Suggestions for subwoofer via LFE out (1 Viewer)

[GarrickWoi]

Hi,

I am new to HT system. I got a marantz 4200 connecting to 2 front speaker + 1 center speaker + 1 passive subwoofer. The way I connect my subwoofer is front LR output from amp to subwoofer LR inputs and my speakers to LR subwoofer outputs. I realised that the subwoofer is not playing "low frequency effects" as effective.

I do not want to spend extra $$ on a active subwoofer. I intend to connect the subwoofer via LEF output from my amp but my subwoofer has only speaker jack for speaker wire i.e. my current connection. How can I work around on that?

 

[Brian Fellmeth]

You have 2 options. You can leave it the way it is. Just be sure that your receiver setup has a "subwoofer no" or "subwoofer off" directive. The sub would then get all of the signal encoded on the LFE track.

In order to connect via the LFE output you would have to get hold of an amp- the signal from the LFE jack needs to be boosted. Any amp will do- even an old receiver from the 70's that may be in your attic, something from a thrift store, garage sale etc.

 

[GarrickWoi]

option 1 sound much earlier. But does it really get decent signal as encoded on LFE track?

 

[Steve_Ma]

It sure does. When you tell the Marantz there is no sub and the mains are large...everything goes to the mains but only after your sub filters out the low stuff.

--Steve

 

[Dave_Whiting]

Steve, does this mean if the sun is set at a crossover of 80 Hz, that the mains only get the info over 80 Hz rather than a full signal. The reason I ask is a have a HK 220 and it doesn't have any bass management for stereo mode. Hence connecting a active sub to the LFE the only option for stereo is to send the bass to the sub and the full signal to the mains, in effect getting a doubling up of bass (mains + sub). This wiring method could solve this problem. Is it bad to wire a active sub up in the method described above??

Thanks

 

[GarrickWoi]

I think an active sub alone has great subtential power of bass as compared to a passive. Even the method described above won't has signifant impact of the bass double-up. There isn't really much difference.

 

[Steve_Ma]

Dave, the short answer is “yes.”

By wiring the sub to the main speaker level connections (on the receiver), the sub should (effectively) filter the signal, sending all the material above the crossover through to the mains leaving the sub to reproduce only the material below the crossover. The very nature of crossovers are a little more complicated than that, but those are the "greatest hits" if you will. Just be sure that you set the sub to “no” and the speakers to “large” (assuming you have those settings). You want your receiver to think there is no sub at all and send the entire signal to the mains (through the sub).
As for the LFE. If you tell the receiver there is no sub, it should also incorporate the LFE into whatever is being sent to the mains, so the sub should get that as well. I do not believe it is a true "discreet" channel when wired this way, but you should not experience a significant loss. If you do not have any way to handle bass mgt through the receiver, but still want to use your sub…wiring the mains off of your sub via the speaker level connections is your best option.

Good Luck,
--Steve