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Thread: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

  1. #1
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    Default Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    I have an AVR that uses a single crossover frequency. What should I set it at? I currently have it set at 80.

    If it helps, I have a PSA S1500 sub.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    Quote Originally Posted by Roen View Post
    I have an AVR that uses a single crossover frequency. What should I set it at? I currently have it set at 80.

    If it helps, I have a PSA S1500 sub.
    80hz is a good starting point.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    And set the crossover on the actual sub to its highest setting.

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    Default Re: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    Quote Originally Posted by Roen View Post
    I have an AVR that uses a single crossover frequency. What should I set it at? I currently have it set at 80.

    If it helps, I have a PSA S1500 sub.
    I personally like an 80hz crossover with my Sierra-2s and two Rythmik L12s. It should be easy to try a 60hz crossover and see how it sounds to you and in your room.
    Nate

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    Assuming you are using the 2's for HT, 80hz should work well. I have my 2's in a 2 channel listening room and set the sub at about 60 with minimal gain. I want to hear all the Sierras have to offer, and choose to have the sub just catch the very low end for a bit of extra punch.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jaybeez View Post
    Assuming you are using the 2's for HT, 80hz should work well. I have my 2's in a 2 channel listening room and set the sub at about 60 with minimal gain. I want to hear all the Sierras have to offer, and choose to have the sub just catch the very low end for a bit of extra punch.
    I like to set my AVR up for music, and deal with it for HT use.

    I'll try the 60 Hz and see how it is. Thanks!

    EDIT: 60 Hz sounds good, any reason to go down to 40 Hz?
    Last edited by Roen; 07-07-2017 at 09:34 AM.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    No reason to go down to 40Hz, but there are reasons NOT to go down to 40Hz.

    The subwoofer almost certainly covers the 40 to 60Hz band better* than the Sierra 2 does. *Lower distortion, greater dynamics, less compression at high output levels.

    In fact, the subwoofer almost certainly bests the Sierra 2 in the 60 to 80Hz band as well, for the same reasons mentioned above.

    You could even make a case that up to 80Hz, possibly 100Hz, or even to 120Hz, the subwoofer output is superior. But above 80Hz is where you may get localization issues - ie, above around 80Hz, your pair of ears can localize sounds. And if you set your crossover around 80Hz or higher, you may start to notice that you can localize where bass is coming from the subwoofer instead of from the main speakers.

    So, set it at 80Hz. If you get no localization issues, you're done. Success.

    Only go lower to 60Hz if you have localization issues.

    Go higher if you want the possibility for even more output/dynamics, but be aware that localization may occur with higher than 80Hz crossover settings.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    Quote Originally Posted by Beave View Post
    No reason to go down to 40Hz, but there are reasons NOT to go down to 40Hz.

    The subwoofer almost certainly covers the 40 to 60Hz band better* than the Sierra 2 does. *Lower distortion, greater dynamics, less compression at high output levels.

    In fact, the subwoofer almost certainly bests the Sierra 2 in the 60 to 80Hz band as well, for the same reasons mentioned above.

    You could even make a case that up to 80Hz, possibly 100Hz, or even to 120Hz, the subwoofer output is superior. But above 80Hz is where you may get localization issues - ie, above around 80Hz, your pair of ears can localize sounds. And if you set your crossover around 80Hz or higher, you may start to notice that you can localize where bass is coming from the subwoofer instead of from the main speakers.

    So, set it at 80Hz. If you get no localization issues, you're done. Success.

    Only go lower to 60Hz if you have localization issues.

    Go higher if you want the possibility for even more output/dynamics, but be aware that localization may occur with higher than 80Hz crossover settings.
    What's the maximum recommended crossover? My AVR can do 200 Hz. I've set it to 120 Hz and have no localization issues.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    Quote Originally Posted by Roen View Post
    What's the maximum recommended crossover? My AVR can do 200 Hz. I've set it to 120 Hz and have no localization issues.
    The bottom line is what sounds best to you, but like Beave posted, localization starts at about 100hz.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Sierra-2 Recommend AVR Crossover Frequency?

    Agreed, that whatever sounds best to you is what you should use (within reason!, in other words, not 30Hz and not 200Hz! )

    Localization can be complex and depends on your subwoofer location, your room acoustics, YOU, the content being played, etc. If you have the subwoofers right below the speakers, obviously you won't have localization issues like you would if the subs are 15 feet away from the speakers. But in general it starts to be an issue around 80Hz - that's one reason 80Hz is often a recommended crossover setting.

    Another reason is that 80Hz is a reasonable frequency at and below which you could expect the subwoofer(s) to have better bass output than the main speakers. Obviously there are exceptions and this is a generalization. If you have massive towers, they may do as well as a subwoofer down to 40Hz or so. If you have tiny main speakers with a 4" midwoofer, they can't compete with a subwoofer anywhere below, say, 150Hz, maybe even higher.

    With the Sierra 1 and Sierra 2, in the range of around 100Hz to maybe 150 or 200Hz, they are probably pretty comparable to the subwoofer output. Which one is superior depends on the subwoofer. But localization is almost certainly going to come into play with crossover settings above 100Hz.

    So for you, I'd set the crossover at 80Hz most likely. Maybe 60Hz if you think that sounds better. And maybe 100Hz if you prefer that. If you can't tell much difference among those three, put it at 80Hz as a perfectly reasonable compromise.

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