9
The best way to determine the best location for the
subwoofer and the best settings for the various controls
is with the aid of electronic instrumentation such as a
sound spectrum analyzer. Your retail dealer may offer to
do this as a part of the installation process. If that is not
an option then systematic adjustment of the controls in
conjunction with careful listening tests can also produce
very good results.
Subwoofer Bass Level Control 4
The first step of the process is to choose a musical selec-
tion with a heavy and continuous bass line. Set the Bass
Level Control at its mid-rotation point and play a short
section several times until you have a firm impression of
it in your mind. Then try another raising or lowering the
Bass Level Control to see if it provides smoother or more
balanced response.
Repeat this process until you are content with the bal-
ance between the main speakers and the subwoofer.
Avoid the tendency to set the control so it produces
“impressive” bass output. Strive for a balanced, natural
sound. How the system sounds with a male speaking
voice is a good indicator of how well the main speaker-
to-subwoofer balance is set.
Crossover Frequency Control 8
The goal in setting the Crossover Frequency control is
to make the transition from the main speakers to the
subwoofer as smooth as possible.
NOTE: If the electronics in your system has a subwoofer
output you can skip this section. Set the Bass Mode
switch
9 to EXT and adjust the crossover frequncy
with the system electronics. In some cases the crossover
frequency of the external electronics may not be adjust-
able and may not produce the best subwoofer-to-main
speaker transition. In such cases it is better to use a full-
range low level input from the source electronics and let
the ICS 300 or Basis 300 control the crossover.
When Using the Low Level Inputs
If you are using the Low Level Inputs and returning
the high-pass filtered signal to the amplifier (see the
diagram on page 6), begin by setting the crossover at
100Hz – with the control knob indicator at the one
o’clock position. Some rooms naturally overemphasize
bass in this region, creating an undesirable ”bump“ or
”boomy“ quality in the sound. If this is the case with
your room, try turning the crossover down to 80Hz. On
the other hand‚ some rooms have a natural tendency to
”swallow up“ the bass in the 100Hz region, causing the
sound to appear thin. In rooms of this type, try setting
the crossover at 120Hz. This may help to round out the
overall sound.
When Using the Speaker Level Inputs
If you are running your main speakers full range, set
the crossover close to the bass cut-off frequency of
your main speakers. See the specifications for your
main speakers for information. This will help achieve a
smooth, seamless blend between your speakers and the
subwoofer. Experiment until you are happy with the
main speaker-to-subwoofer transition.
Control Interaction
There is significant interaction between the Crossover
Frequency control and the Bass Level control. This
interaction affects the sound in the midbass range
where the transition from the main speakers to the
subwoofer occurs. If you are hearing too much midbass,
adjust the Crossover Frequency control to a lower set-
ting and increase the Bass Level control. This decreases
midbass output while increasing the amount of lower
bass energy. Conversely, turning down the Bass Level
control while setting the Crossover Frequency control
to a slightly higher setting will increase the ratio of
mid bass-to-low bass sound. The result will be a sound
with a ”quick“ quality. Experiment while listening to a
variety of sources. Adjust the subwoofer controls until
you achieve a smooth and seamless blend with the main
speakers .
FINE TUNING THE SUBWOOFER
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