So my stereo is looking to hook up with this cute little head unit … no, wait, that’s not right. Hyphens are important!
Anyway, it seems I have a couple different choices to make in connecting everything, and thought to get the Board’s advice and make sure I’m doing it right. There are also a couple bonus questions thrown in.
The room is for music only. There is no television in the parlour, and there never will be (movie and television-watching take place in the den).
Here are the separate pieces:
[ul]
[li]Receiver: Harman/Kardon HK 3390 [/li][li]Equalizer: Audiosource EQ-1. This is a vintage (80’s), model (same one as used in Ferris Buler’s Day Off!), rescued from my parent’s attic. It has 10 bands per channel, a real-time spectrum analyzer and a pink noise generator. The only thing I don’t have is the calibrated mic, but I’m working on that. The link is to its user manual (PDF). [/li][li]Speakers: Polk Monitor 40. Two pairs; four speakers total. Again, since there is no need for 5.1 sound, these four are placed roughly symmetrically around the room. [/li][li]Subwoofer: Polk, either a 505 or a 110. This is one of the side questions.[/li][/ul]
Here’s what I’m thinking:
Receiver/equalizer:
I’m going from receiver’s “preamp outputs” to the equalizer’s “main input” jacks, then from the equalizer’s “main output” jacks “main-amp inputs.”
First, the user manual for the equalizer doesn’t quite mention preamps directly, instead it talks about using tape monitors and whatnot. Are those the same thing? The receiver does have tape monitor outs, but its manual says “some devices, such as equalizers … require connection between the Preamp Outputs and Main-Amp Inputs.”
Second, when I use the pink noise generator on the equalizer, there is no volume modulation. That is, when the button is hit, pink noise comes out very loudly. I vaguely remember (way back in the 80s) that the volume was controllable, not deafening. Or am I misremembering?
**Speakers/subwoofer: **
Right now I have all four speakers wired directly to the receiver via the speaker’s outputs, and one connection between the receiver’s subwoofer output and the subwoofer’s line level input. Since the subwoofer has its own power saving circuitry, I am leaving the receiver’s subwoofer triggers alone.
-or-
Do I go from the subwoofer output on the receiver to one of the “LFE” inputs on the subwoofer? The receiver’s manual says that its subwoofer outputs use a full-range signal, so I assume this wouldn’t be right—I need to the sub’s crossovers to separate out the signal.
-or-
Do I split the receiver’s preamps, sending one to the equalizer (and then back to the receiver as before), and sending the other to the line in jacks on the rear of the subwoofer? Wouldn’t this be the same as sending the full signal via the subwoofer outputs?
-or-
Do I run one pair of speakers from the rear of the receiver to the subwoofer speaker inputs, then from the subwoofer outputs to the speakers themselves (with the other pair of speakers wired directly to the receiver)? I have no idea why I’d want to do this, but since it’s an option, I thought I’d ask if there is any reason to consider it.
Which subwoofer?
Right now I have two subwoofers, the 505 and the 110. I don’t need both, and only one will comfortably fit in the parlour (visually and spatially speaking). Of course my instinct is to go with the bigger/pricier one, but my instincts don’t know what they’re talking about. If there’s no discernible benefit to the larger unit, then the smaller one will fit/look better in the room. Here’s what seem to be the relevant/differing specs:
110:
[ul]
[li]10” cone[/li][li]Overall Frequency Response: 32Hz-250Hz[/li][li]Crossover: 60HZ-160HZ[/li][li]Continuous power: 150 watts[/li][li]Dynamic output: 300 watts[/li][li]Lower -3dB Limit: 42 Hz dB[/li][li]Upper -3dB Limit: 160Hz dB[/li][/ul]
505:
[ul]
[li]12” cone[/li][li]Overall Frequency Response: 23Hz - 160Hz[/li][li]Crossover: Variable low pass 60 - 125Hz, 4th order[/li][li]Lower -3dB Limit: 28Hz[/li][li]Upper -3dB Limit: 125Hz[/li][li]Power Output: 300 watts Continuous Average Output[/li][li]Dynamic Power Output: 460 watts[/li][/ul]
Adjusting
Lastly, what about setting everything up? The controls are far from the listening station, so putting things together by ear is a bit cumbersome. What I’d like to do is set the pink noise going, put a mic in the listening area, flatten the sound, then tweak a bit. However, what do I do if I can’t find the original mic for the equalizer? I have one that came with a receiver’s Audigy system (receiver is in another room), will that possibly work? Do I scour Ebay for a flat-level mic? I have a decent mic I use for recording, will that do?
Also, what about the subwoofer’s volume and crossover? Is that just a guessing game or is there any way to determine the best starting point? Is this wholly room and listener dependant, or would calling Harman/Kardon be useful?
Whew, that’s it, I think. Thanks!
Rhythm