powering sub with old receiver (1 Viewer)

[AndrewKra]

I recently got a new receiver but it doesent have a amp built in for the sub like my old on,e so I ran the preamp out into the rca input jacks on my old receiver with a y-adapter(a previous suggestion on this forum)so I can use my old receiver as an amp. This works but it is really quiet. i have to turn up everything on the old receiver and raise the decibal output on the new receiver for the sub in order for it to be the right volume. Does anyone know a fix or why its doing this?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

On your new reciever, do this:
- Go into the setup menu and define all your speakers as SMALL
- Tell your new reciever that you have a self-powered subwoofer attached

This will cause your new receiver to send all low-frequency signals from all speakers to the subwoofer output jack.

On your old reciever, turn the volume control up to ... say 50% of it's max value.

Now on your new reciever, in the setup menu you should have a "LFE Level" or "Subwoofer Level" adjustment. Use this to adjust the volume on your sub.

Do you have a SPL meter? Check out the primer/FAQ button in the Basics fourm for how to use one to get your subwoofer to match the rest of your speakers.

Hope this helps.

 

[AndrewKra]

well i have all the speakers set to small and the subwoofer is turned on. if i put the volume to half on the old receiver it will be even quieter. Right now the old receivers volume is turned all the way up and the new receiver is almost all the way up. would i be better off getting a powered sub. I saw a jensen 100 watt 8 inch one for cheap. are those any good?

 

[Brian Fellmeth]

Double check that you have selected the source on the old receiver that matches the RCA jacks you plugged the UFE signal into. If you old receiver is a HT receiver, make sure it is looking for the right analog signal and is not waiting for data on a digital line and make sure the main speakers are set to large on the old receiver so that it does not filter the LFE from the new receover. What you are trying to do really should work.

 

[AndrewKra]

well i have it so that there is the amount of bass that I want, but when I do the testing for speaker levels I dont even hear the subwoofer volume for some reason. my old receiver is just a cheap Home Theater in a box receiver with r/l stereo inputs. the only input option I can change is attenuate(whatever that is). but that didnt do anything either. I went through the old receiver and turned all of the other speakers off bu that wasnt much change either. im sure there are other settings on the new receiver that might work but i cant find them becasue I dont have a manual and i cant find one online. its a RCA receiver. not sure what model it is but it has 2 optical inputs and 1 coax if anyone can find it.