i have a pair of the M3Ti hooked up with a HSU VT-F2. my room size is 13' x 22' the sub is placed almost in the corner between the M3Ti. i was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to where to set the crossover on the sub. i currently have it set to 60hz. but it seems that there is a open spot in the frequencies. by the way i have the speakers 8' apart and 18" from the back wall. thanks
Before I can answer your question, it's important to know how your system is set up. What kind of equipment do you have driving the speakers, e.g. receiver or amp/preamp?
If you have a receiver, and the subwoofer is connected to the sub pre-out, then your receiver is handling the crossover and you should set the crossover switch on your sub to "out" to disable the internal crossover circuitry.
If you have an amp/premp, then you should adjust the crossover freqency knob a little at a time until you find the best blend. A SPL meter from Radio Shack can help immensely when determining where your frequency gaps are.
John, you haven't given a key piece of information: what if any bass management your pre-amp or receiver has. Typical HT receivers using the sub output cross over to the sub below about 80-90hz. In that case, the crossover in the sub shouldn't be used at all; you set your VTF-2 to bypass it completely. I assume that you mean that you've set the VTF-2 crossover(nominally 30-90hz)about half way, but note that sub crossover markings are often inaccurate and you may not actually be getting 60hz. If you actually are getting an "open spot", you can try setting the VTF-2 cross a little higher, but you should describe your sub hookup in more detail.
My set-up is strictly 2 channel;
ROTEL RB-1070 AMP 130 W/P/C
PARASOUND P-HP850 pre/amp
CAMBRIDGE AUDIO 300SE
AXIOM M3Ti
HSU VT-F2
Also, how would you use the SPL meter to find the freq. gaps. Sorry to be such a novice....Oh yeah, this set-up is completely analog, except for the C.D.
johnbasham,
Usually the test discs (Avia, Sound and Vision) have a frequency sweep test from the high frequencies down to the low.
During this sweep, you should register a relatively even dB reading on the SPL meter unless there is a 'hole' in some range.
In such case, you will hear the sound dropout, the meter will register it and using the frequency sweep tests (and specific frequency tones) you should be able to narrow down where that hole exists.
Of course you should keep in mind the frequencies should also naturally trail off around/just past the driver crossover points.
Okay, John, you've described your equipment and it's all stereo without any bass management, so you'll use what Dr. Hsu provides. You still didn't describe your exact sub and M3 hookup, but I'll assume that you've run regular speaker wires from the 1070 to the speaker level inputs on the VTF-2. Then, you could have also run speaker wires from the same 1070 outputs directly to the M3s, but it's more likely that you used the speaker level outputs on the VTF-2 to feed the M3s. If so, the VTF-2 outputs have a(nominal)crossover above about 90hz to the M3s. The 60hz sub setting you're using(if accurate)rolls off the sub above 60hz. I don't have a VTF-2 and have no idea(have any owners tested theirs?)how accurate the crossover markings are, but you may be getting a bit of weakness between these 60 and 90hz crossovers and should set the cross all the way up to 90hz to match the crossover to the M3s. The sub almost always is best put directly in the corner.
Off the topic but... I am a proud Hsu VTF-3 owner, but suddenly realized that I don't know how to pronounce Dr. Hsu's last name!
Is it like SHOE, SUE, WHEW, or what? Anybody?
Actually my pre-amp has two sets of pre outs, a normal and direct, and I am hooked up to the normal outputs. I have really tried to avoid the speaker level ins on the HSU, because they are spring clips.ugh!