subwoofer inputs (1 Viewer)

[DerekCV]

Simple question:

My recieve has a "sub out" connection and my new sub have a left and a right channel signal input. Do I need to get a Y-spliter to connect both inputs or can i just use 1 input safely? Thanks

Derek

 

[Robert_J]

The inputs on sub amps are mono. So you can connect your sub cable to either input. Some may say that you need a "Y" but that is just a waste of money.

-Robert

 

[John Garcia]

It isn't a waste of money if your sub needs to have a certain amount of input voltage. Certain sub amps have a high input voltage requirement and different receivers have different output levels so a single input may not be enough to keep it from shutting off during a quiet passage, and in such circumstances a Y will usually solve the problem. This is not the case with all subs though. A Y splitter is a few bucks, so it really doesn't hurt anything to use one.

 

[Robert_J]

Then turn up the sub level at the receiver and turn down the level at the sub to compensate. Adding a Y just divides the signal into two different cables and is then combined into one again inside the plate amp of the sub. I have half a dozen different plate amps sitting around that all have the inputs combined.

-Robert

 

[John Garcia]

All sub amps sum to mono, period, and if using a sub pre-out from the receiver, the signal sent is already mono. That isn't the point. The point was, how much input voltage the sub actually sees from the receiver, and using a Y is the same as using two separate feeds - the sub will actually see almost 2x the VOLTAGE regardless of it being summed back, and some subs NEED that due to expecting a higher input voltage. BTW, this is the info that was given by HSU to a customer having an issue with one of their subs staying on right in their forums.