Subwoofer L/R question (1 Viewer)

[Richard Knight]

No dice on searching the forum, so I thought I'd bring it up myself:
I recently bought a SoundStage 80 subwoofer, which uses dual RCA inputs. It plugs into my Kenwood VR-509 receiver through a single LFE/sub RCA output.
The instruction "leaflet" with my sub recommends getting a single RCA -> dual RCA y-plug, whereas the (usually untrustable) store guys say you don't need it plugging into both ports.
My question is: am I losing anything by not plugging into both RCA ports?
I don't exactly think the sub is going to have L/R directional output, so I'm really curious as to what the heck the dual plugs are for.
Thanks,
Richard

 

[Ned]

It has dual inputs in case you have a receiver with dual outputs that are actually in stereo. In that event you'd miss whatever was being sent to the channel that wasn't connected. If you use a Y connector it'll just boost the signal level (6db i believe?). Nothing to worry about if your receiver just has a single sub output.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Richard,

Ned is right that usually the two inputs are for a receiver with two outputs. However, for a single receiver output, it seems really strange that the manufacturer would recommend “Y”-ing the two inputs, while a salesman recommends using just one. Usually it’s the other way around!

I think I’d stick with the manufacture’s recommendation this time.

Happy Holidays,

Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[BruceD]

The Y connector is fairly easy to find (I have a Monster Y cable) and should have the following benefit;

Since the manufacturer didn't specify "Only left" for a single sub connection, it's likely both RCA input connectors are "LIVE".

If you only connect one input, RFI may cause problems (extraneous input) on the other input particularly when you turn up the sub's volume control. Therefore it is preferable to have an RCA connection in both RCA input sockets on the sub.

You will NOT get any signal boost with both inputs connected - it simply sums the left and right channel inputs into a single mono sub output.

BruceD

 

[DerekF]

I had the exact same question, so I purchased a Radio Shack Y cable for a few bucks CAD (around 11 cents USD ) After hooking it up and trying it, I noticed no difference...
I left it hooked up though--it just seems more "complete" with both jacks covered....

 

[Henry W]

Actually, the left right stereo connectors on a sub are more for hooking up your speakers through the sub and using the sub crossovers to direct bass through the sub and send the balance of the signal to the speakers (a high pass and low pass filter on an amp or preamp accomplishes the same thing so that you do not have to hook up the speakers through the sub.) Subs are designed to work with a mono signal to drive the bass.

I have a preamp which actually creates a left and right bass signal. This means I can put the left bass on the left side of the room and the right on the right. The only difficulty with this is that most soundtracks focus the lower bass and lfe on either the left or right side or both and not necessarily to produce a directional effect. I found doing this eliminates the benefit of two sub woofers which is to provide better balance in the room with two sources of bass and lfe effects. So now I'm redirecting all the bass from the center and subs to the front, side, and rear running only the lfe channel and center bass below 40 hz through both subs. I'm still experimenting with this but I know I do not find the left and right seperation of bass and lfe in the sub woofers useful. We shall see what we shall see. Maybe I'll add a third and fourth sub exclusively for the lfe channel and go back to the left and right subs for bass.

Best regards-Henry

 

[Geordon]

I use the Monster Cable Y to the L/R inputs of my Atlantic Technology powered sub like you do. I have an additional question. I also need to send my sub signal to the Behringer Ultrabass Pro, which feeds my ButtKickers' amplifiers. I am only using one input channel on the Ultrabass Pro. The AT sub has passthrough jacks for L/R.

My question, how should I send my signal at the same time to both the sub and the Ultrabass Pro, with minimal signal loss and interference?

1. Split the signal at the receiver with one line each going to the sub and Ultrabass?

2. Split the signal at the receiver with both lines going to the L/R inputs of the sub, then using one of the passthru's to the Ultrabass Pro?

3. Same as 2/ except Y both L/R passthru's back to a single line to the Ultrabass Pro?

4. Don't split the signal at all, and use a single interconnect from receiver to sub, and a second from sub passthru to the Ultrabass pro?

Who would have thought this would have been so hard?

Thanks,

Geordon