Hello everyone!

So, my questions are regarding the EP350.

Looking at the spec sheet, it does not have balanced in and outputs. However, if i look at the EP350 amp plate photo, it features XLR in and out. Doesn't that refer to balanced in and output?

Finally, I'm considering either the EP350 or the EP500 to go in a 2 channel setup with my M3 v3 speakers. My vintage Marantz 2235B receiver doesn't have a 'bass management' system. I was planning on using a Y RCA cable from it's Pre-Amp Outputs to the subwoofer's 1/4" phone input. I'm new to this and figuring it out as I go along... but I'm wondering, without some sort of bass management system on the receiver (other than the bass/mid/treble dials), will i have trouble blending the EP350 with my M3 speakers if I only have 80Hz and 150Hz cross-over on the EP350 to play with? I think the EP500 might be overkill for my needs, otherwise (15' x 11' x 9' room, though would like to have ability for larger room in the future).

Thanks for the help!

you may want a sub with internal x-over. i assume the axioms have this function as most good subs do.

Thanks 2x6, but that's part of my question. The EP350 does have internal cross-over... but only at presets of 80Hz and 150Hz, whereas the EP500 has cross-over presets of 40/60/80/100/150Hz. I'm wondering if at 80Hz cross-over on the EP350, there will be a good blend with the M3 speakers... or if I'd really need a cross-over of 40 or 60Hz for the M3 speakers.

I think you'd be fine with 80Hz. I use a more complicated setup with my HT receiver and M80s, but for just plain stereo, you'll be fine with 80.

Yes, the EP350 has balanced inputs and outputs.

The 1/4" phone input is, I believe, not balanced, but is there to be adapted to the unbalanced RCA input. I didn't think 2235B had balanced outputs, so there we are.

Hi Ken,

Naw, you'd be on the money 'bout the Marantz not having balanced outputs. Would be a shocker if it did, wouldn't it! lol I'm just asking as to figure out what future-proofing the EP350 might have... never know when I might change my receiver down the line.

Seems odd that Axiom would leave that 'balanced' in/out spec detail on the EP350 listed incorrectly for so long... unless they would like to misleadingly give potential buyers an extra reason to upgrade their sights onto the EP500. Hmmm...

More like someone forgot to change that part of the site. Honestly, the sub amps seem to get updated so often, I'm not surprised.

GC, welcome. Yes, the EP350 does have a balanced input, despite the spec list, but as was mentioned, it's not relevant to your use, because your 2235 doesn't have a balanced output. The sending unit has to send out two voltages(rather than one)on the two wires of the balanced cable, with one voltage reversed 180 degrees in polarity. Then, the receiving unit with balanced input circuitry "re-reverses" the voltages so that any noise that came in on the two wires tends to be cancelled out. This generally isn't needed in home environments where the interference levels aren't unusually high.

Some misconceptions as to terminology and technology have come up here. Subs don't have "internal crossovers"(even if that label is used), but only a low-pass filter which rolls off the sub driver, but has no effect on the speakers, even if they're connected through the sub. A crossover has to both roll off the low frequencies above the set frequency and roll off the higher frequencies below that same point.

Since you have no crossover circuitry in either your receiver or speakers or sub, your M3s will continue to run full-range(down to their limit of 50Hz or so), while setting the EP350 low-pass filter to 80Hz, will roll the sub off above 80Hz. Not a perfect blend, but not bad, although the M3s aren't relieved of the low bass burden as they would be with an 80Hz crossover set in an HT receiver's bass management.

If you're thinking of combining the two outputs of your 2235 into one with a Y-adaptor and feeding it in to the single sub input, no that isn't a safe procedure. Using a Y to split one voltage into two is fine, but using it to combine two voltages into one isn't. The voltage on one branch doesn't know that it's supposed to only go into the sub and so it also runs up the other branch into the other output, causing distortion and possible damage. The simplest procedure would be to just connect with speaker wire to the speaker level inputs on the sub.

If you have any further questions on this, don't hesitate to ask.

Hi John,

Speaker wire (High-Line) connection, eh? Hmmm... does this really give an equal result in quality as if I'd been able to do a low-line connection? I ask, just cause I've gotten the impression (not knowledge) from glimpsing bits on this here and there that are unfavourable.

I'm not entirely sure how to (re)organize my 2.0 setup around this, either. Would I need to then run my speakers off the high-line outputs of the subwoofer? Or would I still be able to run my speakers off of the receiver's amp, not changing a thing with their current speaker wire setup; and then a 2nd sent of speaker wires run to the subwoofer which would ignore the receiver's amp and use it's own internal amp?

And in this high-line setup, i would imagine that the receiver's volume and bass/mid/treble dials STILL control the subwoofer, yes?

Thanks again!

Yes, you need to run yur speakers off the high level output from the sub or if the receivr has A/B speakrs you could just run your speakers off the A terminals and the sub off the B outputs.

The receiver's treble controls would have little effect on a subwoofer but the bass controls would more or less give added bass effect when cranking that one up

Never mind I just read your other thread

I have use the EP with my M3 on a stereo system and for a while. It takesome time to adjust the subwoofer to make it "work" good and bleend to your system. But once it's done, EP350 have a nice and well control bass. It suit the M3 very well.