instruct. And if you need some help, please call. Even though you will probably be
using a subwoofer, set your receiver or processor for "no subwoofer." This may
seem illogical, but it is necessary for the proper integration of the center channel
midrange and bass.
In case you missed it-- Set your processor for "no subwoofer" and leave your
subwoofer turned o
ff
until you have completed a successful test with the
Magnepan test disk.
Here is how it works -- If you set the processor for "no subwoofer," there is no
option for routing the center channel midbass and bass. The processor
must
send
the center channel midbass and bass to the "large" left/right Magneplanars. That
is
exactly
what we intend for you to get the best possible performance from your
CC5. Your full-range, left/right Magneplanars will provide the center channel
midbass and bass, thereby giving the illusion of a large Magneplanar in the
middle. The de
fi
nition of your left/right Magneplanar bass/midbass is vastly
superior to the bass that can be achieved if the center channel bass were routed
to the subwoofer.
The usual practice of routing the bass to the subwoofer is less than satisfactory in
most installations with Magneplanar center channel speakers. Often there is a
signi
fi
cant "hole" in the center channel midbass response when higher crossover
points are used. In addition, subwoofers are best suited for augmenting "large"
speakers below 40 Hz and are considered "muddy" or of poor quality when higher
crossover points are used above 40-60 Hz. At a crossover point of 150-250 Hz, the
discontinuity between the CC5's "fast" quasi ribbon midrange and the relatively
"slow" subwoofer becomes very obvious. Of course, you probably plan to use a
subwoofer for home theater.
To drive your subwoofer with this con
fi
guration, install a Y-adapter on both the
left and right preamp outputs of the processor. The subwoofer and the power
amp will be driven by the same left or right full-range signal. Use the electronic
crossover in the subwoofer to set the low pass frequency. Be sure that the left/
right "large" Maggies are set for "large" with no roll-o
ff
of the bass. Since the signal
from the front left/right pre-amp outputs is "full range" (down to 20 Hz), the
subwoofer will receive all the deep bass information. When the processor is set for
"no subwoofer", the bass from the .1 (LFE) is routed to the "large" front left/right
Magneplanars. The LFE bass which is sent to the left/right "large" speakers is in
mono. If your subwoofer has only one input, it is not absolutely necessary to drive
the subwoofer with both the left and right signal. (Note- The .1 or LFE bass
information will NOT damage your left/right Magneplanars.)
Revised 1-24-17
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