I could use some help, please. I'm trying to work out the best way to integrate a sub woofer (Rel Stadium 3) which I've borrowed to evaluate and, from reading (manuals and threads here) and talking to technical support, I'm feeling confused.

As I read it, Rel's philosophy is to connect with both low and high level inputs for video and music respectively. I'd like to be sure I understand it.

From what I understand, the idea for Music is to take a high level signal from the main speakers to the sub and use the on board filters to bring it in just at the low frequency of the mains. For video material they would connect to a line level input, which routes the signal through their filters, or LFE, which bypasses the sub's filters.

So, why take the full signal for music and then filter out anything above, say 22Hz to 55Hz, depending on the capability of the mains? I guess I need to know more about what is carried at line level and what is carried by LFE alone but I've assumed they carry frequencies up into the range that most main speakers work at. Any thoughts and information would be appreciated.

In my system, (596, 568.2 and D5K's) I have configured the subwoofer as one - mono for music, 5.1 and LFE. I have experimented with both the THX and Meridian crossover defaults and with the mains as Small and Large 96.24.

Currently, I have the mains as Large 96.24 and the crossovers set at 40Hz. The intention is to keep the Stadium out of where the D5k's perform well and use it to provide information that they do not - substantively, below 35 Hz. Again, I'd appreciate any feedback on this to help me think it all through more clearly.

By the way, I've now tried the Meridan D1500 and this Rel. I didn't especially like the D1500 because the bass sonded and felt thick and slow to me. The Stadium sounds and feels faster and more musical. I wonder if I shoud try the D2500 in comparison but heaven knows how much I'm missing just because I can't configure the one I've got adequately!

Steve

[This message has been edited by hamblis (edited 01-12-2004).]

Steve