jfine
11-30-2017, 09:29 AM
Hard to explain, but here I go.
Running tube monoblocks VTA M125's (125W KT-88's) to JBL L300's (93db ported 3 ways, 15", horn, slot tweeter). Nice amps.
I recently put a JBL B460 subwoofer back in to the system, 18" monster. Comes with an outboard little active crossover, a BX63. You place it in between the preamp and the amp. It sends 70hz and above back to the main amps, and has an output for 70hz and below for the sub amp, which is a bridged mono Crown.
The little active crossover has a nice bypass lever so you can easily put the main speakers back the way they were, or flip the sub back in. Very transparent.
Before this change, if I start listening with peaks in the 80-85db SPL, you can hear the monoblocks begin to compress, a little more and harshness sets in. This is not a fault of the M125's, rather the way I am using them. They aren't going anywhere.
But now the M125's don't have to deal with anything below 70hz. Which IMO SS is better at anyway. The system has been transformed, sounds really nice now when you turn it up, makes you want more, the entire range has become clearer, soundstage opened again. That's a good thing.
Question, it's obvious to me that low hz eat power. When you start losing power the entire spectrum is affected, not just the bass. So I wonder if 70hz and below is where most of the power is used, or, maybe I should think about powering the 15" woofers in the L300's with SS altogether (biamping), it would be something like 800hz to 70hz. Is that frequency range still power hungry, or did I pretty much take the major power hunger away to the sub already?
Running tube monoblocks VTA M125's (125W KT-88's) to JBL L300's (93db ported 3 ways, 15", horn, slot tweeter). Nice amps.
I recently put a JBL B460 subwoofer back in to the system, 18" monster. Comes with an outboard little active crossover, a BX63. You place it in between the preamp and the amp. It sends 70hz and above back to the main amps, and has an output for 70hz and below for the sub amp, which is a bridged mono Crown.
The little active crossover has a nice bypass lever so you can easily put the main speakers back the way they were, or flip the sub back in. Very transparent.
Before this change, if I start listening with peaks in the 80-85db SPL, you can hear the monoblocks begin to compress, a little more and harshness sets in. This is not a fault of the M125's, rather the way I am using them. They aren't going anywhere.
But now the M125's don't have to deal with anything below 70hz. Which IMO SS is better at anyway. The system has been transformed, sounds really nice now when you turn it up, makes you want more, the entire range has become clearer, soundstage opened again. That's a good thing.
Question, it's obvious to me that low hz eat power. When you start losing power the entire spectrum is affected, not just the bass. So I wonder if 70hz and below is where most of the power is used, or, maybe I should think about powering the 15" woofers in the L300's with SS altogether (biamping), it would be something like 800hz to 70hz. Is that frequency range still power hungry, or did I pretty much take the major power hunger away to the sub already?