LFE and your Ascends/setup

[audibleconnoisseur]

All,

I just spoke with Denon about a few things and this was brought to my attention. I am posting here b/c it is the most read area and will apply to all of you with Denon and Ascend or other speakers. Maybe you know and maybe you don't, but I didn't and was a little surprised as well as this explains the mild, quiet pop sound I have heard with the HSU disk at the 16Hz and 20Hz tones... please read on and pay attention (if you know this, sorry, but I didn't and they agreed that the manuals do a poor job of explaining but coming from Japan, apparently something got lost in translation)...

I am explaing this as our Ascends (340SE's) drop to 45 but a lot of LFE is produced here and lower...

When using DENON and setting the LFE to your sub, connect as usual, LFE from receiver to LFE in on sub. Now, set ALL of the speakers to small that you are using and your desired choice of crossover Hz (60, 80, 100, etc.). NOTE that if you are using LARGE speakers, ALL LFE WILL GO TO ALL SPEAKERS SET TO LARGE REGARDLESS OF THE CROSSOVER SETTING FOR THE SUB!!! They said that if the setting is set to LFE + mains and the speakers to small, THEN & ONLY THEN is the crossover going to put all of the LFE into the sub and none to the Ascends (or whatever you own). I was under the impression from reading the manual that LFE+mains meant that LFE was going to the sub and the mains, it is in fact the other way around.

So when you are setting up, note that the crossover is set to your choice, 60Hz, 80Hz, whatever, and the sub should be set to LFE + mains and ALL other speakers to small so you are running all LFE to your sub only. If you set any of them to large, by default they will receive the full LFE from the receiver even with the crossover set at your choice! If you knew this great, if not, be warned and make the change. Obviously if you want the LFE to your mains, you will set it up this way but for those of us with Ascends, they can not handle the full spectrum so we need to use the above as a guide!

I strongly suggest anyone with DENON call to confirm so you know for certain. This is just what they told me about my 1905 and the DENON product!

[BradJudy]

Yep - this is how most receivers work, although not all of them have the LFE+main terminology. Many just have large vs small and a crossover setting. In general, small is the way to go, but when it comes down to it, use whatever you think sounds best (of course, there is a risk of blowing out a driver if you run bookshelf speakers full range to high volumes).

[audibleconnoisseur]

I tried what DENON said and I still get vibrations and movement from my drivers. I got movement all down to 16Hz on the Ascends through both drivers with LFE+mains and just LFE chosen. Got with small and large settings and all combinations inbetween. Bottom line is I am nervous I am putting through LFE to the sub and the speakers as I not only hear it via the Ascends, but feel it as well (lightly letting driver hit back of fingernail). Anyone else out there try this? I don't want to blow my system b/c I am pushing too much through them that should not. Anyone out there try this?

I did not ever unhook the sub, only turn off in the menue setting and use large/small on the mains and also left sub on in menu but turned to -12 and off with alternate sub adjustments. I am confused

[curtis]

Crossover setting?

You need to measure what is going on with an SPL meter.

[bri1270]

Turn your sub off and run a test tone lower than your crossover.

[Jonnyozero3]

Don't forget, it's a crossover with sloped filter (12dB per octave or 24dB, something like that), not a brick wall filter, so you will get a bandwidth of frequencies that are going to both the speakers and sub around the crossover setting. That said, 16Hz sounds a bit excessive to be going through to your mains - I'm surprised the Ascends are trying to reproduce that. Maybe it's a harmonic?

[SteveCallas]

Please explain a little more clearly what the Denon menu is asking of you. Under what option are you selecting LFE+Mains?

I'm not aware of any case in which LFE will get sent to all speakers, but it can be sent to the mains. To avoid this, have your speakers set to small and set LFE out to sub only.

[audibleconnoisseur]

In the DENON setup feature (button on remote around 2/3 way down on left hand side), go to option 12-15 (somewhere in this range) and it will ask you if you want LFE or LFE+mains. This is where I am a little confused b/c after testing wtih SPL and chaning the options, I still get a little movement from the drivers using SPL or SPL+mains. I was hoping to get NONE so all went to the sub. I will have to elaborate later, I have to head out for some things. Call DENON and they willl explain further as well. I would like a "concrete" answer myself!

[SteveCallas]

option 12-15 (somewhere in this range) and it will ask you if you want LFE or LFE+mains

It's asking you LFE or LFE+mains in regards to what though?

[Mag_Neato]

I thought of this thread over the weekend while watching a movie, so I checked the LFE setting on my Denon 885/2105. I had it set to "NORM". I switched it to "+ MAIN". From what I observed I thought the bass and overall clarity improved somewhat. If this is the correct setup for proper bass management, Denon's manuals need a big overhaul!