02-Jun-2019, 09:02
I haven't tried connecting both sub and speakers to the same speaker terminals on a Devialet. I have on a NAD and on a Rotel power amp.
Ways to physically make the dual connection if you use the high levvel connection method:
1- the Red cable has bared ends at the amp end. You can wrap those around the binding post and tighten it down and then insert banana plug terminated speaker cables for the speakers or you could use spade terminated speaker cables but spades are awkward on a Devialet because the terminals are low to the shelf below and there's the hood over the top so using spades is awkward unless you connect them at an angle and that can raise it's own set of problems.
2- use banana plugs that allow you to piggy back another banana into them. I don't think it would matter whether you use the piggy back plugs on the speaker cables or the REL cable.
It's quite safe to do with most amps but if I remember correctly there can be problems doing this with some class D amps. I can't remember seeing any reports of problems with a Devialet. Hopefully there's someone here using the high level connection method who can comment using it with a Devialet. The REL draws very little current from the connection and it really doesn't make a difference to the amp when it comes to powering your speakers.
The big difference between the high and low level connection method is this:
With the low level connection you need to set the crossover frequency between sub and speaker in the amp and you set the crossover frequency dial on the sub at the highest level it will go to in order to make sure that the amp is controlling the crossover. The speaker no longer runs full range so the amp has an easier job driving it. You have to balance the sub's gain setting and phase control in order to get the levels and phase integration working well.
With the high level connection you run the speaker full range. You don't set a crossover frequency in the amp, you use the crossover frequency control in the REL to set the crossover and what that does is it rolls the upper range of the REL off over the range where the speaker is naturally rolling off. Both sub and speaker are active over an octave or so at the bottom of the speaker's range and the sub's response boosts the level of the bass you hear. You need to set the sub's gain and phase settings as with the low level connection. Your amp will work as hard as it does when it's driving the speakers with no sub attached because you're running the speakers in the same way you run them without a sub.
I think it's a bit harder to get things balanced with the high level connection. I made the same mistake initially as REL say most people make, I set the crossover frequency too high and the gain setting too low. You'll find that the best results with the high level connection come when you set the crossover frequency lower than you think it should be and use a higher gain setting. I ended up setting the crossover setting on the REL I had, a Strata 3 which is bigger than your T5, at 32 Hz, the lowest setting available and much lower than the -3dB frequency of my speakers which is where I initially thought the crossover frequency should be. Then I bought the gain setting up a lot.
You really need some sort of sound level meter to help you balance the sub and speakers using the sub's gain settings, it's quite tricky to do by ear and takes experience. Even better is an app for your phone or tablet which gives you octave band analysis. I used an app from Faber Acoustics on my iPad (not cheap) and it gave the choice of octave or third of an octave band displays. Use the octave band if you use one of these apps. The third of an octave bands tend to vary a lot in level from band to adjacent band because of the way room nodes work at low frequencies. You don't see as much variation with the octave band display and that makes it a lot easier to adjust the lower bass to match the upper bass and get a good sounding result.
Hope some of that helps you.
Ways to physically make the dual connection if you use the high levvel connection method:
1- the Red cable has bared ends at the amp end. You can wrap those around the binding post and tighten it down and then insert banana plug terminated speaker cables for the speakers or you could use spade terminated speaker cables but spades are awkward on a Devialet because the terminals are low to the shelf below and there's the hood over the top so using spades is awkward unless you connect them at an angle and that can raise it's own set of problems.
2- use banana plugs that allow you to piggy back another banana into them. I don't think it would matter whether you use the piggy back plugs on the speaker cables or the REL cable.
It's quite safe to do with most amps but if I remember correctly there can be problems doing this with some class D amps. I can't remember seeing any reports of problems with a Devialet. Hopefully there's someone here using the high level connection method who can comment using it with a Devialet. The REL draws very little current from the connection and it really doesn't make a difference to the amp when it comes to powering your speakers.
The big difference between the high and low level connection method is this:
With the low level connection you need to set the crossover frequency between sub and speaker in the amp and you set the crossover frequency dial on the sub at the highest level it will go to in order to make sure that the amp is controlling the crossover. The speaker no longer runs full range so the amp has an easier job driving it. You have to balance the sub's gain setting and phase control in order to get the levels and phase integration working well.
With the high level connection you run the speaker full range. You don't set a crossover frequency in the amp, you use the crossover frequency control in the REL to set the crossover and what that does is it rolls the upper range of the REL off over the range where the speaker is naturally rolling off. Both sub and speaker are active over an octave or so at the bottom of the speaker's range and the sub's response boosts the level of the bass you hear. You need to set the sub's gain and phase settings as with the low level connection. Your amp will work as hard as it does when it's driving the speakers with no sub attached because you're running the speakers in the same way you run them without a sub.
I think it's a bit harder to get things balanced with the high level connection. I made the same mistake initially as REL say most people make, I set the crossover frequency too high and the gain setting too low. You'll find that the best results with the high level connection come when you set the crossover frequency lower than you think it should be and use a higher gain setting. I ended up setting the crossover setting on the REL I had, a Strata 3 which is bigger than your T5, at 32 Hz, the lowest setting available and much lower than the -3dB frequency of my speakers which is where I initially thought the crossover frequency should be. Then I bought the gain setting up a lot.
You really need some sort of sound level meter to help you balance the sub and speakers using the sub's gain settings, it's quite tricky to do by ear and takes experience. Even better is an app for your phone or tablet which gives you octave band analysis. I used an app from Faber Acoustics on my iPad (not cheap) and it gave the choice of octave or third of an octave band displays. Use the octave band if you use one of these apps. The third of an octave bands tend to vary a lot in level from band to adjacent band because of the way room nodes work at low frequencies. You don't see as much variation with the octave band display and that makes it a lot easier to adjust the lower bass to match the upper bass and get a good sounding result.
Hope some of that helps you.
Roon Nucleus+, Devilalet Expert 140 Pro CI, Focal Sopra 2, PS Audio P12, Keces P8 LPS, Uptone Audio EtherREGEN with optical fibre link to my router, Shunyata Alpha NR and Sigma NR power cables, Shunyata Sigma ethernet cables, Shunyata Alpha V2 speaker cables, Grand Prix Audio Monaco rack, RealTRAPS acoustic treatment.
Brisbane, Qld, Australia
