I have some questions about my new setup.. (1 Viewer)

[frothybroccoli]

Okay, I currently have and am using a Pioneer SX-315 system (receiver and speakers). I wanted to upgrade the receiver because I also have a Velodyne DPS-12, and the Pioneer doesnt have a pre-out for a powered sub. I went ahead and found a great deal on a new Onkyo HT-RC160, so I will soon have that to replace the Pioneer receiver. I was planning on using the Pioneer speakers until I could find a good deal on some really good speakers to replace them as well.

So for my questions:

1) Can I use my Pioneer speakers with this Onkyo receiver? I read somewhere that if you have speakers with different Ohm ratings than are preferred, that it can affect things negatively. So are these compatible, or should i find new ones, and if so, at what ohm rating should I look for?

2) Now for connecting the Velodyne sub, it has the typical red/white RCA jacks on back, and thats it. The back of the Onkyo has two purple Subwoofer Pre-outs, so do i just connect a red/white RCA cable between the two? (the connection would put the white in one purple pre-out, and the red in the other) or is that wrong? do I need to use a y-splitter to make it so it only connects to one of the purple pre-outs? or does it have two for red and white? (im kinda confused on this connection)

ok i think that might be it for now, i may have another question later. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks

 

[David Willow]

Aaron,

A quick Google search and I came up empty for the owners manual for your SX-315. If you have it handy, can you look at the it and list the specs of your speakers?

To hookup your sub, just use one of the purple sub outs and one of the red/white inputs on the sub. Pick either (no need to connect both).

EDIT: Don't spend a fortune on a sub cable. Get something cheap from Radio Shack or go online at Monoprice.com or Blue Jeans Cables.

 

[frothybroccoli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Willow

Aaron,

A quick Google search and I came up empty for the owners manual for your SX-315. If you have it handy, can you look at the it and list the specs of your speakers?

To hookup your sub, just use one of the purple sub outs and one of the red/white inputs on the sub. Pick either (no need to connect both).

EDIT: Don't spend a fortune on a sub cable. Get something cheap from Radio Shack or go online at Monoprice.com or Blue Jeans Cables.

Yea, I tried looking myself as well and it appears Pioneer makes you purchase them instead of just offering them for free online. I will try to look for it when i get home later, but being as the multitude of times ive moved since I have had it, it might take a while to locate, as long as i didnt throw it away. I saw an auction on ebay that listed the output from the receiver was 8 ohms at 110 watts per speaker, but I dont know how reliable that information is.

And for the sub: so youre just saying i need to get a cord that does red and white RCA jacks on one end and just one coax/RCA jack on the other end, or that i really only need just one going from white to purple or red to purple? And yea, I will be getting any and all future cables from Monoprice, those prices are amazing, especially since the reviews say the products are great too.

 

[frothybroccoli]

okay, couldnt find the manual, guess i threw it away.. but luckily on the back of the speaker it says: "Impedance 6 (ohm symbol)" so apparently they are 6 ohm speakers, and the back of the onkyo receiver says "Caution: speaker impedance 6 ohm-16 ohm/speaker" seen here http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/electronics/detail-page/HTRC160rear.jpg

so does that mean these will work fine? unless i am reading something wrong, i think it means they do, but im not sure. Also, on the back of the pioneer speakers they say "do not connect to any amplifier other than the one supplied with this system. connection to any other amplifier may result in a malfunction or fire." is that just their warning against the ohm issues/problems, or is that something else i need to worry about too? thanks

 

[David Willow]

You only need one cable (single connector) - choose one of the purple outputs to one of the sub inputs. The other purple is for a second sub.

Not sure about your speakers. Sounds like mixed info - if they are truly 6 ohm speakers, then you are safe. If they are not, then you MAY have problems. I believe the worst that will happen is the receiver will shut down (go into protect mode). Of course the warnings are on the speakers for a reason......

 

[frothybroccoli]

Originally Posted by David Willow

You only need one cable (single connector) - choose one of the purple outputs to one of the sub inputs. The other purple is for a second sub.

Not sure about your speakers. Sounds like mixed info - if they are truly 6 ohm speakers, then you are safe. If they are not, then you MAY have problems. I believe the worst that will happen is the receiver will shut down (go into protect mode). Of course the warnings are on the speakers for a reason......

okay that makes sense then. one last question for the sub. I just noticed that the white, or L, part of the two RCA jacks on the back of the Velodyne, also says "LFE in". So does that mean i want to run it to that side, the white side, or does that mean i want to stay away from that one and put it in the red side? Not sure what that means. thanks

and yea, the speakers I want to say are 6 ohms, because its the factory sticker that is on the speaker itself and it says its impedence is 6 ohms. the 8 ohms number was on some random ebay auction, and i am not sure what they were talking about (the auction was only for the receiver itself, not the speakers). So i am fairly confident that they are 6 ohms, which im guessing should work fine with the Onkyo... but that warning is kind of out there, and makes me wonder. Anybody else want to take a guess on that? thanks

 

[David Willow]

My old Velodyne accepted the input on either red or white. However, since you have a label, use the one marked LFE (the label must be there for a reason).

 

[frothybroccoli]

I just wanted to say, I just got my receiver in the mail, and this thing looks like a beast (in a good way). I am waiting on the cables to come in to hook everything up properly, but this thing is going to destroy my old pioneer lol. would it be a good idea, if we entertain/throw parties in the living room, to use my old pioneer reciever as a zone 2 receiver for the living room? or is it better to just use 2 speakers? (since it would prob cost a lot more for a 30-50ft RCA cable vs speaker wire) thanks