The 320 Watt SVS Bash plate amplifier is built into the side of the cylinder enclosure. It could be turned away from the listening position. Even completely out of sight if desired simply by rotating the whole subwoofer. But I prefer the controls to be visible to allow easy adjustment for film or music. The SVS amplifier offers high-level (speaker level) connections. Primarily for stereo music listening.
With low level (phono socket) connections for Home Theatre "LFE" or "Sub-out" connection purposes. I will not discuss low level connections at all here. Except to say thet the low level crossover offers 12dB/octave roll off.
The SVS amplifier has speaker 'Output' terminals if the main stereo speakers need to be filtered of bass signal. This would normally occur at about 80Hz. This would relieve the stereo amplifier & speakers of some bass load. Only the subwoofer amplifier 'Input' speaker terminals would be connected to the stereo amplifier.
Then the stereo speakers themselves would be connected to the Left and Right 'Output' Terminals on the subwoofer.
The sub's internal crossover point can be set from 40Hz up to 120Hz to achieve the best balance between sub and stereo speakers. The crossover slope is 6dB/octave on the high level connections.
If the highest quality stereo sound is desired then both sub and speakers should be connected to the stereo amplifier's speaker terminals. The connections at the subwoofer would use only the Right and Left "Input" terminals.
Though the subwoofer and main speakers are then running in parallel the subwoofer provides its own power. There is also a high impedance on the subwoofer's high level stereo input circuitry. So no extra load is seen by the stereo amplifier as a result of the subwoofer connections.
The high level signal is summed after the amplification stages in the SVS subwoofer amplifier. This avoids the main stereo amplifier's signal becoming "monoed".
An auto-on switch allows the subwoofer to go into standby mode when not being fed with a bass signal. This reduces electricity consumption. Switch-on is instantaneous upon receiving a bass signal. It is immediately obvious when the sub is working! Bass guitar and kick drum suddenly become clearly seperated in the mix. While organ music takes on a whole new dimension.
Phase is continuously adjustable for matching the subwoofer output to the main speakers should it prove necessary.
The 'gain' knob is the sub's volume control. Delightfully insensitive, it usually sits between marks 2 & 3 for my very broad musical tastes. Though my wife prefers the gain raised to 12 o'clock. For maximum impact on heavy rock and metal!
The SV Subwoofer will play effortlessly at 100dB+ on rock music for hours on end despite this very high gain setting. No worrying excess warmth has ever been noticed on the sub's amplifier plate.
Even at these higher settings the sub doesn't swamp the music with bass. The SVS bass is still controlled, clean and undistorted and totally devoid of boom at any gain or listening level.
This is a link to the PCi amplifier section of the SVS website. It gives a fuller description and technical specifications.
http://www.svsubwoofers.com/subs_pci_features.htm#amp
