Adding an active subwoofer to Edifier 1600T 2.0 setup?

SouthEastBlue · 10 Jul 2017 at 19:32

I have a Xonar DGX and some Edifier 2.0 1600T speakers (few years old tbh), but they're still pretty decent but they really lack low end punch.

I got £100 max to spare on a subwoofer, anyone know what I should be looking for and how I can link it so the volume is controlled through one place rather than by the speaker and the sub separately? I was looking at car subwoofers but I think a home audio subwoofer is probably an easier option albeit they seem more expensive.

Any ideas or anyone else done something similar? Only other option is buy a new 2.1 speaker system, but seems a waste on the current speakers I already have.

Kei · 10 Jul 2017 at 21:16

Car subs are not quite so easy as they either have no amplifier or the one fitted is designed to run off a 12V DC supply with fairly hefty current demands. Using a passive sub, you would need to buy a separate mono amplifier to drive it, which might well push the cost into the territory of a home audio sub anyway.

hornetstinger · 10 Jul 2017 at 21:22

How large is your room? £100 is a very low budget for a home subwoofer. If you have a box room the BK Gemini will be ok, but if it's a living room, you'll need something like BK XLS200.

A cheap budget subwoofer will lack low end punch typically they go down to about 40hz-50hz.

If your soundcard has multiple outputs, then use the L/R to your speakers, sub to the sub. But if the speakers are active and you send digital audio, then you'd need to use output from the sub into the speakers.

http://www.hardplus.com.br/imagens/EDIFIER-R1600T-PLUS_1.jpg
Seems it's the first one, so analogue L/R from soundcard, then subwoofer on the soundcard to the sub.

Typically a 10" sealed box subwoofer will be fine for music, but for movies in a big room then you're looking at much higher quality sub, 12" ported. I use a couple of subs, one 12" sealed, another 13.5" sealed, and have used a few ported subs, 12" and 13.5" tuned to 20hz.

Rroff · 10 Jul 2017 at 21:31

You'd probably have to play about with crossover frequency as well in some form to get pleasing results - a bit easier if your soundcard has LR and separate sub output otherwise probably need an external crossover.

Schizo · 10 Jul 2017 at 21:49

Of your lucky you can pick up a set of Logitech z-5500 for that money,the sub on that will make things fall of the shelf's.

hornetstinger · 10 Jul 2017 at 21:52

Schizo said:
Of your lucky you can pick up a set of Logitech z-5500 for that money,the sub on that will make things fall of the shelf's.

It's ported at a high freqyency. It's a tiny little sub, that is ported. If it was ported at a lower freqyency it'll be 50%-100% as big.

Typically subs that are the size of the logitech sub, with that driver are sealed box.

SouthEastBlue · 10 Jul 2017 at 21:53

It's literally for my PC in the dining room which I also listen to music on. Just noticing how even the cheapo £30 2.1 system on my wife's PC puts out better bass than my Edifier speaker, and it made me look into adding a sub to get some low notes!

I know adding a car sub would require a 12v power source - I have an old Corsair PSU I planned to use if I went with this option but it's not the neatest way to add some bass. This got me looking at home subs, but it seems I can't get a great deal for my money. I'm not a mega audiophile I just fancied making my 'sound system' better.

I also had a look at new 2.1 system and the Logitech Z533 was the best I could find under £100.

As for my soundcard it has outputs for 5.1 surround so front rear and subwoofer.

Schizo · 10 Jul 2017 at 21:55

hornetstinger said:
It's ported at a high freqyency. It's a tiny little sub, that is ported. If it was ported at a lower freqyency it'll be 50%-100% as big.

Typically subs that are the size of the logitech sub, with that driver are sealed box.

That sub is not sealed,it's got a port

hornetstinger · 10 Jul 2017 at 21:57

Schizo said:
That sub is not sealed,it's got a port

I'm aware of that.

That sub is too small to be ported to have a decently sized low tune. It's designed to go loud, but not low.

james.miller · 10 Jul 2017 at 22:15

SouthEastBlue said:
I know adding a car sub would require a 12v power source - I have an old Corsair PSU I planned to use if I went with this option but it's not the neatest way to add some bass.

Heh, it's not but if it works who cares right? You wouldn't be the first to combine a subwoofer, an old car amp and a modified PC power supply.

Schizo · 11 Jul 2017 at 07:06

hornetstinger said:
I'm aware of that.

That sub is too small to be ported to have a decently sized low tune. It's designed to go loud, but not low.

Have you listened to the sub ?

Armageus · 11 Jul 2017 at 08:22

hornetstinger said:
How large is your room? £100 is a very low budget for a home subwoofer. If you have a box room the BK Gemini will be ok, but if it's a living room, you'll need something like BK XLS200.

Regardless of whether £100 is a very low budget - that is his budget. Seems again that you just can't accept that some people have budgets to stick to, and want to make the best of that.

hornetstinger said:
A cheap budget subwoofer will lack low end punch typically they go down to about 40hz-50hz.

Yes a cheap budget sub may not go exceptionally low, but it will likely still go lower than the speakers he has.

Schizo said:
Have you listened to the sub ?

Even if he has, it's pointless trying to reason with him, as every thread turns into a "£X amount is too low - you need to spend at least £Y amount". Audiophile elitism at it's finest.

I've still got a set of Z5500's kicking around somewhere, and whilst they will never compete with an expensive set of speakers and a standalone amp or receiver, for what they originally cost, they were certainly the best and most appropriate option for me at the time.

hornetstinger · 11 Jul 2017 at 08:46

"Yes a cheap budget sub may not go exceptionally low, but it will likely still go lower than the speakers he has."

I'd recommend having no subwoofer at all, than a very low quality budget subwoofer, as it'll degrade overall sound quality. I don't use a budget subwoofer for my standmount computer speakers for this very reason.

Save up for something like this. Don't waste your money on a cheap budget subwoofer. The old Gemini was 8", but now it's 10"
http://www.bkelec.com/HiFi/Sub_Woofers/Gemini.htm

oh how am I elitist, when this is my subwoofer so I'm hardly pointing to a £1000+ sub. I've also owned and own the ported version of this sub, a couple of Rels, and PC Plus, and SB 12", and a a few other subwoofers, and a couple around the 5500 class (I preferred them switched off) So I've got some experience in this area.
https://www.svsound.com/products/sb13-ultra

james.miller · 11 Jul 2017 at 10:43

hornetstinger said:
oh how am I elitist, when this is my subwoofer so I'm hardly pointing to a £1000+ sub

Fair point.....

// points to 1800 quid subwoofer:

I've also owned and own the ported version of this sub, a couple of Rels, and PC Plus, and SB 12", and a a few other subwoofers, and a couple around the 5500 class (I preferred them switched off) So I've got some experience in this area.
https://www.svsound.com/products/sb13-ultra

oh.

z5500 sub is okay, it has a purpose. It wont do much below 30hz but i dont think that's an issue here. Placement is also key as its designed for near-field use (in front of you under a desk, for example, not in opposite corner of a room) but again i dont think that would be much of an issue.

I cant see how it would make the edifiers sound significantly worse IMO so screw it just give it a go. if you want to go hardcore budget though, a big second hand sub, 12v amp and an atx psu are really really tough to beat.

hornetstinger · 11 Jul 2017 at 10:58

^I own the SB Ultra 13, and have owned the PC Ultra 13. So got some experience in subs. If I was elitist I'd be pointing to those two or similar that you must purchase.

Instead I recommended the BK Gemini. The cheapest BK subwoofer.
A good quality 10"/12" sealed box would be ideal for close monitor PC use. I wouldn't recommend a ported sub for under the desk setup. Nor would I recommend buying a car subwoofer and trying to hack something together.

james.miller · 11 Jul 2017 at 11:37

I've built, designed and modelled probably as many subs as you have owned. I know quite a bit about them too. Throwing money at the problem is not the only solution. It might be your only solution...

JasonM · 13 Jul 2017 at 21:54

I can add something related to this.

I own 2 sets of Edifier 1600T's , I also own a Edifier S530.

I took the 2 passive speakers from the 2 sets of 1600T's, and used them as satellite speakers for the S530.

Just to say it sounds great, it's basically the 1600T sound with a nice fill in bass that's adjustable from the S530 controls.

So yes your on the correct track trying to add a sub to 1600T's.

Uncle_Gravy · 27 Jul 2017 at 10:06

I bought the Z533 over the Christmas period, there was a sale on so they were slightly cheaper than normal.

I have mine connected to a DGX and they sound great for price, The Sub is surprisingly punchy, not too bad on the low's either, they make a decent PC speaker set up imo.

What I will say which seems to plague all Z533's including mine is Logitech seemed to have skimp on the PSU, with the system off but still plugged into the wall there is some very noticeable coil whine.