple of things. If you don't have a high pass filter on your main amp, the speaker and amp will be forced to reproduce the lower octaves, even though you won't hear it. Not only does this limit dynamic range, but it increases distortion heard from your mains, both harmonic and Doppler. If you keep your mains at low volumes, this is not a problem, but if your goal is to use the sub to increase bass AND dynamic range, the high pass filter is a must. |
If you're talking Floyd Toole, then expect to hear about a Distributed Bass Array too... but since that is off topic that's all I'm going to say about it. But that isn't what the problem is with excess power. In a traditional push-pull solid state or tube amplifier, distortion decreases as you decrease power, to a point that is about 3-7% of total power, at which point the distortion goes back up. Below this point you are getting excess noise and distortion if your amplifier power is too high for your application, since most of the time you are only using a tiny amount of total amplifier power. A different problem you've referred to is compression at high volume. This is a common complaint with lower efficiency loudspeakers, known as 'thermal compression'. Essentially the voice coils heat up in time with powerful bass notes and the like; this prevents the speaker diaphragm from moving as far as it should. The only way to avoid this if you want the sound pressure is to go with a more efficient speaker, with which there will be less thermal compression. |
@erik_squires I've considered an active crossover to accomplish what you suggest. My local shop didn't think it would have much of an impact but I'm still curious. I feel like there should be as little overlap of frequencies produced by both the sub and the mains as possible. It sounds like this is what you're saying too. I was considering this device: https://www.jlaudio.com/products/cr-1-home-audio-subwoofer-crossovers-96020 Other commenters who know the Minis well have suggested getting all the bass out of them as they can produce, which is why I have the LP freq set to 38hz. I've played around with it in a few different places and it sounds good the way it is now. I listen to the Wood album by Brian Bromberg and can hear right down to the texture of the strings on his 300-year-old double bass. It sounds incredible. |
