Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Large or Small M80s for Music ?

For those with M80s, do you configure them as LARGE and if so, what is your sub xover ? or do you configure them SMALL and what is your sub xover ?

This is for music listening in stereo, not for Movies.

Thanks

I use mine in stereo as large with a sub cross of 40Hz. For all multichannel, they're set to small with a sub cross of 40Hz.

Works for me.

Ken, how are you setting a crossover for a speaker set to large?Doesn't that say the speaker is getting the full range of frequency and a crossover does not apply?

Riker, all my speakers are set to small, 80's crossed over at 60hz for movies and music.

You should try both settings large and small.

Large Setting - 40, 60 or 80 crossover for the sub (the latter 60/80 the bass might tend to sound boomy on large). 40 is probably the best bet. On modern receivers they have an option called LFE+Mains or something similar to that would allow this

Small Setting - 60 or 80 crossover.

I have independent crossovers, so I can set the sub crossover separately from the mains. If I set it to L/R+Sub, it comes into play. The M80s are full range under that setting.

Thanks guys,

I've got my Veritas 2.3s set as LARGE and my sub xover at 75hz. Just wanted to hear from M80 owners on that topic. I guess it can also depend on the capability of the sub in the system. With an 8" sub of 100W having the M80s as small and a xover of 80 would probably not sound that great, however, with an EP500 / 600, you've got options. I have tried both large and small and always go back to Large and a oxover of either 70 or 75.

Your subwoofer is probably not adding much. What is your sub btw. Your M80's probably go just as low as the 8".

So if your M80s are xover at 60hz, what is your sub at ? 60hz ?

Large for music, with the sub crossed at the point your M80s start to fade out.

The sub will play everything below 60hz. The m80's reproduce everything above. Its not a brick wall though, roll off is still involved.

Ken, if you have your sub xover at 40hz with your M80s set to Small, what is the xover of the M80s ? when I set my mains as Small, the xover is automatically set for 80hz.. which would make a hole between a sub xover of 40hz and the mains at 80hz
Just curious,

When using a receiver for bass management, the cross over on the sub should be set to bypass, or as high as it goes.

That was just as an example, I was trying to say the same thing you are.. a small sub with M80s won't add much .. I have Veritas 2.3s which are very similar to M80s in terms of size and frequency and my sub is an Energy 10" (120W).. my setup sounds best when mains set to large and sub at 70 to 75hz

If a speakers rolls off below 40hz, then it should be set to large, otherwise, it should be set to small. That is what most receiver mfg's, like Denon, are following now. At least that is what the founder of THX says.

Agreed, and in my case the sub xover frequency is controlled by the receiver settings..not the physical sub which is set to bypass.

Actually, mine (H/K AVR525) are set as follows for surround:
M80s: 40Hz--as i understand it, everythign below 40Hz is not sent to the speakers unless they're set to large
VP100: 100Hz
QS4s: 120Hz
LFE: 120Hz--so it will play all of the above, yet only up to 40Hz for the mains if set to small

Stereo:
M80s: 40Hz
Sub: 40Hz

I set my M80s to large w/o a sub for almost all 2ch music. I listen to lots of Goa/Psy-Trance and feel the rapid bass beat is tighter. There are some things I listen to with things like kettledrums that benefit from the sub but those are all multi-channel. Once the room is completely set up I’ll try to find a better place for the sub and try again for 2ch but for my needs the bass from the M80s is just fine.