Full range from CONNECT:AMP's subwoofer output

Hi there Larry,

I'm afraid there isn't a way to alter or disable the 80hz crossover on Sonos. When an RCA cable is wired to the subwoofer output, the CONNECT:AMP will automatically adjust the crossover frequency. If you'd like, I can change this to an Idea thread if you'd like to see a feature like this from Sonos in the future.

Thanks.

Hi Ryan,

I agree with Larry - It would be nice to have the option to change the subwoofer out to full range eliminating the 80hz crossover.  It seems like this should be doable.  Can you please help?

Luke

Thanks for the feedback, Luke. I've changed the topic to an Idea thread so others can +1 and comment on this request as well.

I also am with you guys Having this freq. locked is a disappointment. It should be configurable within the component's settings. Depending on the powered sub and or the wired speakers you can really experience a sonic gap when the sub only kicks in at 80Htz and lower!  The work around I utilized and found to work well is I got a different sub that has speaker level inputs.  I was able to use this configuration to get the Sonos connect:amp to output the full range of frequencies to the sub and then use the sub's crossover to do the filtering.  Not as clean of an install but is getting the job done!

~Bryan

Thanks for the feedback, Luke. I've changed the topic to an Idea thread so others can +1 and comment on this request as well.

Yes, please try to get this implemented as soon as possible! Thanks Stefan

I would just like to add to the voices asking for the ability to set the crossover frequency manually. Those of us that put money on good speakers and gear the cost of an C:A, want to ensure we can blend the sound properly - and also manually disable the subwoofer in software (without physically disconnecting it) at times, to get the full range of our mains. I was completely baffled and disappointed it was not like this, when I paired a new KEF Q400B with the B&W 685s I had connected the Sonos. Please work this in soon. Thanks!

With the software focus on voice control and streaming services and hardware focus on active speakers that the play units all are, I don't see when this will happen, and even if it will happen. Speaker level connections, if the Sub can take these, are the only possible work around, short of buying a Sonos Sub.

That said, 80 hz works quite well in a wide range of speakers, except for very small monitor style speakers, which the 685, for example, is not - it is quite capable down to 80hz. I am curious why more than what the Connect Amp does is needed in this case.

5 people in two years is not a compelling case for Sonos to spend time on this request. I assumed that the request was allow people to lower the crossover, to say, 50Hz for more capable full range speakers, rather than raising it. As Kumar says however, any decent sub will have a high-level connection which would be more suitable in this sort not case (also lol'ing at the idea the C:A is an "expensive" amp...).

With the software focus on voice control and streaming services and hardware focus on active speakers that the play units all are, I don't see when this will happen, and even if it will happen. Speaker level connections, if the Sub can take these, are the only possible work around, short of buying a Sonos Sub.

That said, 80 hz works quite well in a wide range of speakers, except for very small monitor style speakers, which the 685, for example, is not - it is quite capable down to 80hz. I am curious why more than what the Connect Amp does is needed in this case.

Thanks for your interest in the thread Kumar. As The LHC noted, the point would be to set the crossover LOWER than the 80 Hz, so that you can get your mains going as low as possible in stereo and optimal positioning (which the subwoofer is normally not). You don't want the sub handling any frequencies your mains could handle, ever. The 685s will go to 52 Hz and I'd rather have them playing the 60-80 than the sub on its own.

Since SONOS evidently already has the feature enabled for the SONOS Sub integration, it would be a trivial software matter to work it in for the rest of us. I know they aren't trying to cater to audiophiles but this is a fairly basic function of any decent stereo amp. Keeping things "simple" at the expense of sound quality is the apple approach; Sonos clearly tries to strike a better middle ground, but for the cost of their devices, I feel some basic features like this should be standard.

The Sonos Sub has DSP that Sonos knows and fully controls; offering the same flexibility in the Connect Amp with third party Subs may not be a trivial problem. Or it may be so.
I doubt you will see a solution though; I certainly would not hold my breath.

If it is any consolation - notwithstanding the published spec, I would be surprised if the 685 put out significant energy in the 60-80 hz region. Physics will be a limiting factor. And directionality and stereo imaging largely disappears below 80hz.

On the other hand, I became a convert to Subs for music only after I heard for myself how well the Sonos Sub integrated for music with both a Connect Amp + third party speakers set up and of course, with a play unit set up.

With Sonos Sub and a Connect Amp using Quad 11L, Dali Zensor 1, and KEF Q100 speakers, I played around with crossover settings between 60hz and 110 hz at different times, and I really did not hear much difference across these settings with any of these speaker pairs. There was a noticeable and audible difference when the speakers were changed though.

There's a big difference between a digital software crossover on the sub, and what is most likely an analog hardware crossover on the sub line out.

Hello all,

I would also like the 80hz removed (or on/off option) from the connect:amp if possible for two reasons, firstly I would rather use the on board sub xover and secondly and more annoyingly I noticed that the sonos amplifier itself cuts off bass heading to my main speakers when it senses an RCA plugged into the sub output which I don't want it to do at all as my main speakers provide a fair amount of impact bass themselves.

I'd rather have both the sonos' amplified output and subwoofer output to have no Xover filtering at all if possible since my sub has full parametric eq and crossover and I can iron things out myself.

It seems like maybe a software thing so any time spent looking into this would be greatly appreciated since I cannot use my subwoofer in this way. Shame the stereo line-out disappeared that was on the good old ZP100's.

Thanks in advance!

If your Sub has the provision to accept high level inputs, run wires to it from the speaker terminals of the Connect Amp. The Sub manual should have more details on this recommendation that will provide full signal content to both main speakers and the Sub.

Hi Kumar, unfortunately it doesn't since I'm using a PA amp with full DSP to power the sub but I didn't want to complicate things for the purpose of explaining things in here.

There are high - low converters out there but these are usually designed for the automotive world, the passive ones aren't great and the active ones are rare and expensive.

I suppose it would be a temporary work around though, I just didn't want to start adding unnecessary things in the way of the signal path if possible.

Thanks for the helpful suggestion though!

Whats going on with this? 5 years and waiting???

Whats going on with this? 5 years and waiting???

I think the fact that in over 5 years only 6 people actually requested this feature is explanation enough.

Gotta love the "outrage" posts from the drive-by's. Always entertaining.

Whats going on with this? 5 years and waiting???

I think the fact that in over 5 years only 6 people actually requested this feature is explanation enough.

There is more than one thread about this.

Gotta love the "outrage" posts from the drive-by's. Always entertaining.

Gotta love posts from people who comment just for the sake of it.

There is more than one thread about this.



There is?