I'll give my two cents on this issue since it is my major gripe with this otherwise very good preamp.

1. The whole idea of dvd-a/sacd bass management (redirecting bass) works well if you have satellites and a single sub. If you have full range speakers (which I do on all except center) BM is not needed! Nor should it be wanted.

2. I recently added another sub for "stereo subs". The best thing I ever did for my system. The subs are fed L/R line levels and also the LFE mono. In all situations (except 6ch input) all speakers play full range and the subs just augment the lowest bass for the fronts. With the current 950 BM setup you get the double bass with BM set to off and you get mono bass with BM set to on.

The mono bass is what I don't like. I don't think anyone would like it if their stereo only setup forced mono only bass from their speakers regardless of their speakers capabilities.

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if you choose to shut the BM off, the low frequency dynamic range of dvd-a/sacd formats WILL exceed the capabilities of your satellite (fl, c, fr, sl, sr) speakers.

I don't agree. Every DVD-A I have puts very limited bass to the center and surrounds. As I said my center won't play deep bass but they don't seem to be trying to. I don't think the producers are channeling that much bass to the centers or surrounds and even if they did the speakers just won't reproduce it.

Quote:
2. the correct placement of a single subwoofer in a given room is very difficult because of peaks and/or valleys in the response curve caused by room modes (the reaction of soundwaves in a given shaped confined space). at least, you have the option of moving your sub to find the best overall sound at the listening position. if you shut the BM off (assuming you would NOT have double bass), you now have 6 'subwoofers' all at different places in the room...a room mode excitation/phase problem nightmare...AND 5 of them can only each be precisely placed in the room with no option to move them around.

I again disagree. I have three subs and it was much easier to balance the bass response in the room because multiple subs help fill in each others peaks and valleys.

It just bothers me that the inputs used for DVD-A/SACD force you into a certain configuration. These two formats are currently my highest quality sources and the 950 is putting me into a box with the forced mono bass summing.

I would like SH to please describe how he handles this BM issue (or lack of) with his stereo subs if he even uses the 6ch inputs.