Question on Speaker Settings on Receiver (1 Viewer)

[larry h.]

I'm not sure if I should set my speakers on the receiver to large or small. I know I read it should be large if the speaker can produce bass. I have a set of take 5.2 speakers that have a small woofer so I assume it produces bass. I also have a sub so I'm not sure if that should affect my settings for the rest of the speakers. I keep the sub very low since I live in an apartment.

 

[DarylA]

Using a sub and particularly the Energy 5.2 go with a small setting.

 

[Johnny Ayala]

setting the speakers on small will make all the bass go to your sub instead of them. I have mine on large, but thats because they are. Try it both ways to see if you hear a difference.

 

[Gary Wolfe]

Yeah, part of the fun is experimenting.

Seriously, though, see if your receiver lets you change the crossover setting. It might be hard-wired at 80hz, or have adjustments. If you know your main speakers can produce bass down to, say 50hz, then if you set the crossover point to 60hz, then, IMHO, there's no reason not to set the speaker to small and send just the low bass to the sub. In other words, you want to crossover as low as your "small" speakers will allow.

Unfortunately, I have a center that rolls off around 90, so I think I settled on leaving the fronts at "large" and the center at small.

As for the sub, I have to turn it down, for the wife. This complicates the balancing act. ;-) Seriously, if you're just turning down a sub that is set to reproduce 60hz frequencies and below, you can get away with turning it down without seriously impacting the sound. If your crossover is higher (especially if it's at 100!) and you have to turn it down, you're in trouble! But by having my mains at "large", I'm still getting some bass, at least, even if I turn down the sub. (However, most bass probably is in the center, at least when listening to a stereo source.)

 

[William*E]

I would set them to small. I myself have a pair of PEAVY 15" Black Widows and still have the receiver setting to SMALL. It made a big difference on the sound.