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500C + Subwoofer Advice

jonnyz123

jonnyz123

Member
Hi all. Just had a 500C repaired and it sounds great. About bass response and potentially hooking up a subwoofer.

My first question is about the need for a sub. I have a pair of Monitor Audio BX2's. They do the job, but lack bass, so with my previous X-202-B I was using an SVS SB1000 from the center channel. With the 500C I tried Loudness Contour and was impressed with the sound, sans sub. Just wondering what you all think of the Loudness Contour setting, sound-wise? Do most use it? Not? Why?

Second, how would you suggest running the sub, given that I am using the second set of speaker terminals for another pair of speakers - Q Acoustics 3020 in the kitchen. Tape Monitor RCA to the Sub?

Any other potential compatibility/crossover issues or settings I should be aware of?

Thanks in advance!

Jonathan
 
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There are a lot of "purists" that insist on not using any sort of tone controls, loudness, filters, etc., but they are there for the purpose of improving the sound and are much less expensive than replacing speakers or making major changes in room acoustics. If the loudness works, then use it. Just be careful that the increased bass is not overdriving the speakers. Above a certain volume, the loudness circuit has less effect, so you might also want to increase the bass a bit.
 
Thanks @fred soop . I realize that using Loudness isn't the best, but was wondering if perhaps the implementation on these units exceeded the norms somehow, according to other owners. My issue with the sub attached to the center speaker is that there's no way to turn the sub off when using earphones, or when listening to Speaker 1 only, while the sub is thumping away in the room with Speaker 2. Although I haven't directly experienced this, it is presented in the manual as such. Fisher's suggestion in the manual is to install an inline switch on the center speaker wire. I could always walk into the other room and switch the sub off manually when using Speaker 1 or earphones, but that's a bit of a pain.

If I use the Recorder Out I'm assuming I will have the same issue, in terms of not being able to switch the sub off.

Hmmmm....
 
And, along the lines of seeking out whether the Tone control implementation on the 500C might be better than others (even for purists), I did find this 2005 Stereophile review of the 500C stating:

"Tone it down: The best features of the 500-C are its tone controls: Bass, Treble, and Loudness Contour.I always thought that tone controls wreaked havoc with transparency and added unimaginable amounts of hash and grain, but the 500-C's rudimentary equalization is surprisingly nondetrimental. Little did I know how much it can enhance the listening experience and transform previously unplayable recordings. For instance, played "flat," the open-reel tape of Frank Sinatra's September of My Years sounds terrible (Reprise FS-1014, 4-track, 7.5ips)—hot, horribly bass-shy, with a truncated lower midrange. It sounds as if the woofers have been turned off. An aggressive low-frequency boost is the ticket. A flip of the Fisher's Loudness switch plus a boost of the Bass knob to 2 o'clock turns this unlistenable dog into a great recording. Magically, Sinatra's voice takes on lifelike, three-dimensional presence, emerging from the mix in seductive, you-are-there naturalness. It's amazing. Think of how many bad recordings you have in your collection. Perhaps a nip and tuck of the treble, or padded-down midbass bump, will turn those ugly ducklings into majestic swans."

I hate to say it, but as someone who hasn't A/B tested a ton of components in my life, I do seek validation from others who have.
 
I have the very similar 500b. I use a sub with Paradigm Studio 40's. It's a nice combo, but I rotate in some vintage speakers once in a while.

I never use the loudness switch and I do agree that the tone controls work very well. You can even "roll" some tubes to get some slightly different sounds.
 
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