Subwoofer for Boom: auto switch-off & power saving

[JasonJoel]

Here is the one I picked. Cheap, sounds decent, auto on/off.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SA-W2500-.../dp/B000OL3QTW

Jason

[pincopallo_it]

Thanks Jason for the great tip !
I was shocked anyway when I saw the price of that subwoofer is the double here in Europe compared to US.
Why ?

Ciao
Angelo

[pablolie]

many subs include a 3-way switch that can be set to: off/auto on/always on. I use the auto on and it works like a charm, power consumption is minimal and lag time very low.

I wish there was a rating for "most musical" subwoofers out there.

I would also recommend a sub that has a phase setting, and to get a (ripped) set up CD (I use the one from Sheffield Labs) that allows you to make sure you're setting the sub in the right phase.

Currently I only use the Sboom + sub setup in the garage for music for my workout room, so it is to fill the room, and it does fill it up with very good sound. But for an inhouse system for more serious listening I would definitely optimize the setup more.

[Paul Shields]

That's a good point about having a sub that allows phase adjustment. You can download a test signal to check this from Jamo. I use it for my Sub 200, but I don't see why it couldn't also be used with other subs.

http://www.jamo.com/Default.aspx?ID=5757

[oktup]

I'm currently looking into using something like an Intelliplug for my Squeezebox 3 setup. The idea is that the Squeezebox will be in the master socket of the Intelliplug and my two active speakers will be in the other sockets. My only concern is that the voltage differential of the SB3 will not be enough to trigger it...

I also tried an Intelliplug and it didn't work unfortunately; presumably there's not enough difference in power draw between an 'off' and 'on' SB3. Not sure if a Boom would be any different in this regard, although I tend to suspect not.

[ccrome2]

On Sun, Nov 23, 2008 at 8:41 PM, pablolie <
pablolie.3jd4wz1227501902 (AT) no-mx...limdevices.com> wrote:

> I wish there was a rating for "most musical" subwoofers out there.
>

The sound a subwoofer makes is dominated by the room its in, and not by the
subwoofer itself. Hard to believe, but its true. Of course, if it's not
loud enough, that's another matter, but just about any sub should complement
Boom nicely. Below about 300-500 Hz, the room modes (resonances) create
enormous peaks and holes in the frequency response, and completely dominate
any native problems with the sub.

For the interested reader, I can't recommend enough the book by Floyd Toole:

http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Reproduc...7545669&sr=8-1


>
> I would also recommend a sub that has a phase setting, and to get a
> (ripped) set up CD (I use the one from Sheffield Labs) that allows you
> to make sure you're setting the sub in the right phase.


Ah, that's something we have not put into Boom yet. It's quite easy to add.
I assumed that subs would all be +voltage = cone out, or switchable.
Perhaps that's not true. I can tell you that boom is in the standard phase
of +V == cone-out, so generally phase setting should be set to '+'. But who
knows, it's really easy to accidentally flip the phase in a design. We
can add that option if people really think it's necessary.

[peterw]

Just as a passing observation, I got myself a basic X10 setup and tried to use it to autoswitch an amp. I found the installation was puzzling but eventually manageable, the software/service was flaky but eventually manageable, and the X10 hardware seemed to work well 90% of the time.

I subsequently moved my server from XP to Ubuntu and couldn't bring myself to go through all the setup angst again, for a solution that didn't always 'just work' anyway. From googling/forum reading, I don't think I was particularly unlucky, so would personally recommend not going down the X10 route. Just IMHO etc.

Out of curiosity -- what X10 hardware & software? I'm getting about 95-98% reliability with X10. It's just not a very robust protocol. Insteon is supposed to be much better, and if you can attach an Insteon controller to a Windows host on which to run the Smarthome Device Manager software, my PowerCenter plugin should work well. Setup fox X10 with PowerCenter should be easy -- even if the end result isn't 100% reliable -- as long as you meet the system requirements -- a Firecracker controller on x86/x64 Linux or Windows or a CM11A controller on x86/x64 Linux. (FWIW, you can configure PowerCenter to allow independent control of devices in addition to amp/power linking -- so you can try again to turn on the sub if it didn't power up with the Squeezebox.)

I've got a cheap Kill-A-Watt power meter, and as a general rule don't bother with X10 for devices that use only a few watts when idle. IIUC, most subs use relatively efficient amps b/c having a full A or AB would be too darned expensive, so most probably aren't worth the cost of rigging an Insteon/X10/ZWave/whatever setup.

Phase switching -- isn't that fixed easily by taking a soldering iron to the cable connecting the Boom & sub? :-)

[swista]

I've done it already since I had one sitting around. Works like a charm.
If you have a spare 2.1 or 5.1 system, take the .1 and plug into boom.
-C


On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 3:46 PM, Fletch <
Fletch.3j779b1227225002 (AT) no-mx (...limdevices.com> wrote:

>
> It might be cool if one of the Logitech subs could be separated from
> it's 5.1 set and be offered as a Boom accessory.
>
>
> --
> Fletch
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Fletch's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=529
> View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=55351
>
>

Hi all,

I have recently bought the squeezebox boom, (which I love).

I have a great set of computer speakers with a powered sub. Is it feasible to wire that sub for use with the squeezebox boom? The sub. is connected to two satellite speakers. Can I just cut the link to those and wire the sub into an the appropriate jack? I do have the wiring ability, but just don't know its feasibility?
And I see in this thread that it's working for some people, but not others. WHat's the key Fletch?

Thanks to all!