Anyone know whether you can do any bass management on this amp, e.g. configure it to only send > 100Hz to the speakers and < 100Hz to the sub out? Or does it always send full range to both speakers and sub?
MassThe AI-301DA didn't have crossover so it's likely that this would be the same. You could look into maybe getting an active crossover though, which would basically do what you're looking for but in a separate unit. (Source: https://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1296951)
HaxtriickzI dislike lots of chained components and dongles, all with their wires and wall warts. I suppose you can wire from the amp speaker outputs to a sub that has both high level speaker in and out and control the crossover on the sub, but that means 8 wires going up/down from a desk to under the desk where the sub is, instead of a single mono RCA for line level input on the sub (not dedicated LFE input which bypasses the sub crossover in most subs I've seen so far).
And unfortunately I don't have the room on my desk for a full size AVR or I'd get a cheap Denon AVR-S500BT for $170 which would solve lots of these problems and be better in the end. I'm currently looking at the Grace Digital GDI-BTAR513 amp, but it has the same issues when it comes to bass management. Same deal with powered speakers even if they have a sub out, there's no knob to control the crossover. Integrated amps and powered speakers need to start doing a better job when it comes to crossover control.
KEFQ100That's a mono signal, it will not do what you want. You need a line out with both L/R channels. Plus it may still apply some filter, though it may be fairly high as is the case with the Grace Digital GDI-BTAR513, the sub out only passes < 500Hz. This one has a proper line out, take a look at it. It also has 50W per channel, so it may be good enough for what you need the way it is, take a look at it.
KEFQ100Just get a small DAC like the CEntrance Slim (drop just ended a few days ago unfortunately). The advantage is that you can take that DAC with you and use it with headphones too. I'm assuming your source is USB, but if it's not and you need optical then that's not the right DAC.
MassIf your sub has speaker in/out you should go from the amp to the sub to the speakers. It's likely that your sub has some sort of crossover function if it's active/powered.
SlowcountryMost subs have a low-pass filter ("crossover" for the sub itself), but precious few have a high-pass filter for the mains. Emotiva's Airmotiv subs do have this feature, where they send a variable-volume high-passed signal via RCA to powered main speakers or power amp.
MassThis is something I've been wrestling with for awhile -- how to high-pass two-channel stereo signal for bookshelf speakers (and save poweramp from trying to deliver low frequencies that are bettered handled by powered sub) -- without relying on an AVR. Mini-DSP is always an option, but I have managed to collect a few no-longer-manufactured active analog bass management components: the Outlaw Audio ICBM-1 (the balanced ICBM-2 was never released), and the Paradigm X-30.
A few subwoofers can do this, like the Emotiva Airmotiv. And Parasound has pre, power, and integrated amps with high-pass option.
I'd love to see a company like Schiit come out with an active analog box solution for this.