kings9

Novice Needs Help

I am not an audiophile by any stretch, so I thought I would ask those who know a couple of questions.

My speakers are Polk R300s, Bose 501s, an Infinity dual cone center, and an Infinity subwoofer, all attached to a Yamaha amp.

First would these be considered large or small speakers, and secondly, which of the floorstanding speakers would you have for the main speakers? Although after reading the disdain for Bose speakers here, I guess I know the answer.

Thanks for your input

Ed Moxley

Re: Novice Needs Help

You're asking to know which setting to use, in the receiver's setup, right?
It depends whether you want the subwoofer, or your speakers, to play the bass parts. It goes basically like this:
If you set the speakers to small, the LFE (bass) signals will go to the subwoofer. If you set them to large, the LFE will go to your speakers.

Whichever ones sound the best. Or whichever ones sound closest to the center channel speaker's tone or overall sound.

Most of us, including me, just think that Bose are WAAAAAAAAAY over priced, for what you get. It's not that we think they are a terrible product. You can buy better, for the same money!

Cees Alons

Re: Novice Needs Help

If you have a sub and set the receiver to "sub on" (or what it's called in that particular receiver), the LFE (Lower Frequencies Effects - like menacing rumbling) will always go to your subwoofer.

Setting your fronts and/or rears to "large" or "small" invokes what is called Bass Management. If they are set to "small" low bass from that speaker will go to the sub, not to the speaker. If they are set to "large" it will go to the speaker.
Hardly any speakers are specifically well suited to radiate very low bass, so setting all to to "small" is usually the very best.

Pulling the very low bass frequencies from the front and rear amplifiers also helps if you want to turn them up a little and it diminishes the chance of distortion.

There are no indications that the Boses would be superior in delivering very low bass than several other speakers in the same price league, so my advice would be to set them all to "small".

Try to use the smallest of your speakers as rears.

And the bottom line is (as Ed already said): listen to various settings, because circumstances we're not aware of could influence your hearing experience in your room in a decisive manner.


Cees

kings9

Re: Novice Needs Help

Thanks for your input. I'll start fiddling.