In Reply to: RE: Does sending some frequencies to an active sub increase the watts available to the remaining speakers? posted by djk on July 27, 2012 at 00:07:03:
The issue is reduced distortion from your main speakers by not asking them to reproduce the lowest frequencies. This will create two positive effects: (1) preserve spectral balance as you play louder, because smaller speakers reproduce an increasing percentage of harmonics (typically 2nd harmonic) was you ask them to reproduce bass frequencies louder and louder. For example, 50 Hz is a bass frequency well within the range of a bass guitar or a string bass. The instrument does not produce a pure 50 Hz tone, but a 50 Hz tone and a series of harmonics (100 hz, etc) at lesser volumes than the fundamental. The mix of fundamentals and harmonics is what gives the instrument its characteristic sound. For example, the typically greater presence of the fundamental tone makes a string bass sound different from a bass guitar reproducing the same note. If you drive the speaker into distortion, it will change the ratio of fundamental tones to harmonics from what is in the recording, making the instrument being reproduced sound different. You won't hear this as "distortion" but the timbre of the instrument will have been changed. The second positive effect is that by removing the bass drive from the main speaker, it will have a somewhat higher loudness capability (but only about 3 db).
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Follow Ups
- the issue isn't the watts - Bruce from DC 10:50:05 07/27/12 (6)
- RE: the issue is NEVER the watts - BigguyinATL 05:36:41 07/30/12 (0)
- RE: the issue isn't the watts - Sumflow 14:53:42 07/27/12 (0)
- And... - E-Stat 14:50:13 07/27/12 (3)
- Clipping - Sumflow 20:16:04 07/27/12 (2)
- RE: Clipping - b.l.zeebub 05:06:51 07/28/12 (0)
- Those with - E-Stat 21:29:48 07/27/12 (0)