Subwoofer on Stereo Receiver (1 Viewer)

Is there a way to hook up a subwoofer (Paradigm Servo 15a) to a stereo receiver while I wait for my AVR to arrive? The stereo receiver does not have a sub or LFE out, but does have a pre-out (right and left).

The sub will arrive a few weeks before the AV receiver - I'm just anxious to play with the new toy!

Thanks!

John

If you purchased the servo15 from a local dealer...ask them if they can loan you one of paradigm's outboard crossover units.( x-30). until your receiver shows up.

Tom V.
SVS

Hmmm. Nope - bought this thing used. I guess part of the price of saving money is having to wait.

That is certainly an advantage of buying from a good specialty store - you can get good service.

John

Does your receiver have pre-outs and "main in" RCA jacks for both channels---or just the pre-outs?

Tom V.
SVS

Tom -

It has "pre out" and "main in".

In 1987 this was a pretty good receiver .

John

You could try plugging a "Y" cable branching the left and right into your sub.

If I can spin-off John's original question.

I just purchased a new-to-me subwoofer for my HT and have retired the small 8" powered Jensen subwoofer I was using.

I currently have my old (late '70s vintage) Technics SA-100 receiver (similar to what's pictured below) and some old speakers hooked up to my computer. [I am trying to get some use out of some old gear.]

The question is similar to John's. Is there a way for me to hook the sub up to the receiver? The subwoofer has the typical RCA jack input...plus a series of clip jacks (red/black for left/right).

Jensen product description:

The two channel receiver has just the two sets of the red/black speaker outputs with two separate buttons on the front face to select the speakers. I am currently using the "A" speaker outputs for the speakers I am running.

Is there a way for me to hook the subwoofer up to the old Technics receiver?

Thanks.

I have a Sony 10" sub hooked to my Awia stereo. The stereo has the LFE but I decided not to use it. The sub also has the red & black clips for the R&L speakers.
I ran the R&L wires from the stereo to the sub input clips. Then I ran R&L wires from the sub's output clips to the stereo speakers. This way I can use the sub's crossover and take the low end off the small speakers. The end result sounds much better.

Awesome! Thanks, Dave.

So it's:

Receiver's R/L speaker outputs>>>Subwoofers R/L Speaker Inputs>>>Subwoofer's R/L Speaker outputs>>>Terminals on the R/L speakers.

Right?!?

Mike, that is probably your only real option, though results may vary. The reason is, high (speaker) level crossovers are affected by the impedance of the speakers, so you can't be assured of absolute correct crossover points, but it should at least cut off lower frenquencies, rather than sending them on to the speakers. Give it a try. You may find you get "chestiness" or there may actually be a noticeable gap in the lower frequencies. Most likely, it will be acceptable.

I had to adjust the crossover a few times. I ended up around 130-140Hz. The sub allows me to listen to my mp3s from my computer through the cheapo Awia speakers. It actually doesn't sound bad at all and gives it some depth and oomph. I would like to get a "real" system some day, but the wife doesn't like to see speakers in the living room. So when she isn't around, I remove the pictures from in front of the speakers so I can listen to it.

Thanks, fellas. You were both right on the money. There is definitely a gap in the mid to lower frequencies with the combo of sub and small speakers. But, as Dave says, things sound better and have a bit more oomph. I'm still tweaking with the crossover control on the sub and bass control on the receiver. It helps fill my little basement office with sound! YouTube videos will never have sounded better!

In my opinion you should be able to use the preouts to connect the subwoofer to that receiver. Preouts carry a full range signal of course, but the sub's crossover will filter out the non-bass frequencies.

FYI: make sure you use both of the preout jacks or you'll literally be missing half the bass in the music/movie you're playing.

Obviously for the main left and right channel speakers, they will be being fed a fullrange signal also and this will probably result in some bass phasing issues with the sub, but there's a good chance those issues will not be very audible (possibly not all), especially if you make sure the sub is located at the same distance from your listening position as the mains.

Note: though rare, some subs have a pair of line output jacks AND which also contain a crossed-over version of the INput signal from the receiver's preout jacks. If so (make sure to read the manual for more accurate connection info!!) connecting the subwoofer's line out jacks to the receiver's main-in jacks should feed your main speakers a properly crossed-over signal.

Mike, the problem is, USUALLY with the high level inputs the variable crossover does nothing. It generally only vaires the crossover of the low level inputs, so adjusting it isn't likely to do anything. So, you just get what you get. At least you should still be able to adjust the level of the sub, so you can get the volume balanced.

John: You are right again. I mis-spoke in my last post. I meant to say I was adjusting the sub-level control on the sub itself and the "bass" adjustment on the receiver.

Thanks again.