Use Single Mono Sub With Stereo Tops?

[mikeyb 0]

Hi,

 

Well I've just bought a £600 sub and didn't realise it only had one XLR input and one XLR output. I'm using it with 2 x Mackie SRM 450s (original) and was wondering if it's possible to split the L/R to go into the sub, and then split the single sub output to send to the 2 tops?

 

If I was to get an XLR splitter would this make life easier? I'm currently using the sub on one side of the rig and using the other SRM450 as standard.

 

I'm happy to run in mono but obviously don't want to lose one side of the track in the process!

 

Hoping to get another sub one day but in the meantime any help or advice would be great!

 

PS I was also wondering do most nightclub PAs run in mono or stereo?

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

[vokf 0]

Hi,

 

Well I've just bought a £600 sub and didn't realise it only had one XLR input and one XLR output. I'm using it with 2 x Mackie SRM 450s (original) and was wondering if it's possible to split the L/R to go into the sub, and then split the single sub output to send to the 2 tops?

 

If I was to get an XLR splitter would this make life easier? I'm currently using the sub on one side of the rig and using the other SRM450 as standard.

 

I'm happy to run in mono but obviously don't want to lose one side of the track in the process!

 

Hoping to get another sub one day but in the meantime any help or advice would be great!

 

PS I was also wondering do most nightclub PAs run in mono or stereo?

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

 

 

Hi Mike,

most modern music has fairly central bass (kick drum and bass line), so mono bass is pretty acceptable. Simply run Left OR Right output from your mixer into the sub, and the output to the Mackie 450.

This will give you Stereo mid/top, with mono bass (which is fine)

 

I've got 2 subs and 2 450's, and sometimes just take 1 sub, and hook it up like the above.

 

The other option is to get another mixer to combine L&R XLR's into a single output.

This will be a bit of hassle and expense- and longer set-up.

 

 

Hope this helps,

Jason

 

[gadget 0]

 

Hoping to get another sub one day but in the meantime any help or advice would be great!

 

PS I was also wondering do most nightclub PAs run in mono or stereo?

 

Most nightclubs will use some sort of crossover/loudspeaker management system to control what goes to what speakers... Subs could well be mono-summed.

 

Does your mixer have a dedicated sub-woofer output on it? If so that would be useful in this instance.

 

Another option is you go for an active crossover (but this is expense, obviously), which has Left+Right "top" outputs (to go to each top), and a mono-summed sub-woofer output (like the Behringer CC2310 has)..

 

 

Cheers,

 

David

[Dream Catchers 0]

I think you should be OK as you are,

Sub bass pretty un directional, unlike the higher frequencies that is directional.

 

Jim

Edited November 26, 2009 by Dream Catchers

[superstardeejay 0]

Dont split the signal from the bass speaker into 2 for the tops, this is the wrong way round. Take a feed from one of the tops and use that for the bass. As already mentioned, most bass is recorded equally to both L&R so it doesnt matter which channel feeds the bass speaker. Bass is not particularly directional so doesnt benefit from a stereo image.

Edited November 28, 2009 by superstardeejay

[mikeyb 0]

Thanks for all the replies guys, that's what I was thinking too, as bass is generally in mono the way I'm using it now is not a problem..

 

However the main reason I bought a sub was to take the pressure off the tops as I'm doing some reasonable size venues playing RnB/Dance at 16ths, 18ths etc and even a rave the other week! lol

 

I noticed most active subs (e.g. Mackie one) have 2 inputs and 2 outputs, meaning the bass is taken away from both top speakers, and I just wondered a way of doing this with my single input/output sub.. Can't really send it back as it's been used now!

 

SO I guess it's either get a crossover, or a desk with dedicated sub output, or buy another one to go the other side (which is what I'd like to do!) However needs must and I need a new van first!

 

Thanks for the ideas, let me know if you can think of anything else.

 

Cheers

 

Mike

[superstardeejay 0]

Yeah ideally what you've said; a crossover or mixer with sub output. Not all the powered subbass bins do have stereo in and high-pass stereo out, but those that do are specifically designed to be run as a single bass box with 2 tops if necessary, often with a twin adapter pole making a nice compact system.

 

Electronic crossovers can be picked up for very little money these days.

 

 

 

 

Skytronic USB7702 at 42 quid:

http://www.theelectronicsshop.co.uk/Art%20Work/usb%207702.gif

Edited November 28, 2009 by superstardeejay

[chris_gilly 0]

i use a similar setup, i use a mono output on the mixer to run a bridged amplifier to run the bin that way it gets a full signal l&r on one speaker :)

[mikeyb 0]

thanks guys for the help!

 

sorry not been on 4 days as been so busy..

 

it's a good sub and hoping to get another once i've got a bigger van lol

 

if anyone knows where to buy that crossover that would be great as i will probably get one..

 

cheers, hope you're all having a busy and successful month :-)