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I'd like to add some bottom to my monitor setup. My Behringer B2031A's are great down to their 50-Hz cutoff and do fine with most material played at a low level. But at higher levels there's no true bottom. A cursory search showed that entry level for powered subs is around $400. I'd like to pay less than half that. Polk has one that lists for $149. It pushes 50 watts but only goes down to 35 Hz. That's enough power, but it provides less than an additional octave below the Behrys' cutoff. Hardly seems worthwhile, but maybe I'm wrong. A look on craigslist is even worse. People are mainly unloading pro gear with 15 and 18-inch drivers and asking beaucoodles for them. Assuming I could afford them they wouldn't even fit in my space. Maybe someone here knows something I don't about what's out there. If not, I do have a Behringer BXL-1800 bass amp with a subharmonic processor. Is there some trick I could do with a crossover to use the amp? Signed, Cheap GAS ETA: The Behringer FBQ6200 looks promising. It's a dual 31-band graphic EQ with a sub out. Hmmm . . .
Last edited by Ryszard; 07/25/12 08:26 AM.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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I'm using a KRK Roket, 10" and although that is above your budget, it's one of the lower priced ones. Note that you will have to re-learn how to mix once you get one.
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The best thing on the FBQ6200 it's hardwire bypass function. When I tried the eq in my live rig for the first time I had all the faders set to neutral. The sound was much brighter, deeper and richer when the FBQ6200 was bypassed than when it was actually in the signal chain. So in the studio I would absoluteIy not reccomend the thing! I decided to use the FBQ6200 in the monitor amprack. There it looks very cool with the flashing LEDs and all and it can't do to much harm.
On the matter of the sub for your studio setup I cannot help you. I don't use a seperate sub in my studio.
Just wanted to warn you about buying the EQ for this purpose.
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Matt,
Re: Learning to mix again: That would be A Good Thing. I neglected to mention that I create this electro music, too.
Mike,
I don't really need the EQ. I'm just looking for an inexpensive way to get some more bass into my studio. The Behringer FBQ1502 (dual 15-band) also has the sub out for half the price of the 6200. Behringer is just the first place I looked.
I'm hoping someone can speak definitively to the concept of using the bass amp as a sub. It's probably not flat, yada yada, but hey. Better than trying to mix something I can't hear at all.
ETA: Looked again. Behry makes xovers with sub outs. Cheaper. Like. But will this work?
Last edited by Ryszard; 07/25/12 08:09 AM.
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On the simplest lever, when you first mix with a sub, you think you hear enough bass, but your mixes will then have too little to work in most other places.
I mix in a bedroom-sized room and adjust the sub to give very little output. It's there, but barely.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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My living situation is such that I couldn't turn the thing up if I wanted to. I'm looking for an inexpensive yet effective way to hear lower-frequency program material than I can presently. It doesn't have to be loud, but the deeper the better.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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Do you have a local Goodwill store? If so, get an entire home theatre speaker system and an amp to go with it for less than 100$ usually.
If you don't want to use the non-sub speakers, just measure their resistance and swap in some load resistors in place of them.
If it were me, I wouldn't be trying to repurpose the bass amp for that. Just sayin...
-Scott
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Quote:
Your neck of the woods.
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/search/?ar...&catAbb=sss
That's fairly amazing. I did that search (or thought I did) and only turned up a handful of stuff. The Polk PSW505 looks like just the ticket--and I'll be down that way tomorrow. Thank you.
I'd still like a response on the bass amp question. Mac?
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Sorry we didn't specifically talk about your bass amp. Don't use the Bass amp, and in particular don't use the subharmonic processor. The Bass amp is actually a full range amplifier in most cases-not sure about yours. You will spend more making a usable crossover for it, where it's not really intended to be used as such, than picking up one of the 10 or so powered subwoofers (more compact and easier to corner load) on Craigslist.
Speaker size is not everything when it comes to subwoofers. Because of their special purpose for low frequency generation, you can use smaller drivers in a number of different configurations to generate the low frequency grunt.
You would have to cross-over the thing in between the pre-amp section and the amp section, or wire in a cross-over on the main amp output, putting load resistors on the 'throwaway' frequency region. The amp will be working to supply the load resistors unnecessarily. Not only that, you'll have to wire up your signal to supply both your monitors as well as the sub channel - not sure if you have that capability or not.
Just go with a powered sub that has the crossover in it already, connect the monitors to the crossover output as intended, load the little thing in the corner and be done with it. I would try to find one where you can adjust the crossover frequency, so that you can take advantage of the output of the monitors' low end. If I read right, your monitors have 8.75" drivers and are capable of plenty of low end grunt, cross over too low and you'll lose overall punch in the system.
-Scott
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Quote:
I'd still like a response on the bass amp question. Mac?
A recipe for mix confusion, sir.
There is more to a subwoofer used for fullrange audio than just being *able* to reproduce lower frequencies with gusto.
The Bass Instrument amp also has its own Instrument Preamp and EQ section built in. Differences in adjustment there would color your mix -- and you would have no way of knowing if your recordings are going to "translate" (the ability to play back on other systems and sound the same).
In other words, mixes that you make may sound full and nice to you on a system where you are using a bass instrument amp as a subwoofer, but you would have no idea where your mix stands in relation to "proper" stereo playback.
However, there is a 100 dollar answer to your problem.
Don't sell it short, it works very well.
That is the "Bazooka" subwoofer(s) that are readily available.
For example, you can purchase the Bazooka BT8014, which has built in crossover AND 150W amplification, for $99 at Walmart.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bazooka-BT8014...434&veh=aff
I have personally used Bazookas for subwoofers in the home studio situation, have specified them when doing installations, they tend to work very well when paired with the ubiquitous nearfield monitors necessary for doing this kind of work, don't let the funny shape fool you, they flat work.
After obtaining a good quality subwoofer of this sort, don't be surprised to find that your listening environment has problems. The next purchase worth thinking about would then be Bass Traps (or building of same) although with careful setup of the nearfield and proper use when monitoring, ie using the "conversational" low volume levels necessary to truly hear what is in your mix, one can avoid tha issue in a lot of circumstances.
--Mac
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Quote:
Quote:
I'd still like a response on the bass amp question. Mac?
A recipe for mix confusion, sir.
There is more to a subwoofer used for fullrange audio than just being *able* to reproduce lower frequencies with gusto.
The Bass Instrument amp also has its own Instrument Preamp and EQ section built in. Differences in adjustment there would color your mix -- and you would have no way of knowing if your recordings are going to "translate" (the ability to play back on other systems and sound the same).
In other words, mixes that you make may sound full and nice to you on a system where you are using a bass instrument amp as a subwoofer, but you would have no idea where your mix stands in relation to "proper" stereo playback.
However, there is a 100 dollar answer to your problem.
Don't sell it short, it works very well.
That is the "Bazooka" subwoofer(s) that are readily available.
For example, you can purchase the Bazooka BT8014, which has built in crossover AND 150W amplification, for $99 at Walmart.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bazooka-BT8014...434&veh=aff
I have personally used Bazookas for subwoofers in the home studio situation, have specified them when doing installations, they tend to work very well when paired with the ubiquitous nearfield monitors necessary for doing this kind of work, don't let the funny shape fool you, they flat work.
After obtaining a good quality subwoofer of this sort, don't be surprised to find that your listening environment has problems. The next purchase worth thinking about would then be Bass Traps (or building of same) although with careful setup of the nearfield and proper use when monitoring, ie using the "conversational" low volume levels necessary to truly hear what is in your mix, one can avoid tha issue in a lot of circumstances.
--Mac
ditto
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Gentleman,
The Bazooka sounds like an ideal solution, apart from whatever I have to do to connect it. I assume adapters and/or special cabling will be needed. I've seen them but didn't know what I was looking at. The form factor would be perfect for my space. I have no room on the floor, but it would fit on the base of the RTA workstation I'm using.
Many thanks to all who have responded.
Richard
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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Mac,
If this is the same as bazookas of old, there is no amp included with these. These are designed for car stereo use, and are not self-powered. Amp is required - 99% sure of that.
Ryszard, just get the Polk and you'll be all set.
-Scott
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Also be careful of your amplication, these are 4 ohm speakers.
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Why not go with the Behringer B2092A. I have one - it sits tucked away under my desk and sounds pretty good. I don't think they are too expensive. Kevin 
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Quote:
Mac,
If this is the same as bazookas of old, there is no amp included with these. These are designed for car stereo use, and are not self-powered. Amp is required - 99% sure of that.
Ryszard, just get the Polk and you'll be all set.
-Scott
OOPS! -- The $99 dollar one is indeed nonpowered.
Here is a link to the POWERED BAZOOKAS:
$169.00
$199.00, 100W w/10" woofer
Thanks for catching that, Scott.
--Mac
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Quote:
Gentleman,
The Bazooka sounds like an ideal solution, apart from whatever I have to do to connect it. I assume adapters and/or special cabling will be needed. I've seen them but didn't know what I was looking at. The form factor would be perfect for my space. I have no room on the floor, but it would fit on the base of the RTA workstation I'm using.
Many thanks to all who have responded.
Richard
The powered Bazookas hook up between the output of both channels of your power amp and the existing unpowered speakers. The existing speakers then hook up to the Bazookas. All of this is done using rather standard two-wire quick-connects much like found on the back of most speaker cabinets designed for home listening use.
The powered Bazookas come with hookup wire needed already in the box, long enough to handle most installations.
--Mac
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"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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This $95 powered Polk is compact enough, variable cross-over to tune to work with your behringers, etc. Just go get the thing. Sorry to disagree with Mac a bit, but this thing would be a better match for your use with monitor speakers that already should have plenty of grunt. You can dial in the cross-over frequency with this thing, not the Bazooka, as far as I can tell. You are not going to want to dial that crossover much over 100 Hz, would be my guess, maybe even lower. You'll have to use your ears. Plus, it's $95 and it's Polk audio. http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/ele/3135733426.html-Scott
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I suppose I could always keep it around if I ever needed to break my lease. 
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