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What settings should I choose when using a powered subwoofer in my speaker system?
If you right click on HDMI (the name of your device) you can select Use this device for sound output. Then click on Configure Speakers, and select Multichannel and select the setup in the drop down menu to the right. You can then test each speaker to make sure sound is outputting correctly. . Pre-Crossover Delay For Aligning The Sound System To The Stage Backline. Crossover With Support For Full Range, 2-Way, & 3-Way Configurations. Stereo 8-Band Output Parametric EQs For Speaker Tunings. Stereo PeakPlus™ Output Limiters. Stereo Output Driver Alignment Delays For 2-Way & 3-Way Systems. Real-Time Analyzer. We recommend reading Bass Management Settings Made Simple for more information on this topic. However, as a general rule of thumb you will usually want to set ALL speakers to 'Small' and use a crossover setting of 80Hz. If you set your front main speakers to small, the subwoofer should ALWAYS work, even with two-channel sources.
In the Speaker Configuration menu, when the speaker channel is set to 'Small' the Bass Setting or *Subwoofer Mode menu can be set to LFE or LFE + Main. This will pass all frequencies under the crossover point to the Subwoofer.
If the speaker channel is set to 'Large' you may want to set the Bass Setting or *Subwoofer Mode set to LFE + MAIN as this setting will duplicate the low frequencies to the Subwoofer. If you set the Bass Setting or *Subwoofer Mode to LFE nothing will output to the Subwoofer with the exception of the LFE from a Dolby or DTS encoded track.
LFE (Low Frequency Effect) - The discrete content sent to the subwoofer from a Dolby or DTS encoded audio track. (The .1 in a 5.1 or 7.1 audio track)
LFE + Main - The low frequencies output to the Subwoofer whether the speaker channels are set to Large or Small.
*Some older models use the term 'Subwoofer Mode' instead of 'Bass Setting' for this menu option.
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Audio MIDI Setup User Guide
Use Audio MIDI Setup to set up audio input and output devices, such as microphones and multichannel audio interfaces. You can also use it to route audio from iOS and iPadOS devices directly into your Mac.
Setting Crossover Mac Multi Output
Available settings in Audio MIDI Setup depend on the audio device you’re using. For example, you can adjust the volume for each channel your audio output device has available.
Connect your audio devices to your Mac and, if necessary, install any software included with the devices.
In the Audio MIDI Setup app on your Mac, in the sidebar of the Audio Devices window, select a device.
Note: For iOS and iPadOS devices, first click Enable, then select the device. You may be asked to unlock your device with a passcode or to trust the device.
Control-click the device, or click the Configure Selected Device pop-up menu at the bottom-left of the sidebar, then choose how the device is going to be used:
For sound input: Choose Use This Device for Sound Input.
For sound output: Choose Use This Device for Sound Output.
For playing system sounds: Choose Play Alerts and Sound Effects Through This Device.
On the right side of the Audio Devices window, choose the options available for the device you selected:
In most cases, “Clock source” is set to the default.
Click the Format pop-up menu, then set the sample rate and bit depth. Make sure they match the appropriate settings for your audio device.
If your Mac supports the hardware sample rate converter, the Hardware Rate Converter pop-up menu is available in the Input pane. When you choose Automatic from the pop-up menu, the hardware sample rate converter is turned on if the audio samples coming in are PCM and formatted according to the international standard IEC 60958-3. The hardware sample rate converter is turned off if the input stream is encoded. You can also choose Enable or Disable from the menu, to keep the hardware sample rate converter turned on or off.
If software volume control is available for your device, the Volume sliders appear blue to indicate that they’re active. Drag the sliders to set the volume for each channel.
To set up a surround (multichannel) speaker configuration, click Configure Speakers, then set up the configuration.