2.1 Desktop Setup Amp+Subwoofer Recommendations

[MDZPNMD]

I'm (EU) trying to improve my desktop/listening room setup and bought Elac dbr62s and KEF LS50s to try them both and sell the one I don't like but I have limited knowledge of speakers as I'm coming from a passion for headphones.

I decided on the Elac dbr62s as they seem to be the best for the money and the KEF LS50 because they look and sound great and I got them cheap.

I also want to add a sub to the setup that makes classical organ music more enjoyable as well as dubstep after you guys suggested it to improve on my Adam T5Vs setup


My question is which sub should I get and how do I connect it and do I need a new amp/DAC? Budget under 750€ for subwoofer + new DAC/amp/audiosplitter

Currently I connect a PC or Android media player to the DAC via USB and the DAC directly to the amp but neither my DAC nor my amp has the option to connect a sub.

EQing is no problem and I have a measurement mic and REW for what that's worth, the room is my homeoffice so not that big.


The sub that I'm eying is the Elac 3030 (around 450€) with the SVS SB-1000 (around 450€) being the alternative.

How would I connect the Elac 3030 to the DAC? There are no pre-outs or sub-outs on DAC or amp.

I assume I would either need a 1 in 2 out audio splitter (reduce DAC voltage by half?), a new amp with active sub out, an AV Receiver or a DAC with multiple outs.
Is this correct?

What should I do? Ideally if I had to get a new amp I'd be looking for the Schiit Magni Heresy equivalent of a speaker amp.

Thanks in advance as always.

edit:
The amp is an old denon from the 2000s, it is not good but decent and does funky retro tech things.
The DAC is the lifeme Hifi Audio Pro, the Meizu Hifi Pro successor

 

[Smitty2k1]

Minidsp 2x4 would be a good place to start. Otherwise the SVS sub has pass through so you could connect it: DAC to sub to amp to speakers.

 

[staticV3]

What DAC and Amp are you using at the moment?

 

[MDZPNMD]

Minidsp 2x4 would be a good place to start.

I don't even know what it does, I looked at it a few times but what is it?

Is it a small EQ box or does it more? I could use an EQ on the PC

 

[MDZPNMD]

What DAC and Amp are you using at the moment?

The amp is an old denon from the 2000s, it is not good but decent and does funky retro tech things.

The DAC is the lifeme Hifi Audio Pro, the Meizu Hifi Pro successor, I don't have a dedicated desktop DAC just a collection of many dongles.

 

[Hatto]

May I suggest a 2.2 system with dual subs? A stereo sub setup was one of the biggest steps up in audio quality I've experienced.

 

[MDZPNMD]

May I suggest a 2.2 system with dual subs? A stereo sub setup was one of the biggest steps up in audio quality I've experienced.

I thought about that too getting 2 of the cheapest ELAC subs instead but they only go down to 50Hz so it would be more of midwoofers? Won't go down to low organ range, even the SVS SB1000 or 3030 don't go far enough but are the best within my budget range

 

[ZolaIII]

SVS SB-1000 have high pass filter @ 80 Hz on low level I/O so that would be easiest way. I don't know for Elac.
So it's RCA input on subwoofer from DAC and RCA output from it to amplifier line input.
My bias is SVS because it's closed enclosure and Elac DBR62's. You can do all DSP-ing on PC trough one of the players. From free one's like Foobar trough pluggins or paid one's as Roon or JRiver. I use JRiver.

 

[MDZPNMD]

SVS SB-1000 have high pass filter @ 80 Hz on low level I/O so that would be easiest way. I don't know for Elac.
So it's RCA input on subwoofer from DAC and RCA output from it to amplifier line input.
My bias is SVS because it's closed enclosure and Elac DBR62's. You can do all DSP-ing on PC trough one of the players. From free one's like Foobar trough pluggins or paid one's as Roon or JRiver. I use JRiver.

That's pretty much what I thought, the SVS would make things easy and I don't need an DSPing because my source+eqAPO can do it.

But what if I wanted the Elac sub because I think its a better deal? I would at least need a 1 in 2 out splitter or a new amp with sub out?

 

[staticV3]

@MDZPNMD I think replacing the lifeme with a miniDSP 2x4 HD would be a good option.
The miniDSP is a DAC and DSP. You feed it 2ch audio via USB, then program crossovers and EQ filters for up to four output channels.
Two of those can go to the DBR62s, one to the sub, and one to a 2nd sub in the future.
Using the miniDSP you can EQ the Elacs, manage the crossover between sub and mains, and EQ down your room modes a bit.

 

[MDZPNMD]

@MDZPNMD I think replacing the lifeme with a miniDSP 2x4 HD would be a good option.
The miniDSP is a DAC and DSP. You feed it 2ch audio via USB, then program crossovers and EQ filters for up to four output channels.
Two of those can go to the DBR62s, one to the sub, and one to a 2nd sub in the future.
Using the miniDSP you can EQ the Elacs, manage the crossover between sub and mains, and EQ down your room modes a bit.

For me it would only provide an ability to manage the crossover but cost me almost as much as the speakers. EQing is possible from the source.

It sounds like a usefull device but It seems expensive and a new amp a better value proposition.
I hope you can understand me here but it is on my upgrade path just the value proposition right now does not seem to be that great.

Edit: would a the t.racks DSP 4x4 Mini work?

 

[ZolaIII]

That's pretty much what I thought, the SVS would make things easy and I don't need an DSPing because my source+eqAPO can do it.

But what if I wanted the Elac sub because I think its a better deal? I would at least need a 1 in 2 out splitter or a new amp with sub out?

If Elac sub has the same future (high pass filter @80 Hz trough low level I/O) you can use it the same way.
You didn't say if it's desktop PC with multichannel audio card. If it is and same embedded one on motherboard doesn't really suck you can use it (L, R chenel to amplifier and LFE to subwoofer) and then you can crossover them how you like (slope dB/octave and frequency). You will lose a part of the power as those are 1.1~1.2 V compared to standard unbalanced DAC line out 2 V.

 

[Benedium]

The elac 3030 has autoEQ. Wonder what and how it does...

 

[Benedium]

‘My First Subwoofer’: the Elac SUB3030 | Darko.Audio

We all start somewhere.

darko.audio

 

[ZolaIII]

The elac 3030 has autoEQ. Wonder what and how it does...

It has app and up to 8 peek/deep PEQ's (arguably more than enough for bass region up to 150 Hz) but not really much useful as you would still need high pass filter than it doesn't have.

 

[MDZPNMD]

If Elac sub has the same future (high pass filter @80 Hz trough low level I/O) you can use it the same way.
You didn't say if it's desktop PC with multichannel audio card. If it is and same embedded one on motherboard doesn't really suck you can use it (L, R chenel to amplifier and LFE to subwoofer) and then you can crossover them how you like (slope dB/octave and frequency). You will lose a part of the power as those are 1.1~1.2 V compared to standard unbalanced DAC line out 2 V.

What do you mean by "same future", the highpass filter of the Elac can be set to 80 but what do you mean by "throughlow level I/O"?

The DAC is attached to the PC but the PC has no multi channel audio card.

 

[ZolaIII]

What do you mean by "same future", the highpass filter of the Elac can be set to 80 but what do you mean by "throughlow level I/O"?

The DAC is attached to the PC but the PC has no multi channel audio card.

I mean if subwoofer have RCA input and RCA output (I/O) with implemented fixed frequency (80 Hz) high pass filter (which that Elac doesn't have).
So it's a laptop or mini PC (with laptop alike internals and MB with only two chenel output). Then you definio go with the sub that have RCA I/O and high pass filter.

 

[MDZPNMD]

I mean if subwoofer have RCA input and RCA output (I/O) with implemented fixed frequency (80 Hz) high pass filter (which that Elac doesn't have).
So it's a laptop or mini PC (with laptop alike internals and MB with only two chenel output). Then you definio go with the sub that have RCA I/O and high pass filter.

Thanks, now I understand. I wasn't aware that the SVS had an integrated highpass filter and was confused. I thought it would just passthrough the signal without any processing.

Any thoughts on alternatives to miniDSP to hook up the elac sub like the Dayton Audio DSP-408,
freeDSP or parts from aliexpress?

 

[ZolaIII]

Thanks, now I understand. I wasn't aware that the SVS had an integrated highpass filter and was confused. I thought it would just passthrough the signal without any processing.

Any thoughts on alternatives to miniDSP to hook up the elac sub like freeDSP or parts from aliexpress?

I am afraid not to my knowledge and even so forget about older MiniDSP one's for the performance and Flex is expensive (not to mention SHD).
Edit: so that you don't get it wrong SVS non Pro 1000 series have high pass filter on output and Pro series don't. There are of course and other sub's from other brands that have such way implement high pass filters. For example I have two Wharfedale WH-D10 that I got for the price of one SVS SB-1000 (in Europe where prices of sub's are higher than in US).