Best way to hook up a sub? (1 Viewer)

[StevenW]

Bare with me, as I have never owned a sub before.
I've read that there are a few ways to hook up a sub to a receiver, the worst being the sub mono pre-out.
The way I read this article, that I found at polk.com was the best way would be to use the front left & right pre-outs from my reiever (Denon 3801)to the IN of the sub, go into the bass managment screen, make the Front L&R set to large and turn the sub option off. Is this the best method to use? The main reason I want a sub is for my CD's, and I have heard that most receivers wont output the sub when in stereo mode (which would defeat the whole purpose of me getting a sub) Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Paul Clarke]

The main reason I want a sub is for my CD's, and I have heard that most receivers wont output the sub when in stereo mode (which would defeat the whole purpose of me getting a sub)

Where did you hear that? A subwoofer is just a speaker for reproducing limited frequencies which are directed by the receiver crossover or sub crossover as connected. Stereo is not affected just as it would not be if your two mains had built in subs.

 

[TedO]

That should work if you have a self powered amp with an internal crossover, BUT that would also send a full spectrum signal to your front speakers (set to large) and you would lose the advantage of only having to amplify and reproduce the signal above 80hz. Many people say there front speakers sound better when they add a sub, this is because thier fronts now only have to reproduce the signal above 80hz.

Try it and report back.

TedO

 

[StevenW]

Where did you hear that? A subwoofer is just a speaker for reproducing limited frequencies which are directed by the receiver crossover or sub crossover as connected. Stereo is not affected just as it would not be if your two mains had built in subs.

From the same article http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/...cle=bassmanage
Here's a snip of what they say:
"In some systems the worst place to hook up your subwoofer is the subwoofer output jack. Some people get mad at us when we tell them that. "Whadda ya mean, don't use the subwoofer jack? The receiver manufacturer, the salesperson and all my friends tell me that's the right thing to do. Where do you get off tellin' me different?" First, calm down. Second, please let me explain:
Some receivers and processors do not send a signal to the sub out jack when in the stereo mode. That means when you listen to music in stereo, you lose the benefit of the subwoofer. Not good. Additionally, in the vast majority of receivers and processors, the subwoofer output jack is low-pass filtered. That means that there is a filter (sometimes mistakenly referred to as a crossover) that blocks sounds above a given frequency from getting out of the sub out jack. Usually that filter is in the 100Hz-150Hz, range"

 

[MarcVH]

It doesn't matter what "most receivers" do, it matters what yours does. I own the 3802, and it definitely produces output to the sub in STEREO (and DIRECT) mode. I would suppose the 3801 is similar, though you may want to verify this yourself. Typically the challenge some people find is how to get it to not do this (you have to explicitly turn the sub channel down all the way to OFF.)

 

[StevenW]

Thanks Marc, I was hoping someone with my receiver (close enuff i guess), would chime in.
I also do not have the sub yet, so thats why I havent tried any of this for myself. I just wanted to be all set when i do receive it. Thanks for all your help guys.