Using a single active subwoofer

[KevMaverick]

Me again - another of my questions!

I'm looking to get a single subwoofer, with built-in amplifier, to give my system a bit more power, and a bit more boom!

However, I'm not sure how I'm gonna connect it up. I have single outputs from each of my active speakers, but I feel that it's not right to use one of those on a stereo system.

My main mixer is a live performance mixer (Mackie DF-6) beacause of my karaoke and occasional live singer setups. It does have a monitor output, which I can set to any of the channels, including the one from my laptop. Could I use the monitor channel to send a signal to the bass subwoofer? (There is not a problem with the signal, as the subwoofer has a crossover which eliminates the high frequencies).

I'd be grateful of any help here - thanks guys!

[christiankoopmann]

Hey,

It depends on the functionality of the bass control panel. I also use currently an single active bass and go with my stereo (2x XLR cables) into the inputs of my bass and from that (pass through) to my tops. And now here is the trick.
Most amps for active bass have sum inputs so they take the bass from left and right and combine them or the second variant is you have one of the channels bass like the right or the left signal. Second has often a switch like phase switch or equal names. With this you can set the left or the right channel (take the channel with more bass ).
Alternative you can buy a management system (behringer has some good and payable tools) to split your signal to the tops and a mono bass. This would be the best solution but will cost a bit . I'm currently saving money to buy one of this management consoles.

If you need more details please ask and wait a few hours I'm currently at work and writing this with my iPhone keyboard takes long time to write those texts.

Thanks
Regards
Christian

[golle]

Normaly the bass below about 200Hz ist mixed in mono. Normaly, not always.

Second has often a switch like phase switch or equal names. With this you can set the left or the right channel (take the channel with more bass ).

The Phase Button is not to switch from left to right, it changes the phase of the sub to allign it to the tops. It´s necessary that the tops and the sub run in the same phase.

[KevMaverick]

Because I've got a live performance mixer, rather than a DJ mixer, it gives me the option to take a feed from the channel that my laptop is on, and send it to the monitor channel. I'm hoping that this would work for me, as I do a lot of karaoke, and would be able to have a great amount of control of the microphones too - even to a point where I can isolate them from the subwoofer altogether if needed.

Another option is to run a feed from one of my other active speakers, but this would a single channel only (left or right), unless I can find a subwoofer that has both left and right inputs?

[golle]

If you use a live mixing desk take an aux (post fader), so you can change the volume with the fader of both, tops and sub.

[christiankoopmann]

The Phase Button is not to switch from left to right, it changes the phase of the sub to allign it to the tops. It´s necessary that the tops and the sub run in the same phase.

Not always my digital amps have the option to switch with this button from left to right in Bass mode. in normal mode true it is switching the phase for 180°.

And Kev if the single bass has an frequency devider build in you can connect first one of the channels like left or right with the bass and then go from there to the top. Alternative when it has an dual input and output for stereo you can connect both left and right into the subwover and from there you go to your top speakers.

What would be your speaker? a link to its technical specs would help to say how you could connect them.

Thanks
Christian

[golle]

Which digital amp do you use?

[christiankoopmann]

build in of my QSC speakers.
two seperate switches one for mode and the second is phase, and if mode is set to mono sub you can set with phase the left or right channel (because you have two seperate inputs).
So not always the label is for the specific function^^.
But true if it is only a phase switch than you can only switch the phase for like 180°.

regards
Christian

[golle]

oh, I never heard about this. What´s the model?

[KevMaverick]

I haven't decided which subwoofer I'm going to get yet - I'm in the process of doing my research.