How do you know what kind of subwoofer cable to get? (1 Viewer)

[Tan_U]

I have a JBL PSW-D110, I know that I'm suppose to get a Y cable because my receiver has only one mono subwoofer oulet. What I don't know is should I get a female and two male cable or vise versa, and whats the differnce.

 

[Sean-D]

Tan, what exactly are you tring do do?

Do you have another sub that you want to hook up to the same single sub out?

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Sean-D.
"If at first you don't succeed,...remove all evidence that you ever tried."

 

[Tan_U]

Can somebody please help, I'm getting ready to order some the cables but I want to make sure I don't get the wrong one. Does it make any difference. I think the right one is the male to two female cable, because the male is the output, and I don't think I need to explain why I think that.

 

[Tan_U]

No I'm only trying to connect one subwoofer, the subwoofer manual says that it's best to use a y cable if you have one mono subwoofer outlet.

 

[Saurav]

For starters, I think one of the inputs on your sub should work as a mono input, so you should be able to use just a regular male-to-male RCA cable and use your sub. Check its manual to see if it says anything about a mono input signal.
If you do want to use both inputs, and if I'm understanding your question correctly, one option will involve using 2 long RCA cables with a 2-female-to-1-male splitter, while the other option would involve running 1 long RCA cable and using a 1-female-to-2-male splitter. Basically, you either use the splitter at the receiver end, or at the sub end. Is that correct? If that's what you're asking, I would recommend running a single cable and putting the splitter at the sub - it's cheaper, and there's less noise to be picked up by your cable.
Hope that helped.

 

[SamRoza]

Oh lordy, don't get over-complicated.
Buy a Y-cable with 3 Male RCA connectors, one for the receiver, and the 2 males for the sub.
Sam

 

[Tan_U]

There is no mono input on the subwoofer, I don't really understand what your talking about, lets just say your right, which one is it than, male to two female or the other way?

 

[Tan_U]

problem is that they only have one male to two female or one female to two male.

 

[Nick G]

Tan, I am not sure where the confusion is, but the 1 female, 2 male adapter is what you want.
Go to Radio Shack and buy:
1 shielded sub cable of necessary length
and
1 "Y" connector (1 female, 2 males)
Drive home and:
A. Plug sub cable into reciever
B. Connect female end of "Y" adapter to end of sub cable
C. Plug the 2 male ends of "Y" adapter into sub
D. Turn everything on and enjoy your new sub
Nick

 

[Saurav]

I believe that's what I suggested too

 

[Jake T]

Tan,
I'm getting my sub tommorow(Adire Dharman) and read the manual they have online ahead of time. It states that if you only have one sub output on your receiver just connect to one input on the sub(Usually the left one). Using a Y connector will give it 6db of gain. I don't believe I'll 6db more so I'm just going to connect it to one of them.
Hope my answer is not too late.
Good Luck.

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Jake T
--"The Things You Do In Life Echo In Eternity"

 

[Mike_Ped]

Your sub does have a mono input...its called the RIGHT channel input on your sub. You can buy ONE RCA cable and run it from your receivers out, into the right channel on your sub and yer set.
OR...
If you really feel you want to fill both inputs on your sub, buy the following:
2 RCA cables (Male - Male)
1 Y-adapter (2 Females, 1 Male)
Only one of you RCA cables has to stretch from your receiver to your sub, so don't but two 12 foots cables, buy ONE 12 foot cable and 1 6" cable (for example).
-Connect the cable from you receiver to the one of the female slots on you Y-adapter.
-Connect the other, smaller, RCA cable to the other female slot on your Y-adapter.
-Connect the male end of your Y-adapter to one of the inputs on your sub.
-Connect the other end of you smaller cable to the other input in your sub.
This is the configuration I have and I bought the MosterBass cable that included all this to do it!
Have fun!
Mike

 

[Cees Alons]

quote: Using a Y connector will give it 6db of gain.. [/quote]
Right. And in fact that's pseudo-gain. Oh, it's gain allright, but you could also just turn the subwoofer channel a bit higher.
Those dual inputs are on two addition circuits (they add and mix the two signals). So having two the same signals will indeed give a double signal - but it will not add to the maximum power the sub can output. It's just louder. So you can get exactly the same result by turning the potmeter of the sub channel on your receiver a bit higher.
In fact, that's what will happen if you carefully adjust your channels "to the book" (e.g. using Video Essentials, or the like).
Cees
[Edited last by Cees Alons on October 23, 2001 at 04:43 PM]

 

[Jake T]

Cees,
So would you recommend using the Y cable or not?
------------------
Jake T
--"The Things You Do In Life Echo In Eternity"

 

[Cees Alons]

Jake,
I'd say: no need!
Cees

 

[McPaul]

one male to male connector will work, you do not need to use stereo inputs on your sub. And nowhere should you be using a female connector unless buying two sets of cables for whatever reason. The inputs on your receiver, as well as your sub are female, which go into the male ends on your sub cable.
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I AM CANADIAN!

 

[Guy Kuo]

I was told by Tom Vodhanel that it is best to use the Y connector to feed both inputs of the powered SVS subs because they found the auto-on circuit was more reliable if both inputs were connected. That might be a factor to remember if you find your sub isn't consistently turning itself on at lower listening levels.

 

[Jon_R]

Man, we've got female to male and male to male and don't forget female to female, its all so physical.
If you look at it, you can get a whole gangbang worth of results.

Take those female to male Y adapters, 1 female.. 2 males.. oh buddy! When you look at it like that, it makes my receiver sorta dirty.. accepting all those males by having so many female ends sticking out..
Anyone wonder what the designers were thinking when they thought that up? It could be worse, it could be like poles in holes! A little more blatant but still I wonder if that was once a possible name option.
< Innuendo off >
Jon
[Edited last by Jon_R on October 24, 2001 at 04:18 PM]