Crossovers for Polk "R" Series Bookshelves?

[Linksys2.4]

Can anyone advise me on whether or not it's okay to use a crossover of "80Hz" on all speakers, in a setup consisting of Polk R20 main bookshelves, a CSi30 center and R15 surrounds? My processor is an Onkyo 605; right now, my speaker setup in the receiver reads as such:

Speakers Type: Normal
Front: 80Hz
Center: 80Hz
Surrounds: 80Hz
LPF of LFE: 120Hz

Can the R20 and R15 bookshelves AND the CSi30 center all be run at 80Hz with no problems? Will this send most of the LFE energy to my PSW10 sub?

Thank you in advance...

[callas01]

Originally Posted by Linksys2.4

Can anyone advise me on whether or not it's okay to use a crossover of "80Hz" on all speakers, in a setup consisting of Polk R20 main bookshelves, a CSi30 center and R15 surrounds? My processor is an Onkyo 605; right now, my speaker setup in the receiver reads as such:

Speakers Type: Normal
Front: 80Hz
Center: 80Hz
Surrounds: 80Hz
LPF of LFE: 120Hz

Can the R20 and R15 bookshelves AND the CSi30 center all be run at 80Hz with no problems? Will this send most of the LFE energy to my PSW10 sub?

Thank you in advance...

Yeah, you should be fine with those crossovers. It looks like the model numbers have changed on polks website, but they still look the same... and I would think they would have similar specs.

[Linksys2.4]

Originally Posted by callas01

Yeah, you should be fine with those crossovers. It looks like the model numbers have changed on polks website, but they still look the same... and I would think they would have similar specs.

Thanks, Callas!

Are you sure we're both talking about the "R" series Polks? These have been discontinued for some time now...

[Rob J in WNY]

Linksys2.4,

I have Polk Audio R150 speakers for my surround and back-surround speakers. Love 'em! My receiver is a Pioneer Elite SC-05 and I have them crossed over at 80Hz. Have not had any problems - even at reference volumes on quite a few action/adventure/sci-fi movies.


One of my four Polk Audio R150 speaker used as surround and back-surrounds.

[Linksys2.4]

Originally Posted by Rob J in WNY

Linksys2.4,

I have Polk Audio R150 speakers for my surround and back-surround speakers. Love 'em! My receiver is a Pioneer Elite SC-05 and I have them crossed over at 80Hz. Have not had any problems - even at reference volumes on quite a few action/adventure/sci-fi movies.


One of my four Polk Audio R150 speaker used as surround and back-surrounds.

Hey, Rob!

Thanks for the info! What part of Western New York are you in? I used to live in Long Island.

I think your 150s are from a different, more premium "R" line than my R20s and R15s -- perhaps I should have specified to the other poster that he needed to make sure that we were speaking about the smaller R20s and R15s...

Either way, does setting them at 80Hz across the board simply mean that more bass can be distributed/handled by the sub?

And is my CSi center OK at 80Hz, as well?

Thanks again for your input...

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Linksys2.4

Hey, Rob!
Either way, does setting them at 80Hz across the board simply mean that more bass can be distributed/handled by the sub?

the crossover setting determines to a certain point which frequencies would be diverted from your current speakers, towards the subwoofer. in this case, setting it at 80hz would mean having any frequency at 80 or lower, will be redirected to the subwoofer.

80hz is considered a great starting point, allowing the subwoofer and the frontstage to blend in well.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by jomari

the crossover setting determines to a certain point which frequencies would be diverted from your current speakers, towards the subwoofer. in this case, setting it at 80hz would mean having any frequency at 80 or lower, will be redirected to the subwoofer.

80hz is considered a great starting point, allowing the subwoofer and the frontstage to blend in well.

+1...checking your specs, 80Hz across the board for all of your speakers is the best setting to allow for higher volumes without any possible clipping. You should be good to go Link!

[Linksys2.4]

Originally Posted by jomari

the crossover setting determines to a certain point which frequencies would be diverted from your current speakers, towards the subwoofer. in this case, setting it at 80hz would mean having any frequency at 80 or lower, will be redirected to the subwoofer.

80hz is considered a great starting point, allowing the subwoofer and the frontstage to blend in well.

Thanks, Jomar!

So, going to say, 90 or 100Hz would do what exactly? Make the speakers handle more of the bass?

You mentioned the FRONT stage...but are my rear R15s okay on 80, too?

[Linksys2.4]

Originally Posted by forsberg21

+1...checking your specs, 80Hz across the board for all of your speakers is the best setting to allow for higher volumes without any possible clipping. You should be good to go Link!

Thanks As Always, Fors!

But the Polk site, after I looked up the "vintage" R20s, seemed to include a frequency range that didn't mention "80Hz"...

Are you sure this is safe, even for the CSi30 center and R15 surrounds?

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Linksys2.4

Thanks, Jomar!

So, going to say, 90 or 100Hz would do what exactly? Make the speakers handle more of the bass?

You mentioned the FRONT stage...but are my rear R15s okay on 80, too?

90-100hz would still go to your speakers, which is acceptable in this case.

your R15s should be just fine according to the specs. it actually goes down to 60hz, but you want a 'usable' signal, with enough space for roll offs...

Thanks As Always, Fors!

But the Polk site, after I looked up the "vintage" R20s, seemed to include a frequency range that didn't mention "80Hz"...

Are you sure this is safe, even for the CSi30 center and R15 surrounds?

what you'd be looking for in any speakers specs is the overall frequency response, showing you number like the R20s reflecting

55Hz - 24kHz

this means it can go as low as 55hz, and up to a high frequency of 24khz. the human ear can hear a frequency from 20hz-20khz in general.

[Linksys2.4]

Originally Posted by jomari

90-100hz would still go to your speakers, which is acceptable in this case.

your R15s should be just fine according to the specs. it actually goes down to 60hz, but you want a 'usable' signal, with enough space for roll offs...




what you'd be looking for in any speakers specs is the overall frequency response, showing you number like the R20s reflecting

55Hz - 24kHz

this means it can go as low as 55hz, and up to a high frequency of 24khz. the human ear can hear a frequency from 20hz-20khz in general.

Thank you for the explanation...

But I'm a little more confused now on the Hz reading issue -- SHOULD I use something other than 80Hz across the board for my R20, CSi30 and R15s?

[callas01]

Originally Posted by Linksys2.4

Thanks, Callas!

Are you sure we're both talking about the "R" series Polks? These have been discontinued for some time now...

on polks website you can look up the previous models too.... but the new ones are R300 and you have R20s.... they look the same and have basically the same specs....

[Linksys2.4]

BTW,

Thank you everyone so far for taking the time to assist me with these questions...

[Linksys2.4]

Originally Posted by callas01

on polks website you can look up the previous models too.... but the new ones are R300 and you have R20s.... they look the same and have basically the same specs....

Thanks...

[callas01]

Originally Posted by Linksys2.4

Thank you for the explanation...

But I'm a little more confused now on the Hz reading issue -- SHOULD I use something other than 80Hz across the board for my R20, CSi30 and R15s?

Big Daddy said to me once that its best to have them all crossover at the same level... i forget why exactly, but he did tell me that its more important for the fronts to crossover at the same level then the rears, if the rears need to be higher... but if you can crossover at the same level its best that way.

[Linksys2.4]

Originally Posted by callas01

Big Daddy said to me once that its best to have them all crossover at the same level... i forget why exactly, but he did tell me that its more important for the fronts to crossover at the same level then the rears, if the rears need to be higher... but if you can crossover at the same level its best that way.

You mean, the way I am doing it -- 80Hz ACROSS THE BOARD for all speakers?

Also...I went on Polk's site, and it doesn't seem that the "R" series you're talking about is under Bookshelves, which would correspond to the R20s I have. I don't have floor standing towers -- they're bookshelves on Sanus stands.

Which current model would coorespond to my R20s then?

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Linksys2.4

Thank you for the explanation...

But I'm a little more confused now on the Hz reading issue -- SHOULD I use something other than 80Hz across the board for my R20, CSi30 and R15s?

you should use 80hz, even if your current speakers can go lower. it means that even if your speakers are capable of going further down so to speak, id like to see how it would perform using the default of 80hz. you can also try 60hz, but lets start simple.

Originally Posted by Linksys2.4

You mean, the way I am doing it -- 80Hz ACROSS THE BOARD for all speakers?

Also...I went on Polk's site, and it doesn't seem that the "R" series you're talking about is under Bookshelves, which would correspond to the R20s I have. I don't have floor standing towers -- they're bookshelves on Sanus stands.

Which current model would coorespond to my R20s then?

i googled it. afterwards i got to the website, reflecting all the glory of your polks.

heres the R20

R20 polks

the reason you want to start off at 80hz, is because this is where localization (being able to 'see' where the sub is 'sitting') dissipates. you want to be able to 'hear' the entire frequencies without being able to distinguish where its coming from.

[Rob J in WNY]

Originally Posted by Linksys2.4

Hey, Rob!

Thanks for the info! What part of Western New York are you in? I used to live in Long Island.

Linksys2.4,

You're welcome, and it looks like you've had all your questions answered very well!

I have my Polk Audio CSi25 center channel crossed over at 80Hz as well (my receiver, for all it's beauty and functionality, only lets you choose a single crossover point for all the speaker groups (unless a particular group is set to "large" size, which means no crossover point will be applied at all).

I am just outside the Buffalo area. Pretty much love it here except for the long, cold and snowy winters!

[Linksys2.4]

Originally Posted by jomari

you should use 80hz, even if your current speakers can go lower. it means that even if your speakers are capable of going further down so to speak, id like to see how it would perform using the default of 80hz. you can also try 60hz, but lets start simple.

I don't even think my 605 has a selection for "60Hz"...does it?

i googled it. afterwards i got to the website, reflecting all the glory of your polks.

heres the R20

R20 polks

Thank You!

EDIT: Yes, I read this part of the Polk site; where does it indicate, particularly, which frequency range can be specified?

the reason you want to start off at 80hz, is because this is where localization (being able to 'see' where the sub is 'sitting') dissipates. you want to be able to 'hear' the entire frequencies without being able to distinguish where its coming from.

Okay...

But ALL the speakers in my setup can be OK at 80Hz?

[Linksys2.4]

Originally Posted by Rob J in WNY

Linksys2.4,

You're welcome, and it looks like you've had all your questions answered very well!

We're still tryin'.......

I have my Polk Audio CSi25 center channel crossed over at 80Hz as well (my receiver, for all it's beauty and functionality, only lets you choose a single crossover point for all the speaker groups (unless a particular group is set to "large" size, which means no crossover point will be applied at all).

Indeed, LARGE would indicate no crossover because it's going full-range; but that's strange that your receiver only lets you choose one frequency for a group...which model are you running again?

I am just outside the Buffalo area. Pretty much love it here except for the long, cold and snowy winters!

Indeed; even in Long Isle we got nasty winters...are you a Bills fan?