SMSL SA400 crossover solution needed

[NickMDal]

Hi. I'm using an SA400 to power a pair of Bowers & Wilkins AM-1's on a patio. The audio is mostly lossless classical CDs over WiiM Pro over wifi. The sound is very sweet.

Sometimes when low frequency and high volume hits the B&Ws, the rear facing bass radiator distorts as if it's overdriven.

The SA400 does not have a crossover . But I love the setup and want to make it work.

I imagine adding a powered outdoor sub (with crossover) to the SA's sub port. Then to reduce the bass distortion, I reduce the SA's bass setting.

But doesn't that reduce the base output to the sub? Am I getting any improvement with this setup?

 

[staticV3]

To fix the B&W's bass distortion, you'd have to find a way to apply a high-pass filter to them.

The SA400 can apply a low-pass filter to the Sub output, but the Speaker output will receive an unfiltered signal regardless.

Consider replacing the WiiM Pro and SA400 with a WiiM Amp Pro, or if you're fond of the SA400, replacing just the WiiM Pro with a WiiM Ultra.

Either option would allow you to filter out deep bass from the B&Ws to stop them distorting, and to add a subwoofer if you'd like to add clean bass back in.

 

[NickMDal]

Wow excellent! That's an easier solution than I was expecting. Thank you so much. Now to safely crank it all I want

 

[obsessive9119]

The other option, if you don't already have a sub, is to shop for one that has a highpass filter. For example, my setup is: WiiM Pro Plus -> SVS SB-1000 (high pass filter) -> ZA3 -> KEF LS50.

The downside is that the HPF is fixed at 80hz, but for me (and the LS50) that seems perfectly fine.

In hindsight I should have probably bought a WiiM Amp rather than WiiM Pro Plus + ZA3, but at the time I was using different speakers and wasn't planning on adding a sub.

 

[NickMDal]

Thanks. That would save lots of money but won't the B&W speakers still receive unfiltered audio? So they might still distort no?

My first thought was to lower the bass on the SMSL to stop the distortion when adding the sub. Will reducing bass not effect the sub out? If not this is a much cheaper option that could solve it.

 

[obsessive9119]

Thanks. That would save lots of money but won't the B&W speakers still receive unfiltered audio? So they might still distort no?

My first thought was to lower the bass on the SMSL to stop the distortion. Will reducing bass not affect the sub out? If not this is a much cheaper option that could solve it.

I should have asked - what’s your source?

If you’re using Bluetooth directly to the SMSL, my suggestion won’t work. If you have another source (DAC etc), then you go

source -> sub -> amp -> speakers.

The HPF on the sub means only frequencies over 80hz go to the amp.

 

[NickMDal]

PC or Cell lossless to Wifi > WiiM Pro (no amp) > speakers

Is the HPF configurable? Not sure I can hear everything between 20 and 80 hz.

 

[obsessive9119]

In the SB-1000 it’s fixed at 80hz.

Are you getting Hz and kHz confused? You should def be able to hear 80Hz unless you have serious hearing damage.

 

[NickMDal]

Only just learned that high freq declines w/age but not low... not that I'm all that old. Hmm... that's positive

Forgot to specify the setup is outdoors on a 2 sided patio 13 x 11. Is the SA400 115 watts per channel at 8 ohms, being it's 230 at 4? For that matter, I can't learn whether it's sub out is powered, guessing not.

 

[NickMDal]

Found a great solution. First issue was 8" outdoor subs don't play anywhere near 20 hz. So Forza-10 sub. Then OSD SMP200 amp connecting to SMSL sub out RCA.

What a happy marriage this is! The Forza picks up with authority exactly where the SMSL drops. No bass distortion anymore!

We just saw The Shanghai String Quartet from the front row, so I have a fresh sense of a plucked cello. I can't imagine this setup getting any closer to the real thing!

Much appreciation!