Now I cannot use my Depth i - help!

[schnauzer/lover]

I bought a pair of Spires and the depth i, with a Butler power Amp, and using my Integra 7.8 receiver as a pre amp. But I wanted to move up to a pre-amp not a intergraded receiver. so I purchased a ArcamC31, $1,600. Was assured I could use my Depth i with this new setup. The back of the Arcam there is a direct out, which I am using to go to the Butler Amp, and the only other outs is a buffered out, and a Tape2 record out, and they said I could use the Tape out. Well, good thing I had the volume set at very low, so low you could not hear the mids and highs, but the Sub-woofer was ready very loud. That idea will not work! So now I have a depthi I cannot use and I already own a Definitive Sub for a separate 5.1 setup. BTW, I now will have to say that after listening to them (Spires) with out the support of a sub, they are really very capable speakers that do not need sub-w support. I will not know for another week if I can return the Depthi and purchase something else. Thought buying something else from them may encourage the return? If not is there any other way I could get this sub to work????

 

[JonFo]

OMG

"use tape out" that has to be the WORST advice I've heard for hooking up a sub. Whoever gave you that advice, never, ever listen to them again!

OK, now that the blood pressure is back to reasonable levels, here's how to hook this up (one of several possibilities, but the one I'd use):

Connect your preamp to the Depth as noted on Page 13 of the Depthi manual as per Fig. 11.

Then from the Depthi to your Butler amp.

If you do not have long enough cables, then wait until you obtain them before using the depth and run the pre straight to the butler and run the spires full-range until you get the right cables.

 

[Nielsen]

The shop must have been misleading you, its not possible to drive a subwoofer via a fixed level line out, of course it needs a volume dependant (pre) line out , how else can it follow the volume you set?
So you need to use preout from the receiver, OR you can just hook up the Depth in series with your main speakers with speaker cables and let it fill in, adjust frequency cutoff where the Sphires need it, and adjust the volume on the sub.
See page 12 in the manual : http://www.us.martinlogan.com/pdf/manuals/manual_depth_i.pdf

 

[MotorToad]

I'm surprised someone even remotely involved in audio would have told you to use the tape out, as it's line-level out and not under the influence of the volume or tone controls. With no other contrary evidence, I would be influenced to label him an idiot.

http://www.arcam.co.uk/downloads/FMJ C31 handbook.pdf

After R-ing the FM, I find your preamp has three "main" outs: balanced, buffered, and direct. The buffered is intended for long non-balanced runs to an amplifier, and this sounds like a great thing for the sub. I didn't see anything mentioning that you couldn't use the buffered and direct main outs at the same time.

 

[FOUNTAIN]

I bought a pair of Spires and the depthi, with a Butler power Amp, and using my Integra 7.8 receiver as a pre amp. But I wanted to move up to a pre-amp not a intergraded receiver. so I purchased a ArcamC31, $1,600. Was assured I could use my Depthi with this new setup. The back of the Arcam there is a direct out, which I am using to go to the Butler Amp, and the only other outs is a buffered out, and a Tape2 record out, and they said I could use the Tape out. Well, good thing I had the volume set at very low, so low you could not hear the mids and highs, but the Sub-woofer was ready very loud. That idea will not work! So now I have a depthi I cannot use and I already own a Definitive Sub for a separate 5.1 setup. BTW, I now will have to say that after listening to them (Spires) with out the support of a sub, they are really very capable speakers that do not need sub-w support. I will not know for another week if I can return the Depthi and purchase something else. Thought buying something else from them may encourage the return? If not is there any other way I could get this sub to work????

I am not familiar with direct/buffer outputs so I looked up the manual for your unit. It appears the direct outputs are for 3 meters or less long cables from your pre to your amp. The buffer is for runs longer than 3 meters when using unbalanced cables . It then states that you can't damage your equipment by using either. I suggest either using the buffer outs for the sub, since it is likely longer than 3 meters from pre to sub, or splitting the direct outs with a quality splitter and send one set to your amp and the other to your sub. You can try both and see which one sounds better. However, you will need to run a stereo set of cables from your pre to your sub to keep it from kicking into mono if you use both sets of outputs. My VTL pre did this when I used the second set of outputs with only a single sub cable. The music switched to a mono signal, so I had to purchase a second cable to run the left and right signal to the sub left and right input. This took care of the problem and it returned to stereo. Hope this helps and works. By the way congratulations on the Spires, I bet they sound awesome!!


Glen

 

[schnauzer/lover]

I hate to get my spirit up, but I am feeling better will try JonFo idea on page 13 of the Depthi Manual. Only because that sounds the easier. The Y will be my ace. But if I went with a "Y" it would have to be a six ended setup right, that is LR at all three ends. Regarding this guy that said hook to the records out, I bought all this stuff from him, and he will hear from me, but even though he may be a complete basket case, the MLs and other items are "I LOVE them!! Thank you for making my day so great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am off to town to pick up cable!

 

[amey01]

I am off to town to pick up cable!

Good luck - let us know how you go.

 

[Satch]

S/L,

I run my Depth i 2-Channel Mode With 2-Channel Output just like it is on page 13 in the manual. That seems to be the best configuration for my Vistas. Let me know how the Depth i sounds with the Spires. That's a combo that I can almost see in my future.

Satch

 

[schnauzer/lover]

Just before I run out of the house and drive to Sound Pro, now these are the guys I always deal with except they do not carry MLs and the Amps & Pre I wanted. Just wanted to know if they had the cables RC to make the connections. They said this, since I paid a good price for quality connections running from my Pre-amp to the power amp, and that is only 1 meter distance. running cables 20ft to the Sub woofers location and then another 20ft return may degrade the single I am getting now? Also with the 'Y" configuration, one part of the Y would travel about 14" to reach the Amp, while the one to the Sub would also have to travel 20ft, so like with speaker wire must I keep the lengths the same? So I am sure the page 13 idea would work but at some quality lost???

 

[FOUNTAIN]

I hate to get my spirit up, but I am feeling better will try JonFo idea on page 13 of the Depthi Manual. Only because that sounds the easier.

Depending on your setup and how far you have your sub from your amp and preamp, the setup listed on pg. 13 of the manual might not be the most direct approach. For instance if your sub is located 10 ft from your preamp and amp then you will have to run the signal through 20ft. of rca cable before it finally reaches the amp. 10ft from preamp to sub then 10 more ft. back to your amp (assuming the amp is mounted beneath your preamp.) But if you are looking for a way to make it easier on the amp and if your preamp dosen't offer a crossover then going through the sub is a good way to achieve this. If you plan to run the Spires full range and only allow the depth to augment the lowest octave then you would bypass that filter, but why run it through the sub at all in this scenario? I would go directly from the preamp (buffer output) to the sub and again directly from the preamp (direct output) to the amp. This keeps the signal from having to travel so long before it reaches your amp. All this of course depends on where you have your equipment and sub located.

Glen

 

[schnauzer/lover]

Ok, will try that, thanks Fountain, this way I can still use my pricey cable to go straight from the pre to the Power amp. the sub is about 18feet from the amps. Thanks! Will tell you how it sounds and if it worked. Bob

 

[schnauzer/lover]

Fountain, it worked beautifully, right out of buffered to the Sub, Because the depthi is quite large I put my Definitive SupercubeII next to the audio cabinet, behind the left ML front. So now I will use the Depthi with my surround Definitive system and I got both worlds. I will not have to be buyng anything else unless one of my sources go! Thanks alot good friend. I was testing out the new sub set up with Polka music, and if you do not have a sub, it will not sound right! It sounds great!

 

[lpaudio2]

Although I don't use a sub (decided my logans sound best full range), I have used in the past a NHT x2 crossover, it has balanced unbalanced, gain, LFE direct in, tons of features and its like $300....

 

[JMAUSGP]

Reference Polka Music, that'll push a sub every time!

 

[FOUNTAIN]

Fountain, it worked beautifully, right out of buffered to the Sub, Because the depthi is quite large I put my Definitive SupercubeII next to the audio cabinet, behind the left ML front. So now I will use the Depthi with my surround Definitive system and I got both worlds. I will not have to be buyng anything else unless one of my sources go! Thanks alot good friend. I was testing out the new sub set up with Polka music, and if you do not have a sub, it will not sound right! It sounds great!

Glad to hear you are enjoying your Logans.:music: When you get a chance, post some pics of your setup in the member system area. I would love to see how those beautiful Spires look in your setup.

Glen

 

[Gordon]

Beer barrel or She's too fat?

Gordon

 

[JMAUSGP]

OOMPAH...Da..Da..OOMPAH...Hopefully the bass is not the only thing tight in the room.