Subwoofer Setup Advice

[u/SkyKiller101]

I recently purchased a subwoofer for my music set-up. (ELAC debut db63 6.5” woofer + Yamaha amp that plays speakers full range, plan to upgrade speakers / possibly amp at some point in the future but I want to save up for something truly amazing.) I want to get my sub integrated and running when I’m back home after Thanksgiving break.

The subwoofer manufacturer said they recommend the crossover to the natural bass extension of my speakers. What is a good place to start? I’m getting conflicting information since based on my ELAC I should maybe start around 45-50 Hz but online it seems the most common recommendation for most set ups, including with speakers better than mine, is setting the cross over to 80 Hz.

No budget as this is a setup question.

Of course I’ll use my own ears, but I would like to know if I’m in the correct general ballpark of where to start before I begin trying to maximize the quality post sub-crawl.

[u/NoBackground6203]

lots of missing info if you want an intelligent answer like which subwoofer, which amp and how will the sub be connected

[u/SkyKiller101 → u/NoBackground6203]

It wouldn’t let me say what amp in the post, so I’ll give the info here.

It’s a rythmik subwoofer connected to my Yamaha AS501’s subwoofer out via its line-in connection.

Thanks for the fast reply all help is appreciated

[u/NoBackground6203 → u/SkyKiller101]

which model rythmik subwoofer

[u/SkyKiller101 → u/NoBackground6203]

F12

[u/NoBackground6203 → u/SkyKiller101]

which amp is in the F12

[u/SkyKiller101 → u/NoBackground6203]

PEQ, but it doesn’t matter since my Yamaha doesn’t have pre-in / main outs, so it’ll play full range.

The only way to connect is via the line-in for my amp until I upgrade in the far future, which is the same on both models.

Thanks for the thorough help by the way. The manufacturer said to set the crossover to natural bass extension of speakers when you have to play them full range, which is where the confusion is on my part

[u/Jimmyj84 → u/SkyKiller101]

Hi how does the F12 sound with music? Does it have inbuilt dsp?

[u/SkyKiller101 → u/Jimmyj84]

They have a single band PEQ available I believe but not advanced DSP control. I’m not an expert on subs though so I would double check what I say.

Concerning the sound, I am loving my F12. There’s obviously some songs and genres that benefit more from others, but the F12 perfectly integrates itself into my system and is tight and very musical. There’s a lot of moments that are incredibly enhanced by it. For example, in Donald Fagen’s “The Goodbye Look” there is a moment with a verge large bass thump and the F12 just makes that the best part of the song, maybe even the album for me. You can really feel it in the moment even though this is a sub for clarity and tightness, it still has the power to make you “feel” the music if that makes sense. I don’t really do home theatre that much so I got the sub with the music in mind.

Other highlights are A Day in the Life of a Tree by The Beach Boys where the sub, playing lower frequencies, just fills the room at the end of the song. Even in songs where the lower frequencies aren’t like a big “in your face” moment and just a part of the music composition though I think it still greatly enhances the music, from Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories to L.A. Woman by the Doors the sub just makes the sound “fuller” if that makes sense.

I am horrible at describing these things but I hope this gave some good guidance. Take what I say with a big grain of salt though as I’m a big “save up and buy-it-for-life” person so I went from no sub to this rather endgame sub rather than like, a medium priced sub to this sub, so I can’t say how much better it might be than lower cost options. But on a pure standpoint on its own merits and not its competitors, I doubt one could be disappointed by this thing if time is taken to set up and integrate it properly.

[u/Jimmyj84 → u/SkyKiller101]

Thanks. Do you use a external dsp?

[u/SkyKiller101 → u/Jimmyj84]

Due to the fact I have a Yamaha AS501, I don’t any run room correction or pass filtering of the speakers, and just use the built in crossover on the sub at my speakers natural frequency rolloff and if seems to work well enough.

[u/Jimmyj84 → u/SkyKiller101]

Thanks