I am a high-school physics teacher by profession. Your videos are my to-go place for understanding the technicalities of sound engineering. Your lesson plans are good and your message gets across very clearly. You are a very good teacher. .. And you are doing all this for free and with all the gear required to put all this here. You are an inspiration for me. You are a very good human being. The Earth needs more people like you. Stay blessed and in good health.
Thank you Mahady - my original inspiration to get into the technical side of show business was a high school chemistry teacher who also taught me how to rig and focus lights. I hope you inspire many of your students in the same way! 😊
Okay, I'm two years late on this comment, but once again I am amazed at this man's ability to combine technical knowledge with an innate ability to teach. This is my "go-to" site for ANYTHING having to to with sound systems.
I feel like I am the best sound engineer right now after listening to this wonderful explanation. Your explanation is top notch. Keep it up and God bless you.
All I can say is WOW. You are so smart and yet you can make it sound simple enough for a person like me with a brain injury and cognitive defects, to kind of understand. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I appreciate you.
You're welcome Jack! Hmm, I'm not sure anyone 'struggles to be taught' - perhaps you struggle with learning new things but the teaching is the responsibility of the teacher 😊 Good educators will have a variety of tools which can be used to teach the same concept in different ways, as different people learn in different ways. Thanks for watching!
I realize this video is 6 years old but omg do I wish I had found it sooner! I’ve been DJ’ing for a little over a year now and basically have been TH-cam/self taught in everything including speaker configuration. While watching a video on speaker size vs venue size, this video came across my feed and I am so glad I checked it out. Your explanations are clear and concise, and demonstrated exactly the way I needed for it all to come together for me. Thank you thank you thank you!! I’m about to go redo my set up now so 🤞🏻🎧 Just wait for the bass drop 🫨
I've seen a number of his videos and truly what he doesn't know isn't worth knowing. The absolute thing about Bruno is you ALWAYS get a prompt reply without fail.
I watched this as musician that has very little sound engineering knowledge. I was hoping to gain some knowledge that would allow me to live mix my drums. Your video was just excellent. Very clear and you were mindful to explain all the different terms. Thank you so much.
I've been watching you for a while already.. My impression about you has been that you're not only very talented in what you do but that you also have the gift of teaching and that is very important on the teaching of such a complicated profession. Thanks to a great teacher.
You're welcome Carlos! You're right, I'm actually a trained teacher and my day job is lecturing at a technical/vocational college - TH-cam is just a sideline ;)
21:56 "There's NEVER too much bass"... your videos fill a void to the sound enthusiast in me...alas SAE has shut its doors in Singapore for the Dip... ah well... looks like you're the goto for my lessons! Thanks Bruno... really appreciate you taking the time and effort
Thank you so much for such a wonderfully clear explanation of how to connect up an active subwoofer. This has perplexed me for some time and the answer was so straight forward but also comprehensive for the different systems. Your style of explanation and the diagrams are simply brilliant. I’m looking forward to watching other videos from you.
its been too long, i ignore this video, when i watch it' i was wrong' its more interesting the way he explained it! his a good instructor thanks u sir 'for sharing!! more blessing
Thankyou for this brilliant video, I have just bought an active speaker system and was totally confused on how to connect my amp/mixer to the speakers. This is by far the best video I have seen on this subject. Thankyou once again.
Thank you sir🙏 only because of your lesson I learned PA system, mixer and music now i am able to handle small events, small cultural musical concert . Your simple and unique teaching skills is great so so easy to understand. I am huge fan of yours . 🙏🙏 thank you so much sir .
I wish more sound engineers would teach as you do! It is so important to not be bias in your PA system set-up and understand how a different application can be useful.
Yes! I wanted to know how to connect 2 passive Speakers and 2 passive Subwoofers with a non-powered mixer. He explained well, lots of people just explain powered speakers.
Wow, I've learned a lot from watching your video that answers EVERYTHING I would like to know about the subwoofer. All great explanation, details and demo are much appreciated! Thank you so much!
Wow... I love watching videos that actually have correct, useful information and explained easily enough for the average person to understand. I recommend that ALL DJs listen carefully and learn from this video, as about 90% of DJs have no idea how to set up, and or tune their speaker systems, or even know what equipment is necessary to have for proper sound reinforcement.
Thanks for your vote of confidence! Much better to have an older or second hand system that sounds ok than a brand new system that sounds horrible because it's set up wrong ;)
Hi Bruno, I can't thank you enough...your video was so helpful in enabling me to set up my new sub to my power amp and to my passive speakers ....great instructional video Bruno ....Thanks again. Dave Smith
Great news, very glad the video was helpful. If you would like to support the channel please consider signing up to become a patron at www.patreon.com/glbproductions?ty=h Every little bit helps!
Wow! This has been the single place on youtube where i have found helpful mention and explanation of using an active sub with passive speakers. Thank you!
This is an excellent tutorial. I now know more about subwoofers than I thought I needed to know. I am considering using the 2nd connection scheme using a group out on my mixer; however, I have a monitor controller that I’d like to integrate that accommodates 3 pairs of speakers and a mono sub out. I’d love to see a diagram of this setup. Thanks for the great vid.
Thanks for watching Tom! If you have a monitor controller that should be the device to handle the crossover duties - the best ones have a variable crossover frequency, or one that is selectable between 80-150Hz.
Have to say your ability to clearly explain a technical side of todays active type speakers is commendable. I for one did build speakers back in the 80's using only 3 way cross overs non ported passive type of speaker designs. Philips components. Technology has come along way since then. Its refreshing to learn how signals are being separated and handled. Information as such was not as readly available as is today. However, theres a lot of old technology still being used out there. Some musicians just prefer it that way. Personal taste. Sound reproduction is really an art in its self. In different applications or venues. Choices are endless for equipment. Finding what fits ones needs. You have taught some very vaulable points to consider. Thank for sharing. Cheers.
Thanks Marcus! You're right, I have seen gear from the 80s and 90s still going strong, especially in clubs and pubs where they are not being moved a lot.
*For the casual people, who are being not deep enough emerged into ELECTRO~ACOUSTICS rules of physics .... actually, it is a terrible statement !!!! :o(*
Fantastic explanations of the different methods. As a bass player myself, I agree there never can be too much bass! Ha ha! I’ve recently started doing karaoke for a local company, and your videos are so very helpful to provide the correct information I need to try and convince the manager of the problems with his current systems. Your ground loop video and this one should really help my arguments as to why we need a sub, and why his floating ground is not only dangerous, but unnecessary.
@@GLBProductions Unfortunately, the owner was unwilling to reconfigure his system to include an electrical ground, so I quit the position. I'll be building my own system soon, and will be including a sub woofer. No other Karaoke companies in this area have one; so I'm hoping this will give me an advantage in getting booked.
Thank you so much for the video. I’m trying to learn this stuff and this was the most helpful video so far. Only thing I would change is maybe do some head bobbin when u play the music. Or some Dancing.
Thank you so much for such a wonderfully clear explanation of how to connect up an active subwoofer. Your explanation and the diagrams are simply brilliant My church has a ProFX30v2 Mixer with a set of FAME Challenger 2 x SUB 18A and FAME Challenger 2 x 15A full range speakers. How do I set them up so that the Bass Drum and the Bass Guitar only comes out of the Sub-woofer only. Many Thanks
You're welcome Slim. You would set up the subs on an aux send so that you could route the kick drum and bass guitar to them, and then remove them from the main mix by using the LR routing button. But why do you want these inputs to come out of the subs only?
dog what! i have been researching pa speakers for weeks now browsing forums and looking at youtube videos with certain questions in mind considering im buying a 2 sub 4 top set. this video covered almost everything that took weeks to find. best video ive seen to date regarding raw knowledge. Would recommend changing the name of the video to everything you need to know about pa spaekers and how to set them up!
Thankyou so much for this very informative video. I have been trying to find out how to use an active sub but still drive my passive tops through an amp. Your information was so easy to understand and I am now getting the best use from my set up. Thanks again Bruno.
You're welcome! If you would like to support the channel please consider signing up to become a patron at www.patreon.com/glbproductions Every little bit helps!
Thank you so much. In my second system: From Monitor to Fullrange speaker; Main out L/R to Sub and I got crazy sounds like my way. Now I try again. Thanks you
Excellant presentation. I learnt much regarding the connections to be made from the mixer to the Active sub woofer and full range speakers, both active and passive. Thank you very much.
I'm loving all your videos. I'd love to see some gig logs or examples of you actually mixing an event because you seem to be a very talented sound engineer
Thanks for the support Guy. To be honest with you when doing events I'm normally much too busy with the actual event to think about filming anything, I guess I have a one-track mind :P
+GLB thanksfor the lovely dimple explanations.. sir. I have a pair of 3 way full range speaker with mid/highs and Lf speaker of 10 "..I want to use my old tube 100 watts amplifier with proper crossover for my 15 " subwoofer..( passive).both the amplifier and subwoofer are in excellent working condition..will I get the desired effect if tuned properly with passive crossover. your comments sir..
Excellent explanation. Thank you! In fact I am not in the pro-audio, just in home Hi-Fi and I have seen the whole video ;) Something in the home systems I missed is how to connect the subwoofer to an amplifier that hasn't a sub exit. My subwoofer has the hability to use an RCA input from the amplifier or AV receiver and also a speaker connections. My doubt is, if I should connect the amplifier speaker outputs parallel to the loud speakers and togertehr to the sub, or I should connect the amplifier speaker outputs to the subwoofer inputs and the subwoofer speqaker outputs to the speakers. In the other side... Does it had sense to let the speakers manage the full range and use the subwoofer for reinforcing the low frequencies but without cut them in the loudspeakers?
Nice to hear from you Vincente. Hifi and live sound are often quite different in terms of philosophy - hifi prioritises the highest possible sound quality in a very small area (the 'sweet spot') whereas live sound is about very high sound pressure levels across an area that includes hundreds or thousands of people. You need to keep this in mind when watching the video. If your sub is powered you must check VERY carefully that it can accept a speaker level signal - in other words it must have speaker terminals marked 'input'! Otherwise you may damage it. You can try both in series as well as parallel. See which sounds better. You can leave the main speakers full range and add the sub to supplement the low frequencies, but this may sound worse due to phase cancellation from having the same frequencies reproduced from two different sources. Experiment and see!
Great tutorial, liked, subscribed, hope to see a lot more. I'm a drummer in a rock cover band, but also the "sound engineer" by default. Have been researching and shopping for a sub to go with our stage set up, presonus AR16C mixer with 2 active VARI 2315 15" full range tops and this is the best tutorial I've seen for a newbie like myself for adding in a sub. I'm looking at the VARI V2318S sub for 2 reasons: It's on sale and it seems to be perfect match for the tops. But I'm also quite enamored with some higher end subs, like QVC and Electro Voice due to customer reviews, quality and dependability. I'm quite happy with the 2315 mains as they sound pretty good for "budget" speakers and have plenty of head room for us (play in bars and small venues for the most part). I see in the comments you respond to most questions, that is much appreciated, and any suggestions from you on my search for a sub would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to more of your content as I dive into the sound reproduction world.
Thanks for watching Curt, glad the video was helpful. When purchasing a sub to support existing fullrange speakers the most important thing is that it is matched to what you already have. In most cases this means sticking with the same brand, especially if you are not able to test the combination before buying. In a case like this I would get in touch with Harbinger (aka guitar center) and ask for their advice. All the best with your music!
@@GLBProductions Thanks for the advice! I went ahead and talked to the guys at guitar center and pulled the trigger on a pair of the S12's. Used one yesterday afternoon (second back ordered, should have by the end of the week) for rehearsal and still need to tinker with the setup to get things where I want them, mainly my bass drum thumping without clipping. I was a little confused by the -10db vs. the 4db setting on the back of the sub. When set at -10db, sound was louder through sub and tops, but bass drum clipping a bit (red light blinks with each kick). The 4db setting lowered the overall sound but no more flashing red but also less thump on the kick. I ran the mixer into sub, both left and right outs, and sub to both tops and set the crossover to 90. Any suggestions? Thanks again!
If you are using a mixer then you should use the 4dB (actually +4dBu) setting. The -10 setting is for use with consumer gear such as CD players, AV receivers etc.
Bruno, this was excellent!!! I have the QSC system with KSub, but haven't been getting the full potential out of it.. now I know why. Your instructions will make the difference! - Andy
Ah yes with the QSC systems you need to be sure your tops are set to EXT SUB or they will still be trying to reproduce the fullrange signal. This is a good setup in that you don't have to run signal cables between your sub and tops which means they can be located separately from one another.
REIGN DOWN Haha yes I used one way back in 2002. I had a chance to speak to Marty McCann the head Peavey clinician about it and the impression I got was that it was designed for DJs and dance music - you need a LOT of low end horsepower to fully realise the potential of units like that.
You're welcome, thanks for watching! If you would like to support the channel please consider signing up to become a patron at www.patreon.com/glbproductions?ty=h Every little bit helps!
Out of all the videos I looked at. You really explained the connections very well. I have the same mixer you using.Also, im moving from external amps to powered speakers.Less gear I got to handle.,Thank You!
Yes, eliminating the power amplifiers definitely reduces the bulk of one's setup, although it does mean carrying more in the way or power cabling, distribution boxes etc.
Hello Bruno :o) Always I like to refresh the info, which I already knew. It is a good idea of that kinda very useful repetition from the different pro source. Moreover, it is a good referring and refreshing possibility to call, in a case of the forgotten stuff .... if that somehow can happens. Thank you very much !!!! Appreciate that !!!! Have a good one :o))
I guess I should watch this video again, with the sound hooked up to my sub... Thanks for the info! I picked up this big ass sub from a thrift store, and I had some issues connecting it to my amp. I'm happy to know I can skip the amp and connect it directly to my mixing console. That will certainly make my setup more streamlined.
Thank you Bruno. Clear and informative as usual. I am in a rock band using an Alto Professional Live 1604 Mixer into a pair of Alto TS215 Speakers. I am wanting to add subs to the system and I am thinking of purchasing the Alto TSsub15 or TSsub18. Personally leaning towards the 18's, but we have been offered the use of TSsub12's. I think it would be contradictory to use the 12's on the bottom end when using the 15 tops, plus, I believe the SPL of the live instruments may be too much for the 12's. I would be grateful for your insight and advice. Cheers
In this case driver size does not correlate to performance - the 12" used in the sub is a very different speaker to the one used in a fullrange cabinet. So you need to choose based on price, performance and other factors, not just the size of the speaker.
@@GLBProductions Thanks for your Reply. That clears a lot of thing up for me. I am now thinking I may go for the Alto 15 subs as they are lighter than the 18's, but have the same frequency response (35 - 95Hz). Also going to recommend to a friend that he uses the 12 Subs on his10' Fender P.A. to give it a bit more low end. thanks again.
+GLB Productions hello I have buy a Panasonic max700 and its total output power is 25000watt can you please tell how can I put it on its total output power
Your TH-cam channel is the first that made me subscribe right after watching the first video. It’s amazing how clear what you have to say is, thank you indeed!
Your session is very informative.You spoke about one passive mixer,one active sub, one power amp and two passive full ranges,can you speak to connecting one powered mixer, two active subs and two passive full ranges?
If you're using a powered mixer connected to two passive full range speakers, you would use the mixer's line level output (sometimes called REC OUT or TAPE OUT) to send signal to the active subs. You would then need to use the mixer's onboard EQ to remove the sub-bass information from the fullrange speakers.
Oh man, seriously, you're fantastic. It's not only the theory and practical knowledge, it's also the way you present it (and I think you have a funny bone too). Big like :)
Thanks, I find your videos extremely well done. Your voice is clear and you do not do what bugs me the most is so many videos, which is repetition for no good reason. So many youtubers do not prepare and say the exact same info many times because they do not realize it or perhaps they think that their content is too short. Short is great if all the information is said and understood. As soon as I hear that obnoxious repetition, I stop watching. Please keep making these great videos.
Thanks Perry, I approach making my TH-cam videos as I would preparing a lesson for one of my classes, which means lots of preparation and a commitment not to waste the viewer's time ;)
wow. SUCH a great video for anyone from a kid to an adult- from simple pleasure listening to hosting an event. everyone can benefit from this awesome video. thank you, sir!
@@GLBProductions i have a question. in my computer i have a wave editor, and i took 1 second of audio and muted it so that it had no sound at all. but when i play it, my meters in the software show that it has no sound, but i hear noise. then after the second is over, the noise stops. so my computer has white noise in it. any idea where it comes from or how to remove it?
It sounds like the issue is with your editing program rather than your computer - the noise seems to be added when you export the file. Check that there is no auto-normalisation or auto-gain control going on.
@@GLBProductions i did not export at all. if i play a few seconds of silent audio from the software, i hear noise, but the noise stops half a second after the silent clip ends.
Hmm, that sounds like there's something wrong with your playback system... perhaps try playing the file back on another computer? Sorry I can't be of more help with this.
Wow, great review very informative. I don't currently own an amp because I get all my wattage from my active speakers which are connected straight to my dac. So my question is can I do the same with an active sub and use the volume/wattage from the sub as I do with the active speakers. Also how do I connect my active speakers to a sub with only inputs. Many thanks. Mark
Yes you can, assuming you choose a sub which is matched correctly to your active speakers. If your sub has only inputs then you will need an external crossover or signal processor which can perform the crossover function.
Thanks for the education. So, how would you setup a passive subwoofer from a pa mixer to amplifier to load speaker and subwoofer? Mixer presonus 16.4.2
Thanks for watching! A passive sub is a different set up: you would use an external electronic crossover which would split the signal from the mixer to the sub and fullrange amplifiers. This is the topic of a separate video which I've been meaning to make for years but have never had the time to do.
This video was hillarious! Your pause moments while listening to the beat for referencing, staring directly into the camera had me rolling! 🤣 Great video man
I came across your old video and thank you for your excellent teaching. I'm curious if there are differences between: A - bi-wire from the integrated amp into the full range speaker ( 50 hz - 20Khz), then 2nd set of wire into the subwoofer and manually X-cross at 50hz B - from integrated amp into subwoofer and manually X-cross at 50hz, then from the subwoofer output into the the full range speaker (50hz -20khz). The latter method is how you illustrated in the video. Thank you again!
Good question - it's very important to understand that because the sub is active, the connections that you see in the video are at LINE level. If you are using an integrated amp with passive speakers your connections would be at SPEAKER level. So the methods described in the video may or may not translate directly to your setup. To answer specifically: A) Bi-wiring is a hi-fi technique and is not used in pro audio. That aside, this setup is inferior as it does not remove the low frequencies from the fullrange speakers. B) Remember that the video shows LINE level connections - the amplifiers are in the speakers themselves - if you are using an integrated stereo amplifier or AV receiver the amplifier is in a different location. I hope this helps 😊
@@GLBProductions Thank you for your details response and it helps very much. It's for my home 2 channels stereo system consists of Rega Brio Intergrated amplifier utilizing bi-wiring speaker line out to the active sub-woofers and to the passive speakers. It's identical for set up for left and right channel. The intend is to provide full frequency range signal to the full range speakers, and only remove the high frequency from the sub-woofers. In addition, I prefer to utilize the amplification from the integrated amp feeding the passive speakers oppose to the plate amp from the active sub-woofers. Do you see any issues connecting this way, and does it changes the ohm load and/or consider parallel connections?
Ah the Rega Brio - nice compact setup 😊 If you are happy with the way your setup sounds then by all means keep it that way - the way it sounds is the most important thing!
I am a high-school physics teacher by profession. Your videos are my to-go place for understanding the technicalities of sound engineering. Your lesson plans are good and your message gets across very clearly. You are a very good teacher. .. And you are doing all this for free and with all the gear required to put all this here. You are an inspiration for me. You are a very good human being. The Earth needs more people like you. Stay blessed and in good health.
Thank you Mahady - my original inspiration to get into the technical side of show business was a high school chemistry teacher who also taught me how to rig and focus lights. I hope you inspire many of your students in the same way! 😊
Amen🙏
Oh he's not doing it for free lol, he gets money from TH-cam... but I totally agree with you
Okay, I'm two years late on this comment, but once again I am amazed at this man's ability to combine technical knowledge with an innate ability to teach. This is my "go-to" site for ANYTHING having to to with sound systems.
Thanks for the comment! I'm actually a trained teacher so my teaching ability is hardly innate :)
I feel like I am the best sound engineer right now after listening to this wonderful explanation. Your explanation is top notch. Keep it up and God bless you.
Thanks for watching, glad the video was helpful!
All I can say is WOW. You are so smart and yet you can make it sound simple enough for a person like me with a brain injury and cognitive defects, to kind of understand. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I appreciate you.
That's wonderful, it's great that you are able to appreciate and learn from the video 😄 All the best with your music!
As someone who struggles to be taught i have to say this video was brilliant. You are a natural teacher! Thank you very much
You're welcome Jack! Hmm, I'm not sure anyone 'struggles to be taught' - perhaps you struggle with learning new things but the teaching is the responsibility of the teacher 😊 Good educators will have a variety of tools which can be used to teach the same concept in different ways, as different people learn in different ways. Thanks for watching!
You are a born struggler
I realize this video is 6 years old but omg do I wish I had found it sooner! I’ve been DJ’ing for a little over a year now and basically have been TH-cam/self taught in everything including speaker configuration. While watching a video on speaker size vs venue size, this video came across my feed and I am so glad I checked it out. Your explanations are clear and concise, and demonstrated exactly the way I needed for it all to come together for me. Thank you thank you thank you!! I’m about to go redo my set up now so 🤞🏻🎧
Just wait for the bass drop 🫨
That's great to hear Liz, very glad the video was helpful and all the best with your music!
Do any one noticed that this man is very intelligent, always happy whenever i see his new videos,God bless u sir.
Thanks for supporting the channel Rob!
it's the love of the bass the bass the bass lol ...seriously he loves what he does and it shows
I've seen a number of his videos and truly what he doesn't know isn't worth knowing. The absolute thing about Bruno is you ALWAYS get a prompt reply without fail.
Indeed...very interesting
I watched this as musician that has very little sound engineering knowledge. I was hoping to gain some knowledge that would allow me to live mix my drums. Your video was just excellent. Very clear and you were mindful to explain all the different terms. Thank you so much.
Thanks for watching, really glad the video was helpful!
I feel like I'm in a classroom every time I watch your videos. I learned a lot. T.Y.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
you won a subscriber when you said "but... you know - there is never too much bass". Cracked me up.
I've been watching you for a while already.. My impression about you has been that you're not only very talented in what you do but that you also have the gift of teaching and that is very important on the teaching of such a complicated profession. Thanks to a great teacher.
You're welcome Carlos! You're right, I'm actually a trained teacher and my day job is lecturing at a technical/vocational college - TH-cam is just a sideline ;)
21:56 "There's NEVER too much bass"... your videos fill a void to the sound enthusiast in me...alas SAE has shut its doors in Singapore for the Dip... ah well... looks like you're the goto for my lessons! Thanks Bruno... really appreciate you taking the time and effort
Yes that was definitely a loss but you can't really blame them considering it was due to a lack of students... Thanks for your support!
Thank you so much for such a wonderfully clear explanation of how to connect up an active subwoofer. This has perplexed me for some time and the answer was so straight forward but also comprehensive for the different systems. Your style of explanation and the diagrams are simply brilliant. I’m looking forward to watching other videos from you.
Thanks for watching, very glad the video was helpful!
its been too long, i ignore this video, when i watch it' i was wrong' its more interesting the way he explained it! his a good instructor thanks u sir 'for sharing!! more blessing
Best explanation I've heard so far on this subject, clear, concise and thorough-Thank You.
You're welcome :)
I've never heard anyone spoken with such clarity im my life..
Thanks Mark.
Thankyou for this brilliant video, I have just bought an active speaker system and was totally confused on how to connect my amp/mixer to the speakers. This is by far the best video I have seen on this subject. Thankyou once again.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Thank you sir🙏 only because of your lesson I learned PA system, mixer and music now i am able to handle small events, small cultural musical concert . Your simple and unique teaching skills is great so so easy to understand. I am huge fan of yours . 🙏🙏 thank you so much sir .
That's great to hear Asa, keep up the hard work!
I enjoyed this entire video. Although I was familiar with most of this information, I think it is a great tutorial for new sound enthusiasts.
Thanks for watching!
I wish more sound engineers would teach as you do! It is so important to not be bias in your PA system set-up and understand how a different application can be useful.
Yes! I wanted to know how to connect 2 passive Speakers and 2 passive Subwoofers with a non-powered mixer.
He explained well, lots of people just explain powered speakers.
Thanks for watching Nicolas!
Wow, I've learned a lot from watching your video that answers EVERYTHING I would like to know about the subwoofer. All great explanation, details and demo are much appreciated! Thank you so much!
You're most welcome :)
Wow... I love watching videos that actually have correct, useful information and explained easily enough for the average person to understand. I recommend that ALL DJs listen carefully and learn from this video, as about 90% of DJs have no idea how to set up, and or tune their speaker systems, or even know what equipment is necessary to have for proper sound reinforcement.
Thanks for your vote of confidence! Much better to have an older or second hand system that sounds ok than a brand new system that sounds horrible because it's set up wrong ;)
Simple, complete and very clear. Excellent work! Thank you.
You have a very clear English speaking. Very clear to us non-native English.
I'm glad that is helpful to you 😊
Hi Bruno, I can't thank you enough...your video was so helpful in enabling me to set up my new sub to my power amp and to my passive speakers ....great instructional video Bruno ....Thanks again. Dave Smith
Great news, very glad the video was helpful. If you would like to support the channel please consider signing up to become a patron at www.patreon.com/glbproductions?ty=h Every little bit helps!
Wow! This has been the single place on youtube where i have found helpful mention and explanation of using an active sub with passive speakers. Thank you!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
This is an excellent tutorial. I now know more about subwoofers than I thought I needed to know. I am considering using the 2nd connection scheme using a group out on my mixer; however, I have a monitor controller that I’d like to integrate that accommodates 3 pairs of speakers and a mono sub out. I’d love to see a diagram of this setup. Thanks for the great vid.
Thanks for watching Tom! If you have a monitor controller that should be the device to handle the crossover duties - the best ones have a variable crossover frequency, or one that is selectable between 80-150Hz.
Have to say your ability to clearly explain a technical side of todays active type speakers is commendable. I for one did build speakers back in the 80's using only 3 way cross overs non ported passive type of speaker designs. Philips components. Technology has come along way since then. Its refreshing to learn how signals are being separated and handled. Information as such was not as readly available as is today. However, theres a lot of old technology still being used out there. Some musicians just prefer it that way. Personal taste. Sound reproduction is really an art in its self. In different applications or venues. Choices are endless for equipment. Finding what fits ones needs. You have taught some very vaulable points to consider. Thank for sharing. Cheers.
Thanks Marcus! You're right, I have seen gear from the 80s and 90s still going strong, especially in clubs and pubs where they are not being moved a lot.
I always learn something new from your videos. Thanks a lot for sharing! 👍👍👍👍
Outstanding educator! I am deeply grateful for your valuable guidance. I have gained a wealth of knowledge from your teachings.
That's wonderful Jerry, very glad that the videos have been helpful!
Hi Brother Bruno, I like what you're learning us in all your videos. That's a very good job, thanks a lot!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
What an amazing teacher you are. I have never met someone in any subject who taught like you. Crystal clear wordings. Thank you, sir.
You're most welcome, thanks for watching! 😊
"There's never too much bass" - Love
yeah, its true, we love rebassed
I bet he loves his D&B
*For the casual people, who are being not deep enough emerged into ELECTRO~ACOUSTICS rules of physics .... actually, it is a terrible statement !!!! :o(*
Brilliantly dumbed down for people like me just starting to learn about subwoofers ,active speakers connections. Thanks a lot
You're welcome Alfonso.
Thank you for an excellent tutorial! Very informative and your explanations are very clear. This was a tremendous help! Thanks again.
You're most welcome.
Fantastic explanations of the different methods. As a bass player myself, I agree there never can be too much bass! Ha ha!
I’ve recently started doing karaoke for a local company, and your videos are so very helpful to provide the correct information I need to try and convince the manager of the problems with his current systems. Your ground loop video and this one should really help my arguments as to why we need a sub, and why his floating ground is not only dangerous, but unnecessary.
Oh yeah don't fool around with lifting electrical grounds on PA systems - you are asking for a very bad, very expensive accident.
@@GLBProductions Unfortunately, the owner was unwilling to reconfigure his system to include an electrical ground, so I quit the position. I'll be building my own system soon, and will be including a sub woofer. No other Karaoke companies in this area have one; so I'm hoping this will give me an advantage in getting booked.
Thank you so much for the video. I’m trying to learn this stuff and this was the most helpful video so far. Only thing I would change is maybe do some head bobbin when u play the music. Or some Dancing.
Noted on the head-bobbin' ;)
Thank you so much for such a wonderfully clear explanation of how to connect up an active subwoofer. Your explanation and the diagrams are simply brilliant
My church has a ProFX30v2 Mixer with a set of FAME Challenger 2 x SUB 18A and FAME Challenger 2 x 15A full range speakers. How do I set them up so that the Bass Drum and the Bass Guitar only comes out of the Sub-woofer only. Many Thanks
You're welcome Slim. You would set up the subs on an aux send so that you could route the kick drum and bass guitar to them, and then remove them from the main mix by using the LR routing button. But why do you want these inputs to come out of the subs only?
Hi Bruno. In the UK, we usually call those power leads kettle leads :-)
dog what! i have been researching pa speakers for weeks now browsing forums and looking at youtube videos with certain questions in mind considering im buying a 2 sub 4 top set. this video covered almost everything that took weeks to find. best video ive seen to date regarding raw knowledge. Would recommend changing the name of the video to everything you need to know about pa spaekers and how to set them up!
Awesome! Very glad the video was helpful 😊👍🏻
very very simple and easy to understand Video, i really thank you a lot.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Bruno is a natural Teacher!!! One of the best I've seen :)
Thanks for watching, glad you learned something :)
Thank you for the excellent explanation. I learn tremendously! Awesome work! :)
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Thankyou so much for this very informative video. I have been trying to find out how to use an active sub but still drive my passive tops through an amp. Your information was so easy to understand and I am now getting the best use from my set up. Thanks again Bruno.
You're welcome! If you would like to support the channel please consider signing up to become a patron at www.patreon.com/glbproductions Every little bit helps!
Perfect, I have just bought a sub for my gigs, cant wait to use it :-)
Hope you shook lots of dust out of the ceiling ;)
Nice tutorial very useful Sir.
Thank you so much. In my second system: From Monitor to Fullrange speaker; Main out L/R to Sub and I got crazy sounds like my way. Now I try again. Thanks you
You're welcome!
Excellent job Sir!, greetings from Kingston Jamaica.
Thank you, greetings from Singapore :)
Excellant presentation. I learnt much regarding the connections to be made from the mixer to the Active sub woofer and full range speakers, both active and passive. Thank you very much.
You're most welcome Abraham.
I'm loving all your videos. I'd love to see some gig logs or examples of you actually mixing an event because you seem to be a very talented sound engineer
Thanks for the support Guy. To be honest with you when doing events I'm normally much too busy with the actual event to think about filming anything, I guess I have a one-track mind :P
+GLB thanksfor the lovely dimple explanations.. sir.
I have a pair of 3 way full range speaker with mid/highs and Lf speaker of 10 "..I want to use my old tube 100 watts amplifier with proper crossover for my 15 " subwoofer..( passive).both the amplifier and subwoofer are in excellent working condition..will I get the desired effect if tuned properly with passive crossover.
your comments sir..
Excellent explanation.
Thank you!
In fact I am not in the pro-audio, just in home Hi-Fi and I have seen the whole video ;)
Something in the home systems I missed is how to connect the subwoofer to an amplifier that hasn't a sub exit.
My subwoofer has the hability to use an RCA input from the amplifier or AV receiver and also a speaker connections.
My doubt is, if I should connect the amplifier speaker outputs parallel to the loud speakers and togertehr to the sub, or I should connect the amplifier speaker outputs to the subwoofer inputs and the subwoofer speqaker outputs to the speakers.
In the other side...
Does it had sense to let the speakers manage the full range and use the subwoofer for reinforcing the low frequencies but without cut them in the loudspeakers?
Nice to hear from you Vincente.
Hifi and live sound are often quite different in terms of philosophy - hifi prioritises the highest possible sound quality in a very small area (the 'sweet spot') whereas live sound is about very high sound pressure levels across an area that includes hundreds or thousands of people. You need to keep this in mind when watching the video.
If your sub is powered you must check VERY carefully that it can accept a speaker level signal - in other words it must have speaker terminals marked 'input'! Otherwise you may damage it.
You can try both in series as well as parallel. See which sounds better.
You can leave the main speakers full range and add the sub to supplement the low frequencies, but this may sound worse due to phase cancellation from having the same frequencies reproduced from two different sources. Experiment and see!
Bruno on the loose again 😎👊🎤 another awesome supplement👍
Cheers man 👌
Great tutorial, liked, subscribed, hope to see a lot more. I'm a drummer in a rock cover band, but also the "sound engineer" by default. Have been researching and shopping for a sub to go with our stage set up, presonus AR16C mixer with 2 active VARI 2315 15" full range tops and this is the best tutorial I've seen for a newbie like myself for adding in a sub. I'm looking at the VARI V2318S sub for 2 reasons: It's on sale and it seems to be perfect match for the tops. But I'm also quite enamored with some higher end subs, like QVC and Electro Voice due to customer reviews, quality and dependability. I'm quite happy with the 2315 mains as they sound pretty good for "budget" speakers and have plenty of head room for us (play in bars and small venues for the most part). I see in the comments you respond to most questions, that is much appreciated, and any suggestions from you on my search for a sub would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to more of your content as I dive into the sound reproduction world.
Thanks for watching Curt, glad the video was helpful. When purchasing a sub to support existing fullrange speakers the most important thing is that it is matched to what you already have. In most cases this means sticking with the same brand, especially if you are not able to test the combination before buying. In a case like this I would get in touch with Harbinger (aka guitar center) and ask for their advice. All the best with your music!
@@GLBProductions Thanks for the advice! I went ahead and talked to the guys at guitar center and pulled the trigger on a pair of the S12's. Used one yesterday afternoon (second back ordered, should have by the end of the week) for rehearsal and still need to tinker with the setup to get things where I want them, mainly my bass drum thumping without clipping. I was a little confused by the -10db vs. the 4db setting on the back of the sub. When set at -10db, sound was louder through sub and tops, but bass drum clipping a bit (red light blinks with each kick). The 4db setting lowered the overall sound but no more flashing red but also less thump on the kick. I ran the mixer into sub, both left and right outs, and sub to both tops and set the crossover to 90. Any suggestions? Thanks again!
If you are using a mixer then you should use the 4dB (actually +4dBu) setting. The -10 setting is for use with consumer gear such as CD players, AV receivers etc.
Okay Sir i got now what you mean and Thank You again for the clear information
LOCKUP THREAD .
Very informative, and precise explanation of all concepts explained.. Very well done sir..
Thanks Scott, glad the video was helpful :)
Wow! I get it now, great video.
for PA solutions and knowledge..i find this channel is the only truth out there..
Thanks my friend. You answered me many questions. Definitely subscribe...
Bruno, this was excellent!!! I have the QSC system with KSub, but haven't been getting the full potential out of it.. now I know why. Your instructions will make the difference! - Andy
Ah yes with the QSC systems you need to be sure your tops are set to EXT SUB or they will still be trying to reproduce the fullrange signal. This is a good setup in that you don't have to run signal cables between your sub and tops which means they can be located separately from one another.
Ever use a Peavey Kosmos processor for the SUB?
REIGN DOWN Haha yes I used one way back in 2002. I had a chance to speak to Marty McCann the head Peavey clinician about it and the impression I got was that it was designed for DJs and dance music - you need a LOT of low end horsepower to fully realise the potential of units like that.
Really nice! Very useful. Congrats!
Thanks for watching!
The stuff is very well taught as he does not isolate performance of sub drivers from acoustics of room
Thanks for watching Gibson.
My big pleasure.
Well done Nicely explained Thank you very much Bruno
You're welcome, thanks for watching! If you would like to support the channel please consider signing up to become a patron at www.patreon.com/glbproductions?ty=h Every little bit helps!
Out of all the videos I looked at. You really explained the connections very well. I have the same mixer you using.Also, im moving from external amps to powered speakers.Less gear I got to handle.,Thank You!
Yes, eliminating the power amplifiers definitely reduces the bulk of one's setup, although it does mean carrying more in the way or power cabling, distribution boxes etc.
Hello Bruno :o) Always I like to refresh the info, which I already knew. It is a good idea of that kinda very useful repetition from the different pro source. Moreover, it is a good referring and refreshing possibility to call, in a case of the forgotten stuff .... if that somehow can happens. Thank you very much !!!! Appreciate that !!!! Have a good one :o))
I'm my humble opinion your learning style is the only way to go! Have a good one.
@@koartistent >> Yo man !! Thank U !!
@@koartistent Grazias Nicolas :o) LEARNING .... it's a never ending and life long story !!!! :o)
I guess I should watch this video again, with the sound hooked up to my sub...
Thanks for the info! I picked up this big ass sub from a thrift store, and I had some issues connecting it to my amp. I'm happy to know I can skip the amp and connect it directly to my mixing console. That will certainly make my setup more streamlined.
You're welcome JH :)
This is awesome
I've been searching YT for these kinds of information for weeks! Very in depth explanation! You sir have a gift. Thank you
You're welcome, thanks for watching :)
thanks ,, awesome detailing
You are so great. I am an electronic technician. I am trying now to familiarize myself with the PA system.
Thanks for watching!
nice beat great vibe...
what people dislike this stuff? thank you so much you answered all questions and I learned heaps. cheers great vid :)
People have different expectations which are not always in line with what I try to achieve in the video ;) Thanks for watching!
very informative...
Thanks for watching!
Thank you Bruno. Clear and informative as usual. I am in a rock band using an Alto Professional Live 1604 Mixer into a pair of Alto TS215 Speakers. I am wanting to add subs to the system and I am thinking of purchasing the Alto TSsub15 or TSsub18. Personally leaning towards the 18's, but we have been offered the use of TSsub12's. I think it would be contradictory to use the 12's on the bottom end when using the 15 tops, plus, I believe the SPL of the live instruments may be too much for the 12's. I would be grateful for your insight and advice. Cheers
In this case driver size does not correlate to performance - the 12" used in the sub is a very different speaker to the one used in a fullrange cabinet. So you need to choose based on price, performance and other factors, not just the size of the speaker.
@@GLBProductions Thanks for your Reply. That clears a lot of thing up for me. I am now thinking I may go for the Alto 15 subs as they are lighter than the 18's, but have the same frequency response (35 - 95Hz). Also going to recommend to a friend that he uses the 12 Subs on his10' Fender P.A. to give it a bit more low end. thanks again.
Thanq and appreciate your efforts for sharing.
english is very very dificult for me, but your pronunciation is great, very clearly, thanks for share, i m from argentina
Thanks for watching Matt!
Gracias... very, very, helpfull....
Glad to hear that!
+GLB Productions why you don't use jbl passive speakers on your videos please do one video with the Stx series
I'm not loyal to any one brand and generally just use what I have available.
GLB Productions ok but try to use one because I want to buy one but don't know the quality
+GLB Productions hello I have buy a Panasonic max700 and its total output power is 25000watt can you please tell how can I put it on its total output power
Really love your teaching. wish you take me on a sound engineering course from basic to advance.
Thanks for watching!
Thankyou very much! :D
Wow so informative, look at the time frame. This seems as if it was recorded yesterday, respect everytime from Jamaica 🇯🇲.
You're welcome, thanks for watching 😊
more base ... ;)
i mean bass hahahaha
Your TH-cam channel is the first that made me subscribe right after watching the first video. It’s amazing how clear what you have to say is, thank you indeed!
You're welcome Stenaldo, thanks for your support! 😊
This video is amazing. You teach in a way that difficult things become easy.
Glad to hear that, very happy the video has been helpful.
Your session is very informative.You spoke about one passive mixer,one active sub, one power amp and two passive full ranges,can you speak to connecting one powered mixer, two active subs and two passive full ranges?
If you're using a powered mixer connected to two passive full range speakers, you would use the mixer's line level output (sometimes called REC OUT or TAPE OUT) to send signal to the active subs. You would then need to use the mixer's onboard EQ to remove the sub-bass information from the fullrange speakers.
Oh man, seriously, you're fantastic. It's not only the theory and practical knowledge, it's also the way you present it (and I think you have a funny bone too). Big like :)
Thanks for watching my friend!
very good explanation
Thanks Romeo.
Thanks, I find your videos extremely well done. Your voice is clear and you do not do what bugs me the most is so many videos, which is repetition for no good reason. So many youtubers do not prepare and say the exact same info many times because they do not realize it or perhaps they think that their content is too short. Short is great if all the information is said and understood. As soon as I hear that obnoxious repetition, I stop watching. Please keep making these great videos.
Thanks Perry, I approach making my TH-cam videos as I would preparing a lesson for one of my classes, which means lots of preparation and a commitment not to waste the viewer's time ;)
You sir are knowledgeable, witty and an amazing teacher... Thank you!
You're most welcome!
wow. SUCH a great video for anyone from a kid to an adult- from simple pleasure listening to hosting an event. everyone can benefit from this awesome video. thank you, sir!
You're welcome, thanks for watching 😊
@@GLBProductions i have a question. in my computer i have a wave editor, and i took 1 second of audio and muted it so that it had no sound at all. but when i play it, my meters in the software show that it has no sound, but i hear noise. then after the second is over, the noise stops. so my computer has white noise in it. any idea where it comes from or how to remove it?
It sounds like the issue is with your editing program rather than your computer - the noise seems to be added when you export the file. Check that there is no auto-normalisation or auto-gain control going on.
@@GLBProductions i did not export at all. if i play a few seconds of silent audio from the software, i hear noise, but the noise stops half a second after the silent clip ends.
Hmm, that sounds like there's something wrong with your playback system... perhaps try playing the file back on another computer? Sorry I can't be of more help with this.
I hereby by the power of Texas I baptized you as Master Tech Professor.
I enjoy every video you make. Great job brother 👏👏👏
Glad to hear that and thanks for watching!
Awesome video and so detailed.. I think everyone should look into this video before purchasing a Subwoofers.
Glad the video was helpful!
This was very helpful. Thank you for your clear explanations!
You're welcome Leita!
Wow, great review very informative. I don't currently own an amp because I get all my wattage from my active speakers which are connected straight to my dac. So my question is can I do the same with an active sub and use the volume/wattage from the sub as I do with the active speakers. Also how do I connect my active speakers to a sub with only inputs.
Many thanks.
Mark
Yes you can, assuming you choose a sub which is matched correctly to your active speakers. If your sub has only inputs then you will need an external crossover or signal processor which can perform the crossover function.
Excellent analysis-and-explanation of the different configurations
Wow! Such a great explanation and tutorial on introducing a subwoofer into a PA system. Thank you so much GLB :)
You're most welcome Rick, thanks for watching.
Thanks for the education. So, how would you setup a passive subwoofer from a pa mixer to amplifier to load speaker and subwoofer? Mixer presonus 16.4.2
Thanks for watching! A passive sub is a different set up: you would use an external electronic crossover which would split the signal from the mixer to the sub and fullrange amplifiers. This is the topic of a separate video which I've been meaning to make for years but have never had the time to do.
One of the most informative videos I've ever watched on TH-cam. Thank you!
You're welcome Kevin!
This video was hillarious! Your pause moments while listening to the beat for referencing, staring directly into the camera had me rolling! 🤣 Great video man
Thanks for watching 😄
I came across your old video and thank you for your excellent teaching.
I'm curious if there are differences between:
A - bi-wire from the integrated amp into the full range speaker ( 50 hz - 20Khz), then 2nd set of wire into the subwoofer and manually X-cross at 50hz
B - from integrated amp into subwoofer and manually X-cross at 50hz, then from the subwoofer output into the the full range speaker (50hz -20khz). The latter method is how you illustrated in the video. Thank you again!
Good question - it's very important to understand that because the sub is active, the connections that you see in the video are at LINE level. If you are using an integrated amp with passive speakers your connections would be at SPEAKER level. So the methods described in the video may or may not translate directly to your setup. To answer specifically:
A) Bi-wiring is a hi-fi technique and is not used in pro audio. That aside, this setup is inferior as it does not remove the low frequencies from the fullrange speakers.
B) Remember that the video shows LINE level connections - the amplifiers are in the speakers themselves - if you are using an integrated stereo amplifier or AV receiver the amplifier is in a different location.
I hope this helps 😊
@@GLBProductions Thank you for your details response and it helps very much.
It's for my home 2 channels stereo system consists of Rega Brio Intergrated amplifier utilizing bi-wiring speaker line out to the active sub-woofers and to the passive speakers. It's identical for set up for left and right channel. The intend is to provide full frequency range signal to the full range speakers, and only remove the high frequency from the sub-woofers. In addition, I prefer to utilize the amplification from the integrated amp feeding the passive speakers oppose to the plate amp from the active sub-woofers.
Do you see any issues connecting this way, and does it changes the ohm load and/or consider parallel connections?
Ah the Rega Brio - nice compact setup 😊 If you are happy with the way your setup sounds then by all means keep it that way - the way it sounds is the most important thing!
HE SPEAKS SO CLEARLY
Glad you think so ;)
Excellent explanation! Short and clear expressions in plain language. Thank you!
You're welcome :)
I learned a lot from you. Your English is so simple to understand. Thank you so much
You're welcome Moses, great to hear that!