I have a Yamaha SW10 Sub coming tomorrow, I already have Yamaha MSP5 Studio monitors and they really don’t give me the bottom end on my mixes. I’ve done a bit of reading up and the SW10 is designed to work with the MSP series so I’m hoping for decent results…
This is my first sub so setting it up correctly is paramount, things like the crossover settings I’m not too sure how to work out. Do I work it out by the frequency charts or do I just play it by ear? Not sure if there is anything else I need to take into consideration.
Just wondered if anyone had any experience of setting up monitors and subs together, hopefully I can pick up some tips to get by.
Frequency Chart for the MSP5 Monitors -
Frequency Chart for the SW10 Sub -
Would be interesting to find out how I go about this.
I assume there is a manual with it, normally your sub comes in at the point where your nearfields frequency response take a dive but a lot depends on room characteristics and positioning.
I use a RTA to measure.
i just did this for the first time, too! I got the 10" KRK sub to pair with my KRK Rocket 5" monitors.
I hooked it all up and then adjusted the crossover by ear. I have to change it sometimes, depending on what Im doing, but it was very easy to dial by ear. turn the knob. step back and listen. adjust the knob. done.
According To Your Diagram i would cut the monitoring at 100hz and let the SUB do his job for all the 0 to 100hZ. Pay attention to level of the SUB if you don’t have acoustic treatment in your room the SUB will not gonna help it’s normal to not have a full audio range with monitors and more with 5" monitors… usually better with 6" - 8"
If you do not have room treatment watch internet for self made bass trap and all the other things you can do to make things better. Using the K-system with a measurement microphone to calibrate your system better can help in the first time but it’s better to make a room enhancement.
i recommend to watch the Setting up your studio: monitors, acoustic treatment, etc PART :
The sub should be there just to widen the image, and not overpower the sound, best bet is to do it by ear on a source material that you know.
Good tip for positioning the sub is to put it in the chair you work from and go around the room to see where it sounds best, and placing it there.
I have a switch pedal on my monitoring system and ON-OFF the SUB only to check my Low End or feel the music when create beats, melodies etc… I use it for shape the kick - Bass (compression etc…) But i switch OFF when i’m happy with my shaping and frequencies and go back to mixing. Sometimes it’s useful because SUB tell you oh too much bass in your mix…
Rather that for mixing i don’t use it (i mean not all the time just on frequency focus part)
just click on the red download button on the left.
important is “teston 5”, adjust the loudness of your sub, so that there is no loudness difference in the alternating signal
in testtone 6 tells you of the phase is right. just choose the phase setting that makes the tone on your hearing position louder.
for the crossover frequency, I would go for something between 85 Hz (thats the dolby recommendation) to 100 Hz (like william recommended) according to your monitors.
but what is most important is room treatment and equalization. So you should measure the frequency response and try to eliminate room nodes. A dbx Driverack PA2 does this automatically (for the measurement you can use a behringer ecm-8000 microphone). It doesnt repair phase problems, but it can help with nasty room nodes. Highly recommended.
there are also software solutions to this like the ik multimedia arc 2 or from dirac. but they only help, when your working in the box and always route your equipment through the computer.
Be very careful with that sub. Used to have a sub, but when we switched to 8" monitors, we got rid of it. AFAIR subs are mostly a bad idea as far as untreated small rooms and mixing is concerned. Sure it sounds pleasing (exciting a ~100Hz room mode with sub bass sounds well massive!), but not sure if this happens at the cost of accuracy in those scenarios.
With my sub setup I have it in the middle of my monitors on the floor elevated with a small stand and a foot from the wall to avoid over loudness of the bass because of it being too close to the wall. Acoustic treatment is advised but if you can’t make that happen I try to examine my bass by ear as much as possible. I think I’ve done alright without it so far not to say having it won’t be pointless. If space permits I’ll try to get a bass trap as well. As far as crossover point mine is at 180hz. I’d say somewhere between there and 100hz is a good starting point and then you can adjust to your liking.
