Wiring speakers - would this work/should I do it? (1 Viewer)

[ScottAndrew]

I have an Onkyo CD player, a VR-407 receiver, N38 mains, and a VTF-2 sub. I've noticed that CDs sound somewhat clearer with the receiver in source direct (analog) mode. My sub is connected through the LFE output. But if I have the subwoofer turned on I get the bass through the mains and through the subwoofer. It sounds clean, but just too loud. I want analog mode with the subwoofer but without the double bass.

Could I run a second set of wires from the receiver's B-speaker outputs through the subwoofer's crossover and out to the speakers, and then switch to the B speaker output for music, set the speakers to large, and activate the sub's crossover? Would it damage anything to have wires from the reciever's A and B outputs both going to the same speakers? And would it be worth it?

Thanks,
Scott

 

[ScottAndrew]

It's a radioactive question - no one wants to touch it.

Perhaps it would help if I reduce the scope of the question:
Would it harm my speakers or my receiver to have one set of wires from my A outputs to the speakers, and another set of wires from the B outputs to the subwoofer and then to the same speakers?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Scott,

Maybe it’s “radioactive” because of this apparently contradicting statement:

I want analog mode with the subwoofer but without the double bass.

To answer your question, it will not hurt anything to connect the receiver’s A and B speakers outputs to the speaker. However, it will only work if the receiver has them wired internally as parallel connections. Some receivers add the B outputs in series to the A outputs; that kind might require an actual second set of speakers in order to work.

It would be more a question of how the sub would react with both speaker level and line level inputs being driven simultaneously. Hard to say – check your sub manual; perhaps one supercedes the other.

However, running the speaker wires to the sub’s speaker inputs and then out to the mains puts the sub’s passive crossover in front of your speakers – not exactly the most ideal signal path.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[ScottAndrew]

I don't want to use the A and B inputs simultaneously. What I'm contemplating is having two completely different paths, one for movies and one for music.
For movies - the speakers set to small, subwoofer on, subwoofer connected only via the subwoofer cable.
For music - the speakers set to large, with the subwoofer in the signal path between the receiver and the speakers, using the speaker's crossover.

But if the second is such a bad option that it outweighs any benefit of using the receiver's analog mode, than perhaps it wouldn't be worth it.
Scott

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I assumed the reason for this was convenience...?

Aside from adding the sub’s passive crossover to the signal chain when the B outputs are switched in, that doesn’t deliver “two completely different paths“ because the sub’s line-level input will be getting a signal from the receiver whether the A or B path is engaged. Thus in B the sub would be getting both line level and speaker level signals simultaneously .

Which means you will have to go to the sub and disconnect the line input every time you want to use the B configuration. That seems to just as much trouble as manually turning down the sub in A configuration... doesn’t it?

Which brings us to an alternative answer to your original question: If there is too much bass with both the sub and mains running, why not just turn the sub down?

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[ScottAndrew]

I think I typed in a hurry and perhaps left out or obscured a few details.
When my receiver is in analog mode with the subwoofer on, it sends all the bass to the speakers and to the subwoofer. That's the "double bass" I was referring to. In order to listen in analog mode and use the subwoofer, I have to get the bass twice. My subwoofer is calibrated but it's volume control can't go any lower.
In scenario B, instead of unplugging the subwoofer cable I would simply set the speakers to "large" and the subwoofer to "off". That way the sub would get its signal from the speaker-level input.
So there's A: Speakers set to small, subwoofer gets its signal through the line-level output.
B: Speakers set to large, subwoofer line-level turned off, speaker signal routed through the sub and its crossover.

In other words, most people do either A or B. I was considering wiring for both and switching, A for movies and B for music.

I'd have to actually try it to see if it's worth it, although it sounds questionable. I was largely just wondering if somehow having the A and B outputs going to the same speakers would blow something up.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I was largely just wondering if somehow having the A and B outputs going to the same speakers would blow something up.

Won’t hurt a thing, Scott. It’s functionally the same as biwiring.

Good luck with your quest,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt