In comparison to other speakers with very high input sensitivity, the BASSBOSS subs can seem to play at a lower level. This is because when a high sensitivity input and a low sensitivity input are sent the same signal, the high-sensitivity input will add more gain.
The appropriate course of action is to establish the maximum output capability of the low-sensitivity unit first, to establish whether the source device can drive enough signal into that unit for it to reach maximum output. Once that's established, the high-sensitivity unit can be added but its input should be attenuated so that it doesn't reach its maximum output capacity before the low-sensitivity unit reaches its maximum output capacity.
All that said, subwoofers are inevitably less efficient than tops. It takes more power to reach a given SPL from a sub than from a top. The maximum output SPL of a top can be (usually is) greater than that of a sub of a similar scale. In other words, it's necessary to drive subs harder than tops, or to provide more subs than tops, in order to achieve the desired balance of low frequencies to high frequencies. That desired balance usually involves a minimum of 6dB more SPL from the subs than the tops. Building that disparity into the inputs of the cabinets would tend to put the subwoofer into compression/limiting way before the same would happen on the tops, so the appropriate action is to lower the levels of the tops or to add more subs until the levels are as desired when the speaker are driven with the same signal.
If the issue is related to a difference in input sensitivity between brands, it's easily addressed with a little knob turning.
Here's some simple instructions that may help:
When setting up a sound system with both subwoofers and tops, you might notice that the subwoofers seem quieter than expected. This is because different speakers respond differently to the same input signal.
To get the best sound:
- First, set up the subwoofer to play at its maximum safe level.
- Then, add the tops speakers, but turn them down so they don't overpower the subwoofer.
It's important to know that subwoofers generally need more power than regular speakers to produce the same volume level. This means you'll often need to:
- Drive subwoofers harder than tops speakers
- Use more subwoofers than tops speakers
The goal is usually to have the bass (from subwoofers) about 6 decibels louder than the rest of the sound. To achieve this, you should:
- Lower the volume of the regular speakers, or
- Add more subwoofers
This approach helps ensure that all parts of your sound system work together smoothly, without any one part being pushed too hard before the others reach their full potential.