SL3 + Fathom Sub - Run full range or cross over at 80 hz???

[gordonmenninger]

I am currently out of town and my JL Audio Fathom 113 has arrive at home! I won't be home for 2 more days unfortunately.
I am currently bi-amping the SL3 and my Theater i with my Sunfire Cinema grand, and had been using my velodyne F1800 sub which I am replacing with the Fathom. Right now I am running the SL3 full range .
Since the SL3's really have pretty much no bass whatsoever, should I just relieve some stress on the speaker and cross it over at 80hz???
I am also using a Behringer deq 2496 on the sl3's + some acoustical treatment on the wall behind the front speakers.
Currently using my old Theta Casa Nova processor - waiting for the Emotiva processor to come out!
suggestions?

 

[JonFo]

Gordon, Definitely cross over at 60 or 80Hz. An SL3 can’t do much below 60 (clean), I’ve measured.

It will make the mid-bass much clearer as well.

 

[MOON]

JonFo,

I will be getting a JL Audio 113 Fathom as well in about 1 month. I run Odyessey's. Since the Odyessey's do have some low end, would you recommend having the sub come in at 35hz?or have a crossover and have the sub handle from 80hz down?

On the JL audio 113 sub vs the Descent i thread people seemed to be divided on having the sub run the bass from 80hz down.I asked a question on that thread that wasn't answered.

I have my current depth sub positioned right in the center between the Odyessey's which gave the best results. On the JL Audio site they don't recommend that , yet in the Audio Revolution review on the JL site, they got the best results with the 113 in the center between the speakers as well. Any thoughts?

The other thread is near the bottom of the main dicussion forum page

 

[VanDaRo]

I say run 'em full-range --

I wrestled with this for quite a while. The Sequel IIs that I have sign off as frequencies drop below 40Hz (I've done my measurements too). So I guess one could say that everybody will have to approach this problem in their own way as it is seriously room-geometry dependent.

I found that the Sequell II's have fundamentally good bass response, but they lack impact and extension. I found the most satisfying results by running the speakers full range and using the sub to supplement the bottom end -- as opposed to carrying the entire bottom end under 80 Hz. My subs low-pass is set at 35 Hz and the high-pass is off. Volume on the sub is set at 3.3 and the 25 Hz boost is at +4.5 db.

Please note that I said "satisfying"... I do not claim to have ruler-flat frequency response or the most accurate system of anyone on this board. But it is a highly engaging and exciting system to listen to. The bottom end is full and immediate, and those 20 Hz rumbling notes are intensely felt in the listener's bones. But the system has virtually no flab or overhang.... And to me, that is what counts.

So in response to your quandary: Experiment a lot. Invest in a SPL meter. Have fun with it.

~VDR