Do you think you need a subwoofer?

Dear Todd: Congratulations for your choose !!. The high-pass filter is the one that do the crossover for the frecuency range that will handle for the main speakers, example: frecuencies from 80Hz and up; and the low-pass is the filter that send the frecuency range to the sub, example: 80Hz and down.

The parametric EQ allow to perform adjustements with a specific frecuencies, that's it that the filters in a parametric EQ are variable and with a variable Q ( broad band ). In a graphic EQ the frecuencies and the Q are fixed.

Maybe you will have to use both of these EQ. You can know it when you try to do the integration to your system/room.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

What does it sound like when running strictly a subwoofer or two below 80Hz?

And what should I listen for when adjusting phase?

I finally got a decent amp for my pair of passive subs, a Samson Servo 550 (275wpc). It's a pro/live amp used in clubs/bars/etc.

Anyway, I feed my subs via a Paradigm X-30 active subwoofer crossover with line-level inputs.

I am currently feeding the X-30 directly from my cd player's "fixed" outputs and my monoblock tube amps from it's "variable" outs while rebuilding my passive transformer volume control.

Anyway, last night while playing assorted jazz, classical, and rock I would intermittently turn the volume down on my main speakers to listen strictly to the subs output.

I expected to hear distinct, clear-cut, drum strikes or the clean resonance of standup bass strings, but that isn't what I got. Everything was rather muted in a undefined way. It certainly fleshed things out when mixed in with the mains speakers, but I expected more attack, I guess.

The best description would be a line that an audio reviewer once used - the subs recreate the trailing edge of a note rather than the leading edge. More resonsce and decay than strike.

I've tried varying the x-o frequency from ~60Hz-120Hz.

Does this seem right?

.
Great thread guys; thanks for sharing the great information.
.
Rgds,
Larry
.

Dear Darkmoebius: What you are hearing is right: "Everything was rather muted in a undefined way. ".

For the low bass reproduction has " means " for our " ears " it has to be working with the midrange sound, other way ( 80Hz and down ) you will heard what you already heard.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Thanks for clearing that up Raul, I was just a little worried that I somehow burned up my subwoofer crossover. Everything sounded great when both the subs and main speakers were playing, but when I turned down the mains, the subs sounded muted and out of focus.

Amazing what an influence such a bad sound can have. I thought instruments and voices sounded pretty damn good before, but now after hearing things with the subs, mains-only sounds thin and one dimensional.

The subs added depth and flesh to everything. Amazing because it does so with very little output. It really doesn't take very much volume wise. Although, what little it does, pushes my 275 wpc sub amp to it's limits on organ music and other sustained low frequencies.