wiring subwoofer to av amp (1 Viewer)

[grimp]

i have a powered subwoofer with dual rca imputs and speaker in and out connections. i have an amp with a subwoofer out. is it better to use speaker wire to sub and sub to speakers or to split subwoofer out to two rca plugs for subwoofer and run speakers from amp?

 

[JohnRice]

Let the receiver (what you called the amp) drive the speakers, and use 1 RCA from the sub out to one of the sub inputs. There should no need to split it to both inputs. One of the inputs might have a designation for a mono input. If you provide the model of the sub, it's probably possible to look it up and see a photo of the connections and verify all this.

Do NOT use the speaker level inputs on the sub. Those are only there for connecting it to a system that's not designed to have a sub.

 

[grimp]

is there a disadvantage to running the speakers through the sub's speaker in and out terminals?

 

[JohnRice]

Many.

If your receiver has a line level sub output, it is designed to be used that way. Otherwise you lose most of the bass management, plus it'll deteriorate the bass from the sub because it's being amplified by the receiver, then knocked down and amplified again by the sub. Then you have unnecessary wire and circuitry between the receiver and speakers. So, everything is deteriorated.

 

[grimp]

i will switch the wiring from receiver sub out, to one rca in on sub, and speaker direct from receiver. there is no mono indicator on sub so i will pick one at random and compare the sound. it is an older sub i got used. Yamaha yst-sw100. i have not been able to find a user manual online.

my question is about the sub's speaker in out terminal system. the sub is designed to take the amplified speaker input and pass it through to the speakers. as i understand it, the sub takes part of the amplified speaker in, runs it through the internal cross over and amplifies it for sub's speaker. this is a common configuration for powered subs, at least older ones. Is this design flawed?


if the sub had a lfe in, i would simply plug the receiver's sub out into it. is the sub able to take one rca input and use it as a lfe input? was it designed to do this?

 

[JohnRice]

I looked up the sub. If you provide the model for the receiver, I can look it up as well and give specific suggestions on the best way to configure everything.

 

[grimp]

the receiver is a Yamaha rxv 375.

did the sub info indicate what rca terminal to use for mono? my research indicates that if i use the sub out to sub rca in, i was to turn the high out dial on the sub to all the way up to disable the sub's crossover and use the receiver's better cross over. i do not believe my receiver allows adjustment of sub output. i am limited to the sub's volume control. none of this would be a problem for me. i do not use this system for theater applications. i only use it for music through a 2.1 hook up. even though it is an av receiver, it works fine for me. i have a couple of small klipsch r 14m bookshelf speakers. i have the system run through the sub's speaker hook up and it sounds fine but i have just hooked it up so i haven't really focused on its limitations, that will take listening time. i will gladly switch over to the sub out if it will improve the balance and audio presence.

thank you for taking the time to help me with this hook up.

 

[Luke Cool]

The "LFE- in" on the sub stands for Low-Frequency Effects. This is where you can connect an RCA cable from LFE- in on the sub, to the Sub pre out on the receiver. The "LFE" label tells us to not use just any Pre amp output to this RCA input; to use only a Low-Frequency/subwoofer preamp signal. Your receiver does have an RCA jack like this labeled "subwoofer pre out"; it is at the bottom middle in the back. A good RCA cable will not break the bank. Look HERE to see prices.

John Rice is absolutely correct; this connection is a cleaner, more direct way to connect a subwoofer. Using the sub's speaker in and out is always "plan B".