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Hi All -
I have an all B&O set-up, which despite being all B&O is somewhat unconventional (because it's the only way the dealer/I could figure out to set it up - will explain below).
I'd now like to add a subwoofer (either a beolab 2 or 19) to the set-up but whenever I speak to dealers about this they appear confused and usually give me conflicting advice (not great as it's all B&O stuff so should, in theory, all work perfectly together).
So here's the current set-up:
- I have a Beosound essence (which I use daily for music)
- a Beovision 11 (which is connected to the essence via the essence's line-in - as this seemed to be the only way to be able to use the speakers with the essence independently of the TV and have TV sound going through them too).
- A pair of beolab 12.2s connected to the essence
- A pair of beolab 3s daisy chained from one of the 12.2s.
(in addition, I already have one issue with this current set-up where the final speaker in the chain often stops playing sound and goes to a low buzz until it's turned off and on again or I fiddle with any one of the wires between it and the 12.s it's daisy chained to - but we can leave this issue for another day :)
So, How would I best connect a sub to this set-up? (so that it can work well with both the essence on its own, and with the essence + beovision 11 when that's turned on too).
The easiest way to connect the sub would be to daisy chain it from on the of the 12-2s, but I understand this would either create some sort of delay in bass or wouldn't tell the other speakers that the sub was there, and therefore they would still try to handle the low notes themselves(?).
Any advice gratefully received!
Many thanks in advance,
Gareth.
Hi Gareth,
indeed an unconventional setup!
Before I make any other comments or suggestions, may I ask, which sources of the Essence, you use/how do you use it?
Or maybe the first question should be - is it an Essence 2nd generation?
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Hi MM - Thanks for getting involved :)
It's an essence V1.
I mostly use it for spotify connect and tunein radio. I like the essence wall remote and app and I can't see the TV from the kitchen where the beolab 3s are (so running everything through the TV and getting rid of the essence isn't really an option).
Thanks!
BeoNut since '75
Thanks for this.
Honestly I have been cheewing a bit on this one - it is a tough one!
Having read the post of elephant and your last one, I am somewhat afraid that you won't get the result, that you expect, by adding a subwoofer (the 2) direct out of the Essence and daiysychaning the rest from there..
Not knowing the size and the shape of your room, I would suspect, that the effect of the subwoofer would be to little with the BL3's. It might even make them sound less bassy, because the bas is already filtered away when the PL leaves the BL2 by the 12's.
It might work - but, as I said, when one does not know your environment, it is hard to give an advice.
Another solution would be to add a subwoofer (the 2 or the 11) to each set of speakers and run one PL (from the Essence) for each speaker-setup. This would also allow you to make the settings of the subwoofers correct according to the room and placement of each set.
BUT - as an overall remark, I think that you are wasting a lot of potential (really a lot!) in your setup, if you continue on these paths. The BV11 would give you a sophisticated bas management and the opportunity to create several different speaker groups, when the speaker are connected to it. Connecting the Essence to the BV11 is absolutely possible.
Of course it is for you to decide!
However, it would be nice to know, what the reason is for not using the BV as the hub.
I highly recommend a BL2 for your setup. I`d connect it to the first PL out of the essence - BL3 connected to PL out of BL2, so BL2 will do the bass management. Then I`d connect the BL12 to the second PL out of the essence, in "full range" mode without a BL2 in the signal chain.
Essence - PLout1 - BL2 - BL3/L - BL3/R with Y adapter or in parallel from BL2
PL out2 - BL12/L - BL12/R with Y adapter
If all 4 BLs are in a single Room/zone I`d also try to connect all BLS after BL2 in the signal chain (never tried that before....).
These solutions might also solve your PL issue with the last speaker....(?)
Stefan
Thanks all.
Sure - will also work, and will make more sense in your setup, I think.
stefan:Sure - will also work, and will make more sense in your setup, I think. Stefan
Just when I thought I'd got there you tell me this :)
Grrrrr!
(thanks everyone for the help though).
I'd agree with stefan on that one.
Whether the BL2 will do the job only a test may prove!
Some people a concerned with power consumption or wear of their tv, which is ok.
IMO the use of the tv /the BV11 as the center of a B&O-setup (as intended from B&O) gives you much more possibilities of tuning the sound and of handling speaker groups and connected sources - not to mention the use of the BL12.2's in conjunction with the speakers of the tv for a more accurate listening experience when watching tv/movies.
Please let us know how you decide - and especially how the setup performes.
elephant: stefan: Sure - will also work, and will make more sense in your setup, I think. Stefan Seems so. Only word of warning is the BL2 has a reputation of being a good movie subwoofer, but I have read elsewhere that it is "flabby" when it comes to music. Back to others for debate.
stefan: Sure - will also work, and will make more sense in your setup, I think. Stefan
Seems so.
Only word of warning is the BL2 has a reputation of being a good movie subwoofer, but I have read elsewhere that it is "flabby" when it comes to music.
Back to others for debate.
I know about that "reputation", and I don`t agree. As always, positioning is important, and the room takes a lot of influence, but after all it`s a very good speaker, and for it`s size, the best one I know.
I`m a proud owner of a BL2, that I used a lot of years for sound to picture and music in a front stereo setup with BL8000.
Years ago they had to go to rear stereo, when I got the BL5 for front L/R.
Thanks.
Garethowen:Thanks.
Hello again.
I'm still all over the place with this big decision :)
After you (some of you) put doubt in my mind about the BL3 I'm now considering a 19 (was always my first choice aesthetically anyway :)
The easiest way to add one of these would be:
- Connect the bola 19 into one of the essence's PL sockets
- Connect one of the 12.2s to the other essence PL socket
- Daisy chain the second 12.2 from the first 12.2
- Daisy chain the bolab 3s from the second 12.2 (with a splitter)
Simple?
But then some guy in a B&O shop (possible expert, possible chancer) told me that daisy chaining was a bad idea as it weakened the signal/would cause issues.
Is this true, or is my genius (joking) daisy chaining idea above going to work/be fine?
Thanks again!
I'd say, that it depends on the lenght of the cables.
Thanks MM.
The longest is 10 meters (I think).
Thanks :)
Millemissen:I'd say, that it depends on the lenght of the cables. MM There is a tv - and there is a BV.
"You think we can slap some oak on this thing?"
Yeah, I'm planning to get one with power link sockets (bola 2 or 19) but I don't have enough spare sockets in the essence for 2 sets of speakers + the sub, so would be daisy chaining the speakers to each other and giving the other essence port to the sub.
leosgonewild:Thinking about the thickness of the cable, there shouldn't be much signal loss.
I`d measure voltage on PIN4 Powerlink right before the last BL in the row.
leosgonewild: But wouldn't you be better if with a subwoofer with powerlink sockets out?
But wouldn't you be better if with a subwoofer with powerlink sockets out?
Absolutely!
I have not much experience with BL19 (I listened to it in "my" Beo store long time ago, but I wasn`t really interested, because I have BL2 and BL5..
That`s why I read the BL19 manual right now, with specs - Beo`s documents are really ridiculous, especially the "specs" ...! - and I couldn`t believe it, you are right: BL19 has no Powerlink out!...which normally means, no bassmanagement, just a low pass filter for the sub....(!?)
Before you take any decision, I highly recommend to read the manuals - and "specs" - of all three subs in the Beo-lineup - BL2, 11, 19.
And maybe you want to ask yourself, why they provide the BL2/11 manuals for every single language, and why is a "multilanguage manual" for the 19 sufficient...
And if you decide for the 19, connect the speakers to your Beovision and let the BV do the bass management.
BTW: the BL2/11 manuals describe, how to install the speakers in a stereo setup (like yours) and in a multichannel setup with LFE channel.
Yes, the B&O manuals are hilariously useless (a cynic might say so that you have to pay them to do the install!).