Computer Stereo

[Particle]

Well folks, I thought I'd pose my dilemma to you all.  I've got a 10-speaker 2 channel stereo system on my computer.  Of those, 8 are for midrange and up.  My two main bass producers consist of some 80w (RMS or Peak, I dunno) Pioneer home theatre speakers.  Now, some songs like Zug Island's Cry, etc. are just too much for these woofers to handle.  I don't really have room for a sub, so powerful woofers are a must.  I've been looking at replacing my current ones (not really for volume, but for the ability to reproduce certain songs better) with some Pyle PLW10BL's or PLW10RD's.  Maybe somebody knows something about either one?  As far as I can tell, the only difference is color.

Specs:
Blue CD Wave Electro-Plated Polyproylene Cone
Wide Butyl Rubber Surround w/New Pattern
Red steel Basket
Bumped & Vented Extended Pole Piece
1.5 High Tempreture Kapton Voice Coil
4 Ohms Impedance
70 oz. Magnet Structure
600 Watts Peak Power

The only difference on the red version's specs is red instead of blue.

Anybody have some advice?  Perhaps some other woofers (not subs) besides these Pyles from the audiophiles?

[Lidge Farkley]

What exactly do they do?  If they cut out, your stereo amp may just not be able to handle the amping of the expected output.  I had a friend with this problem, so we got out his old stereo and hooked that up with no problems :-D  (this cut-out of bass also happens in car-amps sometimes as well.  I suppose it's better than frying your amp... but it's so saddening to hear it go dead-air for low range when the bass hits a bit too hard)

[Particle]

Well, it doesn't cut out exactly, but it sounds as if the speakers can't handle the note at whatever volume it happens to be set at.  The sound gets severely distorted, and makes you have the impulse to turn it down immediately for fear of hurting the equipment.  The amp is capable of I think 200w, though I can't remember if that's per-channel or not.

It's an old stereo amp from the 70's, but it's crystal clear and has a built-in volume dial so it works nice.  It's an "STA-75 IC/FET AM/FM Stereo Receiver" made by Realistic.  I've currently got it hooked up to take input from my computer instead of radio though.

Like I said though, these are woofers--not subwoofers.  They respond to full frequency, though they're most useful for the bass.

[Lidge Farkley]

Hmm..

I am not sure about this, but maybe the signal-out on your sound card is not the same kind as the signal in for the stereo... or the sound card pre-amps the sound, though I wouldn't think it to do so.

Zug Island... hmm... is that an ICP related song?  Ever notice how efuse facilities are located on roads withthe last name Island? Weird eh?

Ok... back on topic.

Try changing which outputs from your sound card to the stereo you're using... I don't know that this will do anything, but sometimes there can be minor changes between the outputs as spdif vs digital vs analog can be different in their signal patterns and compression before they're sent out.  I used to have a link to a page all about it... but since I am at work I don't have access to it.

Hmmm...........  But over all, perhaps you are right that it's just the speakers :-)

[Particle]

It's all analog, except for the amp itself.  I believe it's a Class D amp, but the output should still be analog.

Comp > Minipin Out > Minipin to Dual RCA Connector Cable > RCA In > Realistic 200w Class D Amp >


Here it branches:
RCA Out > RCA to Bare End Cable > Clamp Wire In > 10" Woofer / 2" Midrange / 1.5" Tweeter
RCA Out > RCA to Bare End Cable > Clamp Wire In > 10" Woofer / 2" Midrange / 1.5" Tweeter
Clamp Wire Out > 2" x 5" Oval Midrange / 1.5" Tweeter
Clamp Wire Out > 2" x 5" Oval Midrange / 1.5" Tweeter

[LastWish]

If it's an older AMP, it's probably a good bet that it is what is causing the songs with heavier bass to degrade.  The amp may play very clear, but since it is older, it just might not be able to handle the amount of watts that your speakers need..

As for your choice of woofers, I would only go with 600 watts or higher if you get a new amp--because you know that maybe you don't ABSOULTELY need it now, but you will later.  Also, the sound can seem much clearer and you will love it when you hear the bass =)

[Darwin]

When hooking home stereo speakers into a computer system, you should keep the computer volume (through windows volume control) at about halfway.  Thats what a guy in techtv said, at least.

[Particle]

He's an idiot then.  You want the highest amount of voltage from the source as possible, so long as it doesn't distort.

It's an older receiver, but it's a rock solid one.  As the saying goes, they just "don't make 'em like they used to".  It's capable of easily overpowering my current speakers.  As far as I know, while in home theatre watts do equate to power, it more truely equates to clarity.  That's what I'm after!

[Darwin]

They said that having it at the max volume (through windows volume control) causes more distortion.

[LastWish]

More distortion if you have like.. a 2 piece stereo system on your compupter..

If you have nice speakers, your computer won't even be capable of distorting it.

[Darwin]

I have some really fine labtec speakers, which pcgamer gave a 90% on, or something.  Only problem is that I get distortion if I mess with the equilizer on winamp (its the second rung from the left that gives u tons of bass, anybody know what that one is called?)

[Lidge Farkley]

As for your choice of woofers, I would only go with 600 watts or higher if you get a new amp--because you know that maybe you don't ABSOULTELY need it now, but you will later. Also, the sound can seem much clearer and you will love it when you hear the bass =)

Weellll... I would argue this a bit.  The amp I mentioned before I think is a 1000 Watt tube & analog based amp.  Personally, I dig the resonance and full-sound of the older style amps.... as many "old-timers" tend to... funny enough, I'm not much more than 22 years old.. haha!


back to the cutting out, I would agree with last-wish that it could be an amp difficulty.

My same friend with the 1000 watt amp from the 80's had purchased an amp from a pawn shop which when hooked up to more than 2 speakers and when cranked past 1/4 volume, would cut out the lower end bass hits.

Now that I have given it more thought I would say it is your amp that may need changing.  If it's 200W per channel, then it should be fine, but, if your volume it up a little too much with more than 2 speakers and it's cutting on the bass... I would say "new amp time"

Look at some old pawn shops and salvation army type stores.  I think that's where my friend got that 1000W amp that litterally makes your ears bleed at 1/4 volume. :-)

This also brings to mind the time when we had a 400W Subwoofer attached to a Sub Woofer Car Amp that was at 200W per channel.  Well, it managed to cut out at any bass hit at all, period, which had anything below the low mid range.  We decided it was underpowered, and got a new amp for the pair of subs :-) which fixed the problem.

Before you run out and get a new amp though, test out your speaker setup with someone elses amp of more power with your system and see if it cuts out.  Just borrow their amp for a few hours of something.  If they are powered fine, then you know it's the amp.  If they cut out, then it's the speakers... but I am going with last wish on this and saying it's the amp.

Peace!

[Darwin]

Why cant you guys just settle with a nice set of Altec Lansing speakers or a Klipsch set?