hi all
More advice needed, so in process of getting a KEF KC62 sub to add to my system and wonder if it best to connect in stereo or mono and what is the best cable method and make, would welcome everyones advice.
Thank you
my system
Naim Nova, KEF LS50 on S2 stands with QED XT25 cable.
Use a stereo RCA phono lead. If you use mono you will only get one channel through the sub.
Is that a stereo rca single or 2 monos right and left ?
Two plugs on each end. Left and right. Two separate leads each with their own plug or one stereo lead with two plugs. Both channels must be connected.
But some sub-woofers (eg REL) have only a single RCA âlow level inputâ socket.
And some amplifiers (eg Lyngdorf) state:
In a traditional single subwoofer setup, connect the subwoofer to the left analog output.
How does that work?
If the bass player is on the right, you wonât hear it through the sub. Itâs very simple.
Bass below 80hz is mastered to mono. I learned that from Joe Harley, who works with Kevin Gray all the time. Thatâs where subwoofers mostly play, so it still might work well enough.
With that said, when I used a single sub for music in the past I always connected to both channels, but I never used a low level connection. Only high level from the speaker terminals.
As all have said. Stereo RCA to stereo RCA. The KEF is likely converting the stereo signal to mono internally. At least thatâs what happens when you deliver a stereo signal to the nsub.
The easiest option with the Nova is to use the L/R RCA analouge outputs to the sub. The other option is to use a custom made 4 pin DIN from the Nova to stereo RCA inputs on the sub.
I got the same info from Rel and Linn. In most cases a single sub will work very well. Obviously adding more will help fill the room and increase Bass intensity but itâs a matter of personal taste and expectation.
Yup thatâs what i use with my n-SUB and it works a treat. If your Naim amp has a dedicated sub output then thereâs no need for the cable to be slugged with a resistor.
This not correct
Adding subs isnât about increasing bass intensity, as much as itâs about improving spacial realism.
The total gain dialed in for all six subs in my REL line-array together is comparable to the total gain I had for just a stereo pair. As REL says, itâs not about more bass, itâs about better bass and space.
Once you hear what a REL six-pack does for soundstage and spacial realism in a room itâs hard to unhear it. Itâs uncanny. I would never be able to listen to my system with the subs turned off. It would be like watching a blockbuster movie on a 24â HDTV when you have a 80â 4K TV turned off in the same room.
Thatâs just about the best description of what subs bring to the table i have ever read. As soon as i had added another Rel to my Sopra N2âs it to was something that just could not be âunheardâ. Iâm also of the opinion that if you can hear the subs above your speakers, you have them set up wrong. A lot of people for instance have the crossover point set far too high. In my system i have it set to 3 clicks above 20Hz with gain set to about 9 oâclock. That way the sub takes over about where the Sopraâs bottom out but the gain doesnât drown the bass and mids of the Sopraâs. The result as you say is better bass, better space and a much much better and engaging listening experience.
Yes, your setting is very close to how I had them adjusted when I had just a stereo pair of REL subs.
Also very close to how my REL S/512s are set up with Sopra 2s.
Considering all 3 of us must have different rooms with different acoustics, i think that says a lot about how consistent Rel setup is in a variety of scenarios. Although @TabooKahuna has the same speakers as myself, but different power amps.
Just out of interest @JosquinDesPrez and @TabooKahuna do you both have phase set to 180 as well ?
Yes, I believe they are set to 180Âș (Iâm not in the same room to check for sure, at the moment).
I need to get my dealer over to help fine tune them again. They did that earlier, but I have since changed my main speakers, so it needs to be done again.
Yes, mine is set at 180.
What an interesting thread! I have just swapped over from a REL Predator 15/10 used only for LFE on movies to a REL S850 which I have been running via low level input for movies and high level input for music. Like others here I am impressed how much more âair and spaceâ the sub is bringing to the system.
Itâs actually rather tricky to explain the effect because itâs certainly not about more bass, the SCM40âs already have prodigious bass output in this room. The best way I can explain it is to say imagine you are blindfolded and led into a small community hall where there is some kind of ensemble/band playing. Then imagine you are led into a cathedral/church where the same band are playing the same distance away. Youâll know the difference even blindfolded, you can sense the larger space in the cathedral. That feeling of hearing the room, sensing the players in it, thatâs what the REL seems to be bringing and I must admit Iâm really enjoying it!
JonathanG