Quick question: Connection and setup of Core+BL18+BL19

11 replies
CU
Curly
Bronze
458 posts
Posted November 14, 2020 at 23:23 GMT
#2147471

Hi, my friends. A quick two questions on using a Core to drive a pair of BL18 with a BL19.

1. Using Powerlink out of the Core, I would have to connect to one BL18 and then use another Cat7 cable to daisychain from first BL18 to the second BL18. THEN use another Cat7 to daisychain from the second BL18 to BL19. Correct? Since the BL19 only has a single Powerlink socket, I don't know how else to optimally make the connections (i.e., I can't connect from the Core directly to BL19 because there would be no way to loop in the BL18s).

2. Assuming my connection strategy above is correct, within the Core settings\Product Settings\Configure\Sound\Speaker Setup\Please specify the speaker type connected to enable appropriate sound processing... would I choose BL18 or BL19?

I want all the crossovers to be handled optimally so I don't know how to indicate both BL18 and BL19 are present or if only one can be chosen, which to choose.

Thanks!

 

 

D(
Duels (archived2)
Bronze
2546 posts
Posted November 15, 2020 at 00:09 GMT
#2147472
If you are using cables as opposed to WISA then you are correct to daisy chain core> BL18>BL18>BL19. But be aware that whilst you can adjust the low pass filter on the BL19 it is not possible to adjust the BL18s and they will continue to play their full frequency range (as if there was no BL19 present). This is not really how they were intended to be used.

If you use a Transmitter 1/WISA, it will automatically carry out the sound processing (applying high and low pass filters) appropriately.

You said you want the crossovers to be handled optimally. The way to do that is to use a Transmitter or a Beovision.

Having said all that, you could try the cables and see how it sounds. I personally like it but the low pass filter on the BL19 would have to be set very low to avoid muddying the bass where all speakers are playing the same frequency.

CU
Curly
Bronze
458 posts
Posted November 15, 2020 at 13:13 GMT
#2147473

Thanks very much, Duels. I’m very surprised the Core can’t figure out the crossovers as I imagine the setup I described is pretty common. That’s unfortunate. I’ll have to think about what to do. Thanks again!

CU
Curly
Bronze
458 posts
Posted November 15, 2020 at 17:01 GMT
#2147474

Duels, I’ve read the Transmitter 1 manual and while it does indicate there is a button to switch ON if using a 2.1 stereo system, it makes no reference to telling the device precisely what speakers comprise the system, which I imagine would be necessary for the Transmitter to know so as to set the crossovers correctly (i.e., crossovers would be different with BL17+19 system versus BL18+19 system). Can you opine?

Is there logic in the device that knows what speakers are in the system when it joins them during initial setup? Where is there documentation that discusses this?

Also, happy to leave this discussion here in case it’s helpful to anyone in the future but if you’d prefer to DM me, feel free to do so.

Again, thank you!

mbolo01
mbolo01
Bronze
2046 posts
Posted November 15, 2020 at 19:19 GMT
#2147475
The Transmitter 1 button is about telling the system if you use a sub or not. If you set the sub on and configure it at the right place, then the bass filtering occurs properly.

If you switch the sub button to off later on, BL18 gain in bass and BL 19 acts as a poor regular speaker, which is a good demonstration of the purpose of this setting.

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CU
Curly
Bronze
458 posts
Posted November 15, 2020 at 22:28 GMT
#2147476

Thank you! I understand this. My question is does the Transmitter set different crossover settings based on the particular front speaker’s characteristics? In other words, does the Transmitter automatically choose one set of crossover settings if you use BL17 up front and a different crossover setting if you use BL18? I hope that’s clearer. Thanks, all!

mbolo01
mbolo01
Bronze
2046 posts
Posted November 16, 2020 at 09:17 GMT
#2147477

Curly wrote:
Thank you! I understand this.

Sorry, I was confused by your statement "a button to switch ON if using a 2.1 stereo"

So, quoting to the Installation Guide:

"With a stereo only signal as input and a wireless subwoofer available,
set the SUB 2.1 switch to ON. The bass management function of the BeoLab Transmitter 1 provides the subwoofer signal to a wireless subwoofer indicated as the third sound channel (PL 2 L).

The cut-off frequency for the Bass management is 120 Hz."

I deduce that there is no processing difference depending on the type of speaker used, so no automatic recognition of the speaker model nor information exchanged with the Beosystem source to identify the speakers.

 

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Beoplay-A1.png Beoplay-A1.png
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Beolab-18.png Beolab-18.png
Beogram-400x.png Beogram-400x.png
D(
Duels (archived2)
Bronze
2546 posts
Posted November 16, 2020 at 10:27 GMT
#2147478
mbolo01 wrote:

If you switch the sub button to off later on, BL18 gain in bass and BL 19 acts as a poor regular speaker,

When I was using this speaker combination with a transmitter, switching the 2.1 switch to “off” actually turned the BL19 off completely.
D(
Duels (archived2)
Bronze
2546 posts
Posted November 16, 2020 at 10:34 GMT
#2147479
Hi Curly

I’m not sure whether the crossover frequency is different for different speakers ie BL18 and BL17s. They were both developed and released at the same time with some demos showing 18s as fronts and 17s as rears/surrounds so they may well have similar properties.

But don’t forget that you can specify the speakers you are using in the core which will affect the sound processing.

My understanding is that specifying your speakers in the core setup and then switching the 2.1 switch to “on” is the correct way to set up this system.
CU
Curly
Bronze
458 posts
Posted November 16, 2020 at 12:49 GMT
#2147480

Much appreciated to you both. Thank you!

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