It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:43 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 2 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Connecting a pair of subs to my 500 pro?
Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 4:48 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 4:39 pm
Posts: 1
I am a mobile DJ... I have a fender passort 500 pro I primarily use as my backup pa. However I have just puchased a pair of electro-voice zxa1 12" powered subs to use with the passport in smaller venues, rather than packing my huge peavy setup to these small parties. The passport automatically uses a 120 hz highpass filter. So theoretically the 2 subwoofers should work well with the passport. The zxa1 however has a 100 hz filter it uses and I believe it transmitts only the high's through the output I think maybe? I was thinking I could just go from the passport with a 1/4" to xlr, and then from the output on the first sub to the input on the second with no problems. But the more I read on these subs the more confused I am getting. If I were to wire it this way, will the second sub going to work properly or to peak abilities? Or do I need to split the line signal coming out of the passport, and run a seperate line to each sub to achieve the best results?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Connecting a pair of subs to my 500 pro?
Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 7:31 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 7:24 am
Posts: 434
You do need to split the signal BEFORE connecting to the two subwoofers.

The problem is that Fender is designed for one wiring configuration for speakers, while the powered subwoofers are designed for a different wiring configuration for speakers.

Most subwoofers expect you to be using a line-level mixing board with a left and a right line-level output, sent through either 1/4" TS or TRS or an XLR cable for each of your two stereo channels. They typically expect you to use ONE subwoofer, though they work as well with two.

If you use one subwoofer, by the design of the powered subwoofer's scheme, then you run BOTH left AND right signals into the subwoofer, and then connect your main, powered speakers to the left and right output channels on the one subwoofer.

The design is that the electronics in the subwoofer split the signal between low frequency and high frequency for each of the left and right signal. They then combine or "monoize" the left and right low frequency signals and play them through the subwoofer. The higher frequencies remain separated in left and right channels and get sent out at line level to the main powered speakers through the left and right output ports on the powered sub.

If you use two subwoofers, just plug your left line level signal into one subwoofer, and run the output from that subwoofer to the left main powered speaker, and run the right mixer output cable to the input on the right subwoofer, and run another cable from that subwoofer's output to the right powered main speaker. It doesn't matter which (left or right) side you plug into each subwoofer, but be sure that you go to the mains using the same output side as the input side you used, since left in high frequency goes to left out high frequency. With me?

BUT NONE OF THAT WORKS WITH THE FENDER PASSPORT, because they have a completely different scheme in mind.

They have a powered mixer with passive main speakers, and a single line-level output for the subwoofer. They also perform the "crossover" function (splitting low frequency from high frequency) within the mixer, so the monoized, low-frequency signal goes out to what they anticipate as being one powered subwoofer. There is no high-frequency signal coming out of the sub out port, so there's nothing for the subwoofer to pass on through it's output port after it redundantly performs the crossover function.

So, the Passport renders the output ports on your subwoofers as useless. If you want to use both subwoofers, you have to split that sub out signal before sending them to the subwoofers. Ideally, you want an adapter that takes 1/4" TS input and splits it to either two 1/4" TS outputs, or XLR outputs. DO NOT USE AN ADAPTER THAT GOES FROM 1/4" TRS MALE TO TWO FEMALE XLR OR 1/4" TS PLUGS. Odds are that such a beast is designed to take two mono inputs and combine them into one stereo output. That's not what you are after. You want all 1/4" TS male (no rings) all the way, or two MALE XLR to one male 1/4" TS (no ring). There are also DI boxes that will do this.

Bass frequencies are not directional the way that treble signals are. That's why you hear the bass on an approaching car with a loud stereo before you see the car and before you hear the treble, and if the windows are open and the car appears, you begin to hear the treble once you can see the car.

In a PA system, that means that placing your main speakers is important because if anything (like other audience members heads) block your view to the main speakers, you won't be able to hear the music very well. That's why speaker stands exist for main speakers, but nobody puts a woofer up on a speaker stand. Why bother? The subwoofers could be in a different room, so long as air can get between you and them. Placement of subwoofers is not so important, except for the noise you get from surface effect if they get too close to a wall, but that's one of the finer points of dealing with PA speaker placement.

Normally, people would just use one subwoofer with a Passport, but with 12" subwoofers, you might need more surface area pumping the bass notes, so using two is probably a good idea.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 2 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: