How to add a sub to active monitors?

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jeffree

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How to add a sub or external EQ to active monitors?

Oh wise ones,

I have a pair of actives and need just a touch more bass for my mixes. I'm racking my brain to figure out how I could add a
cheapo consumer sub (I just need a pinch of deeper bass) to my
powered monitors. Normally, such subs have speaker outs, so
is it impossible to run this line to yet another amp? Any insight besides scrapping the idea or buying a pro sub for $400?

OR, is there a cheap external EQ pre-amp available that might do the trick, adding just enough extra bass to the monitors I already have?

Thanks, and in your debt,

J.
 
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hmmm... I'm not sure I understand, and I'm not sure if this helps, but I use a sub in my 5.1 mixes; the sub is simply routed to another bus-output.
 
I use a parametric EQ for winamp to extend the response of mine to 30Hz. Probably not something that's suitable for you.

You could always go for an external EQ, however unlike DSPs, an EQ in an analog line has more potential for damaging the signal.

If you go with a sub, you want anything but a cheapo. If anything it would make your mixes come out worse.

Best bet for mixing is an acoustic suspension sub, or a bass reflex design if you're lucky to find one with equal accuracy. Something along the lines of a Rava or Rava SE would be very suitable although not cheap.
 
Re: How to add a sub or external EQ to active monitors?

jeffree said:
OR, is there a cheap external EQ pre-amp available that might do the trick, adding just enough extra bass to the monitors I already have?
Click to expand...

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

http://www3.sympatico.ca/bvaleria/bluebear/articles/eqnotes.htm


Herwig (meant in the best possible way)

Ps: damn, I forgot the helpful part of my post: Most subs have built-in bass control, sound from the daw/recorder/console goes in the sub and from the sub out to the monitors and the crossover is inside the sub itself. The tannoys seem to be good as well as the small Genelecs.
 
It's funny because i have the same problem and here is how i might solve it.

1) You can buy a sub built to do that like the yorkville from the ysm serie) One of the sub is made to be added to the ysm1p (70 watt powered monitor) they is an out from the sub to go to your monitor.

2) My dad have a 300 Watts powered sub for is home theater. that he don't like.This is an inexpensive d-box (maybe too powerfull your needs though) I would like to try to plug a pair of yorkiville in one out of my mixer and to sub in the other out and try to see how cool it sound.

Anyway...there is my two solution. I really like the first one...i'm sorry i don't have the exact name for the yorkville sub but a know it start with ysm. it's a 150 Watts with a 12 inch. Yamaha have one too (but a never head it) 180 Watts with a 10 inch and it doesnt cost too much.

I guess that's better than boosting some frequency with an eq...but again...we have to live with what we have!!!

Be happy!
Azathoth
 
Re: How to add a sub or external EQ to active monitors?

jeffree said:
Normally, such subs have speaker outs, so is it impossible to run this line to yet another amp?
Click to expand...

Doesn't sound like a good idea, no. But you could try putting the sub in on another output from the mixer, or something. Or simply and fidgily just split the out signal.

Any insight besides scrapping the idea or buying a pro sub for $400?
Click to expand...

Not really, no.

OR, is there a cheap external EQ pre-amp available that might do the trick, adding just enough extra bass to the monitors I already have?
Click to expand...

No.
 
Maybe I'm old school, and need to learn a new trick.

Since your monitors are supposed to provide a flat response... and most music will not heard on systems with subwoofers... what do you gain by using a subwoofer to mix with?

Is this another way to achieve a "far-field" mix?
 
Q: "Hey, I have this tweeter. How do I add a woofer to get more mids and lows?"

A: "No problem. Just buy any old woofer, throw it in some box with the tweeter, add an off-the-shelf EQ and presto!..... you've got a great studio monitor!"

Not to criticize this whole idea too harshly, but why is it that everyone thinks they can add a sub so easily to their monitoring system when they would never dream of randomly throwing a woofer and tweeter together to make a monitor?

Accurately integrating a sub with a monitor requires every bit as much engineering skill as integrating a woofer with a tweeter. A mix-and-match method will get you something. And that something will most likely just be a big mess in the crossover region. The only saving grace is that our ears aren't as sensitive to bass as they are to midrange, so it's easier to overlook the response mess.

Thomas

http://barefootsound.com
 
The cheapest and most effective way is to purchase and incorporate the Behringer Ultrabass into your monitoring output chain.
Attenuations of 8-10 dbs of bass boost in the lower freq'ys. With a bass limiter, punch & define functions including 70hz roll-switch
this would be the cheapest way to add more bass to your present set-up.
@$59, you can't go wrong!
 
MISTERQCUE said:
The cheapest and most effective way is to purchase and incorporate the Behringer Ultrabass into your monitoring output chain.......you can't go wrong!
Click to expand...
No, no MRQQ! You couldn't go more wrong. This unit adds sub frequencies that are not in your original signal to begin with. This is that last thing you'd ever want to put in your monitoring chain!

Thomas

http://barefootsound.com
 
That is so true of course, but by incorporating the LIMITER & the Sub Roll-off, one can eliminate the subharmonics and add bottom presence to an additional speaker for bass monitoring. I have used this unit in conjuction with a bass amp and have also used it (in limited means) to boost bottom on a speaker I used in conjunction with my other monitors to replicate a sub-woofer.
Now I just use it on bass amp as I now own a 150 watt sub. for monitoring.

Thx!
 
I've got a simple setup that uses a small Behringer mixer and an old BSR EQ/ spectrum analyzer as a patch bay and I run all kinds of stuff through it. The system is a mongrel of home stereo and pro style gear. So the mains feed balanced signals to a pair of active Event TR5s, the "ctrl room out" (jeez...in a fifty dollar mixer...) [AKA aux outs] feed both right and left channels into a Yamaha YST-SW205 subwoofer (8", 150 watt, $130), and the "tape" outputs can send an unbalanced signal to a BOSE stereo system if I feel like it. So I can listen to a track from the computer or the tracker, or a CD player for that matter, on the monitors, with or without the subwoofer, and with or without the BOSE coloration.

I find that the subwoofer is OK but I rarely use it, and mix with just the monitors and then see what it sounds like through the BOSE linkage.

Pretty hometoggle, but it works and is versatile for the money.
 
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