The whole idea behind bass management is this....
If you're watching a movie, which includes actual "low frequency special effects" then those will be in the LFE channel.
And, since those aren't intended to be handled by a normal speaker, they should always be routed directly to the sub.
However, for music, if your main speakers are really full range, and handle very low bass well, then you don't need a sub.
But, if your mains are relatively small, or simply don't handle very low bass well, you use bass management to redirect the low bass to the sub.
And there are in fact benefits of doing it either way.
The benefit to simply using true full range speakers is that it's difficult to achieve a perfectly smooth transition between a speaker and a sub...
So the best way to avoid a less than perfect transition, or a less than perfect match between speakers and sub, is to just not use a sub.
The benefit to using separate speakers and sub is that the design of each can be optimized for a specific purpose...
And that each can also be placed at the optimum room locations (your main speakers for best sound stage; your sub for best bass.)
However, in general, it is never considered a good idea to have BOTH your mains and your sub both handling the same range of low bass frequencies.
What you are in effect asking is whether there is a way to do what Enhanced Bass DOES - but without enabling it by name.
And the answer is that we don't recommend enabling it because doing that is a bad idea.
The problem is that, when you enable Enhanced Bass, you are in effect using your main speakers as both small speakers and subs...
Except that, unlike real subs, the "subs" that are part of your main speakers are physically "pinned" to the same room locations as your main speakers.
(And this rarely works out to be the best room location for a sub.)
In other words, if you use Enhanced Bass, you are combining the DISADVANTAGES of both using and not using a separate sub.
(And receiving little benefit in return.)
And, yes, by setting the Fronts to SMALL, you are configuring the bass management to route everything below the crossover point to the sub.
(And, assuming your front speaker are actually able to go reasonably low, you can feel free to set the crossover below the default 80 Hz.)
I would like to run a 2.1 system for music listening. Presently I use Dirac EQ and have my front speakers set to large. I can enable Enhanced Bass, but would like to avoid that for reasons stated in the manual.
Is there a way to enable the sub with the front LR speakers set to large?
If I set the fronts to small, will this enable the sub? (not clear in the manual)
Thanks!
