The crossover frequency — where your speakers stop playing bass and your sub takes over — is one of the most important settings in your system. Most people set it and forget it. Here’s how to get it right.
Start at 80Hz
For almost every home theater setup: start at 80Hz. That’s the THX standard, and there’s a good reason for it. Below 80Hz, bass becomes largely non-directional — your ears can’t reliably tell where it’s coming from. Above 80Hz, directionality starts to become perceptible. Setting the crossover at 80Hz keeps the sub handling the non-directional bass while your main speakers handle everything above, maintaining proper spatial imaging.
Adjusting from the Starting Point
80Hz isn’t the only right answer — it’s the right starting point. Fine-tune based on your speakers:
- Small bookshelf speakers (4-5 inch woofer): Set crossover at 100-120Hz — these speakers roll off early and the sub needs to take over sooner
- Medium bookshelf (6-6.5 inch): 80-100Hz works well
- Large bookshelf or small floor-standers: 80Hz is usually right
- Large floor-standers with substantial bass capability: 60-80Hz — let the speakers do more of the work in the bass range they handle well
- Soundbars: 100-120Hz — soundbars roll off high, the sub needs to cover more
Receiver vs Sub Crossover — Use One, Not Both
If you have an AV receiver: set the crossover in the receiver (speaker settings, set speakers to “Small”) and set the sub’s own crossover knob to maximum (bypassed). Having both active creates a double filter that cuts bass output unnecessarily.
If you’re using a stereo amp with no bass management: use the sub’s built-in crossover knob.
How to Fine-Tune by Ear
- Play music with sustained, even bass — a recording of acoustic bass guitar or a bass test tone works well
- Adjust the crossover frequency in 10Hz steps from your starting point
- Listen at your seat for the smoothest transition — no obvious peak and no gap
- A peak sounds like extra bass emphasis at a specific frequency. A gap sounds like thin, disconnected bass
- Test across several types of content to confirm
Common Crossover Mistakes
Setting it too high with capable speakers: A 150Hz crossover on floor-standers that reach 40Hz creates a massive bass hump in the 40-150Hz range. Both the speakers and sub play those frequencies simultaneously and the combined output is bloated and boomy.
Setting it too low with small bookshelf speakers: A 40Hz crossover on speakers that roll off at 100Hz creates a gap. Neither the bookshelf speakers nor the sub are covering 40-100Hz properly. Music sounds thin and lacking body.
Using both receiver and sub crossovers simultaneously: Double filtering, reduced bass output, usually sounds wrong. Use one or the other.
For SVS Sub Owners
The SVS SB-1000 Pro app lets you adjust the crossover from your listening seat in real time. This makes fine-tuning genuinely easy — change the setting, listen immediately, adjust again. Far better than walking back and forth to the sub’s rear panel. This alone is worth a significant portion of the price premium over non-app-controlled alternatives.
