Can you change a subwoofer output from passive to active. (1 Viewer)

[ChuckM]

I have a Kenwood HTB-205 and the receiver doesn't have a sub preamp so is the anyway that i can use the passive connection (which is regular spekaer connection) and hook up a powered sub.

Also even though the sub I have now is passive it still sounds good, what are the disadvantegs to passive compared to active.

 

[Kevin. W]

Can't answer the first question but a active sub is powering itself, therefore not putting a strain on the receivers amps.

Kevin

 

[ChuckM]

Is that the only advantage

 

[John Garcia]

That is a large advantage by itself.

"passive" connection is not the correct terminology. There is line level (pre-amp) and speaker level (wire).

You can, however, use most powered subs with speaker level outputs from your receiver, normally inline with the main speakers.

 

[Brian_C]

A passive sub leaches its power off of another channel usually through the crossover. An active sub has its own power source independent from the other channels.

The advantages of the active sub is twofold. The first, it makes use of an active crossover. In other words, the low frequencies are isolated first before being amplified resulting in a better signal. The second is that its power source is pure and is not distributed to other speakers resulting in better sound.