5.1 with subwoofer?

[96civ 10+ year member]

If I I'm only going for a 5.1 setup, how do I incorporate a subwoofer into the design? I'm not going to be using the center channel so would I use the center channel for the subwoofer or would I not get good output at low frequencies with that channel?

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[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

"5.1" means a right, left, center, two rear surrounds and a subwoofer.

Frankly, if you're not using the center channel, I wouldn't bother with surround at all. The majority of vocals in movie soundtracks are handled by the CC.

 

[Foote 10+ year member]

5.1 already has a sub incorporated in the design.

thats the ".1" part. 1 sub.

 

[96civ 10+ year member]

The majority of vocals in movie soundtracks are handled by the CC

Hmm, that's good to know... maybe I will put a CC in there then.

I see the receiver I'm looking at has a sub-out coaxial connection, but how would I wire that up to the sub?

Sorry, I'm pretty new to this stuff lol

 

[shortyg83 10+ year member]

You buy an active subwoofer so it has a coaxil connection on it. And if you dont use a center channel in 5.1 you will here no voices

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

You would either need to buy a powered subwoofer, or a plate amplifier and go the DIY route. Most Receivers are not built to power a subwoofer...think of them like a head unit.

 

[hoss 5,000+ posts]

"5.1" means a right, left, center, two rear surrounds and a subwoofer.
Frankly, if you're not using the center channel, I wouldn't bother with surround at all. The majority of vocals in movie soundtracks are handled by the CC.

i disagree. a properly set up prologic surround can have some pleasing results.

its not a true discrete setup, but for a simple stereo it can work well.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

You would either need to buy a powered subwoofer, or a plate amplifier and go the DIY route. Most Receivers are not built to power a subwoofer...think of them like a head unit.

Except the internal amp on a receiver worth owning (read: something built before 1990 and/or not sold at Best Buy //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif) actually will do rated power, unlike a head unit's internal amp will //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I've never really messed around with PL for movies. I've heard it used for upmixed music, it was unbearably fake.

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

I bought a class AB 2 channel for my substage not a Plate amp...you think that was a good move?

 

[93EXT 10+ year member]

both my cheap ( read like 2-3 from bottom of the line) Receivers have sub controls. a Class AB will be fine, cept you need some sort of X over. and possibly a sub sonic filter.

Cough Reckhorn B-1 !!! cough

 

[hoss 5,000+ posts]

Except the internal amp on a receiver worth owning (read: something built before 1990 and/or not sold at Best Buy //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif) actually will do rated power, unlike a head unit's internal amp will //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
I've never really messed around with PL for movies. I've heard it used for upmixed music, it was unbearably fake.

back in college nick used to have a prologic stereo set up consisting of some homemade front speakers (two morel drivers IIRC), some eclipse coaxials for the rear, and a 12" GZ nuke for the substage (which we later swapped out for the 4 12"s in the cieling //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif ). it was a nice little stup which blended nicely. and if you didnt know any better, you would have sworn there was a center channel.

 

[Fast1one 10+ year member]

i disagree. a properly set up prologic surround can have some pleasing results.
its not a true discrete setup, but for a simple stereo it can work well.

I would have to agree, hell I like my two channel for movies just fine. Great imaging. As far as surround goes, never really caught my interest, that is until they figure out surround screen or something //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

What is pro-logic?

Is it where you make a 2 channel setup sound like a 5.1 or something?

 

[hoss 5,000+ posts]

its just another form of surround sound. it doesnt have discreet channel seperation, and funcions only on 2 or 4 channels.

its older technology, but its what paved the way to 5.1/6.1/7.1/20.1 etc.

and yeah, it basically blends the fronts and rears to create phantom center channels (which can be done if set up correctly)

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

I assume this would be great in small listening areas.

Although I don't wish to thread jack, I am thinking a for say $1,000 one could get a 2.1 to sound better than a 5.1. (Yes, you can upgrade the 5.1 later, but that wasn't the point)

So do you need four channels because you said front and rear?