BASSBOSS subwoofers and tops are all programmed to be phase and time aligned with one another.  When using a rig consisting of only BASSBOSS loudspeakers, one does not need to perform any additional alignment (except for delay in the case where one is co-locating different speakers).  However, when pairing BASSBOSS loudspeakers with loudspeakers from additional manufacturers, there is no longer this guarantee since the processing done by each company will likely differ significantly.  This article covers the scenarios when BASSBOSS loudspeakers are paired with non-BASSBOSS loudspeakers

When it comes to pairing BASSBOSS loudspeakers with loudspeakers of another brand, there are several possible cases that come up:

Each case brings its own challenges and has its own possible solutions.  This article will go through each possibility in turn:

The most common scenario we get asked about is how one can pair BASSBOSS subwoofers with tops from another brand, such as RCF or QSC.  While one can use them together, there's a possibility for phase cancellations in the crossover region, where BASSBOSS and the non-BASSBOSS speakers play at the same frequencies.  The first thing one can do to reduce the occurrence of this is to select presets and crossover frequencies that minimize the opportunity for problematic overlap.  We recommend using a Linkwitz-Riley filter at 24dB per octave: use with preset that sets a lowpass filter at a given frequency on your BASSBOSS subs (Say 80Hz), and start with a highpass filter at the same frequency for your tops.  If your tops have a fixed highpass frequency (such as 100Hz for some QSC speakers), you can start with a preset that sets the lowpass filter to 100Hz on your BASSBOSS sub(s).  This will quarantine the potential problem areas (mostly) to the crossover region.  BASSBOSS MK3-series subwoofers have presets with a 24dB/Octave Linkwitz-Riley filter, so no additional processing is needed for the subs.  Most tops from other manufacturers have presets for a highpass filter, however these may not have the correct filter type and slope for a smooth transition.

While this kind of alignment is usually "good enough" for many users, there is still a high likelihood that you will get an inconsistent response where your BASSBOSS and non-BASSBOSS loudspeakers are playing a nontrivial volume at the same frequency.  To fix this, one must take a measurement and perform a phase alignment in the crossover regions.  We recommend using a processor with the ability to add filters (in particular allpass filters, as well as highpass filters) to the subwoofer and top signal separately.  We recommend running your subs without any processing, as the filter coefficients for subwoofers often can create large delays and other problems.  Using external processing, especially high-Q filters at very low frequencies can irreversibly damage your BASSBOSS subwoofers, and these damages are out of warranty.

All the processing for alignment should be done on the channel that goes to your non-BASSBOSS top loudspeakers.  To do the alignment, one can use a free software such as SMAART or  REW (Room EQ Wizard).  Note that one does not need a specialized measurement microphone to do this as what matters is the relative phase offset between the sub and top.  In essence, you can use a vocal mic like an SM58, though a measurement mic will make it easier to get an overall flat response. Start by turning off your top loudspeakers so only your subwoofer(s) are on, and take a measurement of the subwoofer(s) run with minimal processing and save this trace (for MK3 subwoofers, choose the preset you would like to start with; for MK1 and MK2 subwoofers, adjust the EXO knob to be where you want to set the cutoff.  80Hz is often a good starting point, but experiment with what sounds good).  Then, switch your top loudspeaker you want to align to "full range" mode (no highpass filter on the box), turn it on and turn your subwoofer(s) off.  You'll be aligning this trace to the one you took of just the subwoofer(s).  Start by adjusting the gain of your top loudspeaker so the overlap between the is around the same level (at this point you can also add a desired "tilt" to your system by backing off the high end a few dB).  Then use a 24dB/Octave highpass filter on your processor applied to the top to take out the spectrum of the top's frequency response where the sub(s) are playing.  Where this will be depends on the subwoofer cabinet and preset being used.  Once the frequency response looks relatively flat with a measurement mic (or with whatever suitable tilt you would like with your system; many of our customers prefer a more bass-heavy response and this is of course welcome), align the phase trace so it overlaps with the phase trace of the subwoofer you already measured.  Allpass filters are recommended as they will not change the frequency response, however you can also EQ the frequency response with shelves or bells as needed (just beware of boosting too much of the low end on a top as this can eat up your available headroom).  Another tool you may need to use is delay - BASSBOSS subs have such little processing delay that to truly align your tops to your sub, you'll also need to add some delay to your BASSBOSS sub; you can apply delay to your MK3 BASSBOSS subs in ControlBASS.  We recommend you save the final settings in your processor so you can recall them later.

Attempting to align BASSBOSS subwoofers with non BASSBOSS subwoofers often creates more problems than it solves.  We have seen customers bring BASSBOSS subs into venues that had existing subs for extra low end support, and got better results when turning off the "house" subs due to the fact that there were phase cancellations between the BASSBOSS and non-BASSBOSS subs.  As a result, due to the unpredictable nature of combining different boxes with different amplification and processing, we do not ordinarily recommend pairing BASSBOSS subwoofers with non-BASSBOSS subwoofers.  If it must be done, measurements must be taken and the steps are similar to above.  

We recommend applying the processing for alignment on your non-BASSBOSS subs.  Begin by selecting suitable presets for your BASSBOSS subs, and take a measurement of just the BASSBOSS subs.  Then, turn your BASSBOSS subs off, and turn the other subs you want to align your BASSBOSS subs to on.  Here is where you want to adjust the gain, delay, and filters to align the traces.  You may also need to perform a phase inversion depending on how the box is wired.  Since most other subwoofers do not have the LF Extension of BASSBOSS subs, pay special attention to where (and how) the frequency response of your non-BASSBOSS subs start to roll off.  You may find that adjusting the highpass frequency of your non-BASSBOSS subwoofers helps in aligning the phase traces.

It is basically impossible to align a BASSBOSS Top with a non-BASSBOSS Top, and thus we do not recommend attempting to do this.  In addition to the different processing applied to each top in the different DSPs and filter implementations, the physical size of each cabinet will quickly become larger than the wavelengths as the frequency increases.  For instance, a 1kHz wave has a wavelength of 13.3 inches (34 cm),  wider than most loudspeakers, which will create phase cancellations when putting multiple boxes together.    Attempting to array BASSBOSS tops with non-BASSBOSS tops will create phase cancellations across the spectrum, which corresponds to dreaded comb filtering.   This issue can become more pronounced as the frequency increases.  You can, of course, use a BASSBOSS top with a non-BASSBOSS top, with one of them functioning as a delay or fill speaker - no additional processing is needed or recommended.  However we do not recommend attempting to colocate BASSBOSS and non-BASSBOSS tops.  If you need a wider coverage with more SPL, consider using 2x DV12s, which can be paired together in an inverted array that was specially designed for coherent summation using the DV12 Stack Bracket.  We also sell the MFLA, a line array box designed to array and sum as well as possible, if more coverage and SPL are needed.