RCA to Coax for sub or? (1 Viewer)

[John Garcia]

I am working with a friend on his HT. The house is pre-wired, so we are going to work with the wiring that is already there, since pulling up the relatively new carpet isn't likely and there is no crawlspace below, just concrete.

My issue is that what was provided was a jacketed 4 wire line level or coax for the sub. Do I need to use an RCA to Coax adapter or just slap some RCA connectors onto either end of the provided coax?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Either way will work.

With the theory that a good solid connector is important, putting a RCA plug directly onto the end of the coax is the best. If you have some good plugs, tools and skill, this would be best.

Putting "F" connectors on the end, then "F-to-RCA" adaptors is less-ideal, but easier to do with ordinary tools.

(I'm assuming your sub is self-powered).

You dont want to use the 4-wire cable. This stuff is for amplified/speaker-level signals. Coming from the LFE port on your receiver is "line-level" signals. Think 1-2 volts. You need the coaxial cable to protect these weak signals along it's trip.

Hope this helps.

 

[John Garcia]

Thanks. I already told him that we would not be using speaker level inputs, as soon as I saw them and explained to him what they were and why we weren't using them.

One of the other issues is that the wiring is all in less than optimum locations, mostly dictated by furniture. The sub needs to be on the opposite side of the room (12') from where the cable terminates, so I wlll already have to extend it somehow. I haven't decided what the easier way is: 1) Terminate female RCA at a socket in the wall and run RCA from there to the sub or 2) Terminate female coax wall socket and run a coax cable with male coax on one end and RCA on the other. The only real difference being that with the first choice, the RCA cable would be a store bought item. I have a feeling the first one is the best choice.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Tough Choices. The RCA is a friction-fit connector. From a reliabily standpoint, puting in "F" connectors and a female-female barrel connector is stronger and less likely to pull out over years of service. (Choice #2).