what the Hell am I hearing?
How does it sound to you now? Better/worse/different to before you introduced the sub?
I really could use some help here.....
This is a hopefully finely detailed question that gives the people who are seriously trying to help me all the info they need to answer this question which is about cables, routing and speaker connections. Hopefully I can explain it well enough that someone can tell me what I have done.
The connections are ONLY RCA jacks and banana clips. That's all. Let me describe how I have wired things.
Source signal is from an OPPO Digital BDP-105 running to the CD input on my preamp via RCA jacks. Simple.
The signal leaves my preamp via Preamp Out connectors, also RCA jacks, and runs to my Sunfire SDS-12 subwoofer which has two line level RCA jacks for input so you can make use of the hi pass filter built in. That is the easy part, here is where it gets tricky ( for my understanding anyway...this is where I need your help in understanding the circuit I created and if it makes any difference at all ).
The signal leaves the Subwoofer via the RCA jacks using the Subwoofer Out connections and goes to my RCA jack inputs on my amplifier ( all this makes sense to me so far, here is where I need help understanding )...the amplifier has banana clips for the connections to the speakers. RIGHT THERE, I change things. I have Monitor Audio speakers that can be bi-wired or bi-amped and when I bought them, the fellow through in a pricey set of cables allowing me to do that ( this is BEFORE I added the subwoofer to the system ) so the signal finally leaves my amp via 2 banana jacks and arrives and terminates at my speakers in with 4 banana jacks and plugged in using the bi-wire configuration. Am I clear in describing this, Christ I hope so.
If I am, can anyone tell me what that that circuit looks like sonically, what's going on with all the other connections, what the Hell am I hearing?
In short, I originally had just normal preamp/amplifier connections then bi-wire straight to the speakers.
Now I have introduced that subwoofer pathway into the signal path between preamp and amplifier? I'd love serious explanation on what that did, if anything, to the signal. My hope was that it was going to make the subwoofer and amplifier more in sync than if I'd run a separate connection from my second Preamp Out to the subwoofer. This way it's all in one signal path. So, is this the optimum way to set this up? Or have I screwed this up somewhere and it should be connected a different way?
Thank you so much!
For others, please stop calling my gear "junk" and I should sell it all and by REL. You're not helping any and you're giving a bad reputation to Audiogon people who are seriously trying to help me.
Components
1993 B&K Sonota ST-202+ amplifier fully refurbished
1993 B&K Sonata Pro-10 MC preamp
2008 Monitor Audio Silver RS8 speakers
OPPO Digital BDP-105 Blu ray player
2018 Sunfire SDS-12 subwoofer
I hope I've given enough information for people smarter than me to tell me if I have things connected in the best fashion and I'm hoping someone will take a few moments to answer.
Thank you.
j
Please do not pop in to suggest I spend $6,000 on all new gear while insulting me. This is what I have to work with so that's how it will stay. Thank you.
The connections are ONLY RCA jacks and banana clips. That's all. Let me describe how I have wired things.
Source signal is from an OPPO Digital BDP-105 running to the CD input on my preamp via RCA jacks. Simple.
The signal leaves my preamp via Preamp Out connectors, also RCA jacks, and runs to my Sunfire SDS-12 subwoofer which has two line level RCA jacks for input so you can make use of the hi pass filter built in. That is the easy part, here is where it gets tricky ( for my understanding anyway...this is where I need your help in understanding the circuit I created and if it makes any difference at all ).
The signal leaves the Subwoofer via the RCA jacks using the Subwoofer Out connections and goes to my RCA jack inputs on my amplifier ( all this makes sense to me so far, here is where I need help understanding )...the amplifier has banana clips for the connections to the speakers. RIGHT THERE, I change things. I have Monitor Audio speakers that can be bi-wired or bi-amped and when I bought them, the fellow through in a pricey set of cables allowing me to do that ( this is BEFORE I added the subwoofer to the system ) so the signal finally leaves my amp via 2 banana jacks and arrives and terminates at my speakers in with 4 banana jacks and plugged in using the bi-wire configuration. Am I clear in describing this, Christ I hope so.
If I am, can anyone tell me what that that circuit looks like sonically, what's going on with all the other connections, what the Hell am I hearing?
In short, I originally had just normal preamp/amplifier connections then bi-wire straight to the speakers.
Now I have introduced that subwoofer pathway into the signal path between preamp and amplifier? I'd love serious explanation on what that did, if anything, to the signal. My hope was that it was going to make the subwoofer and amplifier more in sync than if I'd run a separate connection from my second Preamp Out to the subwoofer. This way it's all in one signal path. So, is this the optimum way to set this up? Or have I screwed this up somewhere and it should be connected a different way?
Thank you so much!
For others, please stop calling my gear "junk" and I should sell it all and by REL. You're not helping any and you're giving a bad reputation to Audiogon people who are seriously trying to help me.
Components
1993 B&K Sonota ST-202+ amplifier fully refurbished
1993 B&K Sonata Pro-10 MC preamp
2008 Monitor Audio Silver RS8 speakers
OPPO Digital BDP-105 Blu ray player
2018 Sunfire SDS-12 subwoofer
I hope I've given enough information for people smarter than me to tell me if I have things connected in the best fashion and I'm hoping someone will take a few moments to answer.
Thank you.
j
Please do not pop in to suggest I spend $6,000 on all new gear while insulting me. This is what I have to work with so that's how it will stay. Thank you.
- ...
- 32 posts total
Adding the subwoofer made a HUGE difference. As I understand it ( correct me if I am wrong ) adding the subwoofer this way and using its controls to set the internal crossover at 60Hz stops the amplifier from trying to power the speakers below that entirely. Now, the subwoofer is the only thing powering lower frequencies leaving the amplifier to handle 60Hz and up. I could tell immediately I'd done something very, very good. The sound from the RS8's now sounds like silk with no strain at all. To ME, anyway. I guess my root question is...I didn't bother or forgot to change the speaker cable from amp to speakers back to a more normal connection or just leave it in that bi-wire setup? I don't think I'm hurting anything but I am no longer sure the system is still bi-wired. But yes, I love the sound with the subwoofer added this way. Thank you for replying! j |
I'm not sure if this answers your question but here goes... Your preamp sends the signal to the sub which has a low pass filter so that it's own driver plays only low bass frequencies. It also has a high pass filter to remove the low bass frequencies from the signal going into your main speakers. That might improve the performance of your main speakers as long as the crossover in the sub is not adding any distortion to the signal. If it sounds good to you then no problem. If you want to try something else then a next step might be to put a DSP on the output of your preamp to give you control over the crossover and frequency response of the system. |
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Here is some info about bi-wire. You have everything hooked up correct. BTW, if you decide not to bi-wire you should put some tape on the spare wires to avoid shorting them! https://www.lifewire.com/bi-wire-amp-stereo-speakers-3134901 |
- 32 posts total