jdm56 Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Do a lot of powered subs not come on at very low playback levels? I've noticed that my Infinity Alpha 1200s may not come on at all while watching (or listening) to Dish Network satellite programs. Is this due to the sub's auto-on circiutry sensitivity, or to MIA bass from the satellite feed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcoker Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Not exactly sure about you Infinity, but with my Klipsch is take a good strong signal to wake up, with my Sunfire I just turn on my Receiver and it wakes up so I seems to be the sensitivity on the Circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted March 21, 2005 Author Share Posted March 21, 2005 Seems odd there would be no adjustment for this (sensitivity of the turn-on circuit). At least, I don't think there is on my Infinity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 You won't need as strong of a signal to turn on your sub if you put a splitter (Y) between the sub and sub cable. You will however need to recalibrate the sub as the gain will be increased also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted March 23, 2005 Author Share Posted March 23, 2005 I don't see how that would work, but I will try it. -thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 basically, plugging your subwoofer cable into both the L and R inputs on your sub gives you a 6dB increase over using the normal LFE input...Whether or not this will help will be determined by the internal circuitry. In otherwords, if the signal sensing device is after the volume knob in the signal path, then this mod will have absolutely no effect on the sensitivity of the subwoofer. Likewise, boosting the LFE send on the reciever will have the same effect as the Y-adapter. Btw, what reciever do you have and how do you have the bass management setup? Does your dish network satellite program have multichannel outputs? Do you get bass from the subwoofer if you put it into "on" mode instead of "auto"? You may need to rig your reciever to tell the subwoofer to play during material that doesn't have a dedicated LFE channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted March 24, 2005 Author Share Posted March 24, 2005 The receiver is a Pioneer Elite VSX-55TXi. On this receiver you can select subwoofer off, on, or plus, which sends bass to "large" speakers AND the sub. The x/o is global, in that you have to use the same x/o frequency for all channels. The Dish 311 receiver has only analog stereo audio outs. I don't think the receiver has a switchable on/automatic feature. I'll double check. I'll try the y-connector, but I still don't think it'll make much difference. I mean yes, you are feeding it two inputs, but the receiver sub output also see's double the load. Looks to me like it would probably cancel out, more or less. I'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 ---------------- On 3/24/2005 12:08:46 AM jdm56 wrote: I'll try the y-connector, but I still don't think it'll make much difference. I mean yes, you are feeding it two inputs, but the receiver sub output also see's double the load. Looks to me like it would probably cancel out, more or less. I'll see. ---------------- The reciever actually sees half the load. It's just like wiring a pair of speakers in parallel. Because the reciever sees half the load, it's putting out twice the power (+3dB)...and then you have the summing of the two channels inside the subwoofer which is where the other 3dB comes from (totalling 6dB increase). Before going the y-adaptor route I would put the subwoofer itself into the on mode and see if it plays when listening to your dish network. If not, then you gotta change the settings in your reciever. Once you get the subwoofer playing, the next step would be to put your subwoofer in the auto mode and then crank the volume until it starts kicking in (and note the volume that this occurs)...this is the level that you'll have to get the input on the subwoofer when lisening at normal volumes (if it means +12dB on your reciever, then go for it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 The reason I suggested the Y is based on an experience I had with my subs. I recently added a second sub to my system. The location I had it in used about twice the cable to reach it as compared to the first sub. In addition I had to put two sub cables together to reach it. My original sub would auto on with the slightest bass signal as it allways had. Sub 2 needed a considerable ammount of volume for the auto on to engage. I attributed this to the signal loss from the extra cable length and coupling needed to reach the sub. When I used the Y between the sub in and sub cable, the 2'nd sub would kick in at the same time as the 1'st. It's been fine ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickB Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Trying a Y cable might work for you. I run the same subs as CECAA850 has in his signature. My PB2+ kicks in with just the slightest bass signal, but my PC-Ultra calibrated at the same level wouldn't kick in at lower volumes. I put a Y on, recalibrated it to match the PB2+, and it works great now. An older sub I have, a Velo CHT-15 states in the manual to try a Y if it won't kick in at lower volume levels. It won't hurt to give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted March 24, 2005 Author Share Posted March 24, 2005 Tried the Y but it didn't seem to make any difference. I will have to go into the set-up, and see if recalibrating with the Y in place helps. The sub will come on with the sat input, but the receiver volume just has to be cranked a bit to wake it up. Thing is, I do a lot of late-nite, low-level listening, so I'd like to have the sub helping out, rather than just sitting there asleep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcoker Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 That's typical on alot of subs. You can always by-pass the auto-on feature and just leave it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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