Thanks everyone. Helpful advice…
I run an old REL Stampede used on the high level input(ie connected to speaker terminals). If set correctly it just makes the sound much more balanced and full range, yet at the same time you barely notice it most of the time(except when you switch it off).
Hi - Could you advice how big your room is?
Am I the only one here who has to adjust the subwoofer’s gain either up or down, almost from track to track?
It’s 4.6m wide x 8.5m long x 2.7m tall. But it is L shaped and that part is 5m x 4m.
Of course not! That’s why I have another sub for movies. Also that’s why there was a time I was very interested in svs sb3000 because of the ability to adjust remotely on demand.
In fact, my creditability is going to go down substantially for what I am going to say next. I have one sub tuned slightly differently from another because one is closer to the wall while another is where room adjoins the L shape and there’s a door opening there so it’s not symmetrical.
I am not trying to maintain sound pressure within 1db everywhere in the room. My wife would appreciate that because she doesn’t like it as loud as I do.
I hadn’t really expected the sw to be so needy, but when its on point it fills out the picture wonderfully.
The subs fill out the room nicely and definitely lifted the overall experience. It is subtle, and subtle is all I wanted because I mostly listen to music. Speed and timing were things most important to me.
Was the bass inadequate without them? Most certainly it was sufficient. Nova has good grunt hence great grip on bass.
Using Uniti Nova > curved SCM11 > Gotham g213 v2. Ime it’s a good idea to support a system with a sub/s regardless of the main loudspeakers used.
Anyway go for it
Yay, I’ve found another Naim/ML owner , although I only have the Electromotions. The 9’s are stunning. Can I ask how you get on with them on the end of the Nova? A bit out of my price range but one can dream!
I have a REL T5 attached via a mono RCA and it works well for movies. I don’t think it’s necessary for music nowadays as my Nova seems to be more solid than my old Uniti MK1. However, I recently connected a pair of Ruark Templars and the T5 matched really well.
I just have a question, if anyone could oblige. Is it worth buying an RCA Y cable to merge both preamp channels to one for the subwoofer? i.e. stereo to mono. My sub only has a single RCA so my feeling is that it’s only outputting a single channel.
Be careful not to merge the L & R signals together. For this very reason I run 2 subs connecting at speaker end so they are not visible to the naim, as suggested by @Richard.Dane when I asked a very similar question a while ago.
Afaik, with single RCA, plug it into left channel.
That’s great, thanks @davidng.
I’ll have to double check which channel I connected now .
I definitely think the best solution would be to have 2 subs but I’m saving for a new turntable/phono stage so is the current priority.
I hope I’m not stealing the thread here. I currently run a single Klipsch sub from a Naimuniti 2. I use the line out l and r RCA outputs to the l and r RCA connections on the sub. The problem is, of course, that I cannot control the volume of the sub from the Naim and have to adjust this at the sub itself. The Naim has sub 1 and sub 2 outputs which I assume are for 2 subs. I’ve been thinking of getting a Y connection from sub 1 output to the Klipsch. Is this the way forward, will it give me volume control from the Naim?
I would presume the sub 1 & sub 2 outs are the same as pre-amp L & R outs. Therefore, I expect you should have volume control regardless of whether you are using one or two sub outs. That is, the subwoofer’s loudness should correspond to the speakers volume and you already can adjust speaker and sub volume in unison.
However, given your question, you must be having problem adjusting volume of the sub. Are you trying to increase sub volume alone? If so, you are out of luck and need a sub with its own remote control. Like the svs sb3000 which can be controlled via phone app connected over bluetooth.
Connecting both L & R will make sub louder, but not provide volume control.
Currently, I’ve been adjusting the volume of the sub at the gain control on the sub itself, and this works well enough although it often needs adjustment from one recording to another. But, of course, if I turn the volume down on the Naim then the sound is bass heavy. I had wondered about connecting the Klipsch to both sub1 and sub2 but assumed from their labelling that they were for 2 subs. I think I’ll give that a try. Thanks for your reply.
With one connection you are just getting one channel. You should connect both to your Klipsch sub. I had a Klipsch on my Supernait at one time and used two cables, sub out (l/r). I believe the Nova should be similar but don’t own one to test.
Setting up subs correctly can take quite a lot of effort. If you are having to adjust it regularly I would suggest some refinement is needed. Bass can behave strangely/unpredictably in different rooms. One possible method is to place your subwoofer in your listening position and move around your room, listening to where bass sounds strongest/best. In an ideal situation, this is where you should locate your subwoofer.
Once you have located the sub, now would be time to set it up using the controls. Set the crossover frequency to be close to the lowest frequency setting of your main speakers and the volume on the sub to minimum. Now play some familiar music and increase the volume until you can clearly hear the sub, then dial it back a bit.
If you have a phase control, then you should adjust this. If you have moved the sub then it could be slightly out of phase in its new position. Many subwoofers have 0 or 180 degree switch. I personally prefer a continuously variable adjustment but it depends what you have.
FYI I was never happy with the integration of my sub in my main system so did some research/trialing which resulted in me relocating the sub from between my speakers to closer to my listening position on the side wall and firing across the output of the main speakers, effectively intersecting just in front of my listening position. This has given me the best results I have had and I no longer have to worry about the sub sounding too loud/quiet/slow or out of time with the rest of the system.
My personal experience is that in some rooms it can be really challenging to set up a sub properly without a measurement microphone. They’re not expensive and they can give you a lot of insight in what is actually happening with the frequencies and phasing.
I agree, there is a lot involved in setting up a sub. I experimented with positioning but found the best position in the room was the most inconvenient - sod’s law, but I’ve got as near as I can. I’ve adjusted the crossover, gain, and phase controls to optimum. My volume control issue aside, I still find adjustment necessary: old vs new recordings on vinyl and cd need lifting or lowering. Nevertheless, when the sub is spot-on all the fiddling is forgiven.
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