Questions about an old JBL Theater setup (1 Viewer)

[Rick_N]

Ok guys, total newbie here. I have a general question. I have a JBL ECS300(?) Home theater that I purchased a couple of years ago. It is a combo subwoofer and receiver. It is only Dolby Pro Logic. My question is can I hook a newer receiver up to it and use my current speakers and subwoofer? I plan on going with new speakers just not for awhile. But if I can get more use out of my current setup that would be great. It has two rca jacks on the back, for instance, one video that is going to my tv and the other is AUX that nothing is plugged up to. Can I just simply hook up a receiver with DTS or whatever to the AUX and go that way? Again sorry guys total newbie trying to figure out what all this stuff means. Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[Rick_N]

bump

 

[Rob Dawn]

I think you need to explain the specifics of the JBL system a little more.

If you're old speakers connect using normal speaker wire, then you can hook them up to any new (or old for that matter) receiver.

If the sub has an RCA input of speaker wire type inputs, then that can also be hooked up to a new receiver.

If, however, the system is like those Bose set-ups, then I don't know.

Rob

 

[Rick_N]

I'll try to explain the best that I can. And pretty basic too as I don't know all the techno lingo that seems like everybody else does
The subwoofer has two red and white jacks on the back of it. The RCA jacks i believe. One says video, the other says aux. From video I run those to the TV but there is nothing in the Aux jacks. The speakers, all 5 of them, run into the subwoofer in there own special jack, kind of flat with two round holes on them. What I'm curious is can I not just plug up a receiver to the Aux jacks on the subwoofer and run it like that? Would this work? Have I confused everybody? I tell ya, I'm starting to get confused.

 

[David John]

I have a similar system... here's what you can do....

The Sub has the amplifiers built in for all 5 satellites, plus the Sub amp.

The 2 white/red (RCA) jacks are the 2 different inputs.

The special plugs for the speakers are just for easy hookup to the system. (so people who don't know +/- can figure it out)

You can cut one end from each speaker wire. If you look VERY closely, you will see one of the 2 speaker wires is smooth, the other has little ridges on it. make sure you note this, since this will be necessary when you hook the bare wires into the new receiver.

I would hook each speaker up to the new receiver (keeping the +/- consistent)(i believe the ridged wire is the +)

Hook the subwoofer out of the receiver to a Y splitter.

Then hook the 2 cables (from the Y splitter) to the red/white (RCA) inputs on the Sub. you can use either the video or aux, this doesn't matter. just make sure you select that input on the sub.

now the receiver will power the 5 satellites, and the sub will power itself.

you will need to calibrate the volume of the sub.

Also on your receiver, you will want to select a high crossover (120hz) and all speaker to small, (or micro speaker setting), since the satellites do not reproduce low frequencies. this will send more bass to the sub and not to the satellites

I am going to do the same soon, since my JBL system is only prologic, and I have a low end DD/DTS sony receiver that I want to use with the existing speakers in my bedroom.

Good luck and if you have any questions, i'll do my best to answer them.