Question about Subwoofer RCA / Speaker Level Input (1 Viewer)

[KenKusan]

Hi, I'm new to this HT stuff. Here's my question and situation:

I have a sub that has 2 RCA(Red + White) Input/Output and 2 Speaker Level(Red+Black + Red+Black) Input/Output.
My receiver has no RCA subwoofer out. It only has a subwoofer speaker wire out.

Is it okay to connect to the Subwoofer by using the Subwoofer Speaker wire out from the receiver to the RCA Subwoofer input?
or
Is it okay to connect to the Subwoofer by using the Subwoofer Speaker wire out from the receiver to the Speaker Level Input on the Sub just by connecting to one of the Speaker Level input?(There are 2 which is used for the 2 front speakers, but I'm only using one of them).

I dont want to connect both speaker L+R from the receiver to the Sub then back to the front speakers from the Sub. That's why I'm asking this question.

Thank You!

 

[Carl Johnson]

What kind of receiver do you have? "subwoofer speaker wire out" sounds like something that would be used to power a passive sub (aka a sub that doesn't have it's own power supply).

 

[KenKusan]

I bought a HT package which came with 5 sats and a passive sub. I replaced the original sub with a powered sub.

 

[Carl Johnson]

I'd "connect to the Subwoofer by using the Subwoofer Speaker wire out from the receiver to the Speaker Level Input on the Sub"

 

[KenKusan]

Would there be any down side or negative effects to set it up this way?
If there are, I will go with the front speakers way... even though I dont want to...

Thanks!

 

[Carl Johnson]

It's impossible to say for sure without hooking it up but I think connecting the sub speaker wire out to the speaker level on the sub will work just fine. If it doesn't sound right try something else like l & r speaker outputs to the speaker level in on the sub.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

It’s a moot question, Ken, because that’s your only option. You can’t send a speaker-level signal to the sub’s RCA inputs. It will overload them.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

More specifically answering your original question:
Yes it would be fine to only use one of the sub’s speaker level inputs. However, if you want to use both the inputs all you’d need to do is install jumper wires between the two (+) and (-) terminals.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[KenKusan]

Thank You,
I'll stick it with the sub speaker out to one of the speaker level in on the sub.

 

[Scott Tucker]

I would run front l & r speaker wire into the sub and then out to the receiver.

 

[KenKusan]

Are there any reasons to that? Any advantages over how I set it up?

The reason I set it up that way is cause I wanted to use the receiver's internal X and its Volume Level for the sub, I can increase the sub's volume from 0 to 20 rather than going to the back of the sub to increase / decrease the volume. Also, I wanted less Speaker wire, one less wire to worry about. And I set up the speakers to 'small' in the receiver's setting, so the sub's getting what it suppose to get, rather than getting what the front L+R gets.

If the advantages are over my setup, I'll change back to front L+R setup.

Thanks!

 

[kyle ^_^]

I had the same question that you have. First i used speaker signal from the L/R speakers and hooked it into the L/R speaker level inputs on the sub. That game me no bass, so i used connection from the reciever that drove the passive sub that came with the setup and it worked great.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Ken, in your situation there’s absolutely no reason to do that. I assume this was originally a HTIB package that you’re adding a different sub to. As such, the receiver is already providing high-pass filtering to the main channels. Going in and out of the sub’s crossover to the speakers would be redundant.

Your original plan is best.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[KenKusan]

As long as there are no negative effects, I'll stick with the avr sub wire out to the sub.

I envy some of you guys's setup, wish I knew a bit more about HT and HTF before I purchased my package (Panasonic SC-HT 400), I wouldnt have wasted the money the current setup I have. I now wanted much more than what the package offered. Gotta start saving money and change everything, even the newly purchased sub.(Velodyne CHT-10). I'm currenly thinking Yamaha AVR 5760 or higher and SVS PB2+...