New home theater setup help

brentman0110
brentman0110 Posts: 87
edited February 2004 in Speakers
I have the following:

Receiver - Denon 3803
Center - Polk CSi40
Fronts - Polk RTi70
Surrounds - Polk FXi 30
Sub - Polk PSW404
DVD - Samsung DVD-hd931


My question is how is the best way to hook all of this up? Should I use the Denon sub out RCA jack? If so, what jack do I use as the input on my sub? If not, how then should I hook it up? Does the denon send unfiltered sound to the sub? Help!
Post edited by brentman0110 on
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited January 2004
    yes use the lfe out, use the lfe input on you sub, or if there isnt one just use the right input in the stereo inuts and yes, im pretty sure lfe is unfiltered. enjoy your new setup
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  • brentman0110
    brentman0110 Posts: 87
    edited January 2004
    I have 3. A left right and a (unfiltered) input. Which one will deliver the best bass?
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  • Crystalclear
    Crystalclear Posts: 196
    edited January 2004
    Try the right one on the left next to the unfiltered one??LOL:D
    Old School stuff
    Sunfire Theater Grand Processor
    Sunfire Cinema Grand 225x5 Amp
    Monster AVS 2000 Signature
    Polk RT800i's
    Polk CS400i
    Polk FX500's
    (2) 2700 watt Sunfire Signature Subs
    65' HDTV Mitsubishi Widescreen
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  • brentman0110
    brentman0110 Posts: 87
    edited January 2004
    OK. Great! DOES THE TYPE OF CABLE REALLY MATTER TO THE SOUND RECEIVED? I have it wired with a cheap RCA cable?
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited January 2004
    You're going to get a varitey of responses about cable quality, some folks are really into wire and interconnects, while others aren't.

    Get a decent quality sub cable that has good shielding, preferably a y-cable and connect to both the left and right inputs. Doing so gets you an additional 3db.

    I use mostly AR cables and have a Tributaries cable for my sub. The only reason I bought it was because it was the right length and it has better shielding than the P.O.S. Monster cable I was using.
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • brentman0110
    brentman0110 Posts: 87
    edited January 2004
    Thanks. I need at least 25 ft
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  • lord_byron
    lord_byron Posts: 23
    edited January 2004
    Best to use the unflitered input. If you use the Y-cable and the left and right inputs, you will be running your sub off of two crossovers -- the one in the amp, and the one in the sub. For an extra 3 dbs, just turn up the gain on the sub.
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited January 2004
    Not really. The receivers crossover will determine what frequencies are sent to the sub via the sub-out (LFE) jack. Turning up the sub crossover all the way will insure that you aren't double filtering the signal.


    You can find 25' lengths from a number of suppliers/manufactures. You could even make your own for just a few bucks. Any electrical supply house, Radio Shack, or PartsExpress can get you the cable and connectors you need.
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • lord_byron
    lord_byron Posts: 23
    edited January 2004
    That's true Frank, and it probably doesn't matter that much anyway, but with the left and right jacks you are still going through the electronics of the extra crossover network -- that can't be helping the sound :) Whatever sounds best is the way to hook it up I suppose. btw, FrankZ as in Zappa?
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited January 2004
    If I was Frank Zappa....I'd be De-composing right about now.;)
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited January 2004
    Originally posted by Frank Z
    Not really. The receivers crossover will determine what frequencies are sent to the sub via the sub-out (LFE) jack. Turning up the sub crossover all the way will insure that you aren't double filtering the signal.

    Right on Point and well said!

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • lord_byron
    lord_byron Posts: 23
    edited January 2004
    Well, I didn't say that running off of the left and right inputs would double filter. Why, though, add the extra garbage of the subs crossover to the mix if you don't have to? As far as getting three more dbs, just turn up the gain to the sub on the receiver or on the sub itself...
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited February 2004
    turning up the gain leads to quicker distortion i think
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by Airplay355
    turning up the gain leads to quicker distortion i think

    agreed. a happy balance between the pre and the amp is very important.

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • lord_byron
    lord_byron Posts: 23
    edited February 2004
    I don't think that turning up the gain on the sub leads to any more distortion than running the signal hotter by using the y-adapter trick. Either way you boosting the gain to the same circuits and electronics. Using the y-adapter on the psw404 feeds the signal into the subs built in crossover, using the unfiltered input does not. Why put the signal through an extra crossover network if you don't have to?
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  • Loud &amp; Clear
    Loud &amp; Clear Posts: 1,538
    edited February 2004
    Some subs, like mine, have a 'direct' mode, which bypasses the sub's internal crossover. So I 'Y' split into the RCA input jacks on the sub for the gain & subsequent better results with the auto on/off circuit. Oh, and my sub doesn't have an LFE in, unfiltered input. But I believe that if you're going in via the RCAs on your sub, that it's best to 'Y' split it.

    Two Channel Setup:

    Speakers: Wharfedale Opus 2-3
    Integrated Amp: Krell S-300i
    DAC: Arcam irDac
    Source: iMac
    Remote Control: iPad Mini

    3.2 Home Theater Setup:

    Fronts: Klipsch RP-160M
    Center: Klipsch RP-160M
    Subwoofer: SVS PB12NSD (X 2)
    AVR: Yamaha Aventage RX-A2030
    Blu Ray: Sony BDP-S790
    TV Source: DirecTV Genie
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  • brentman0110
    brentman0110 Posts: 87
    edited February 2004
    I currently have this wired via Monster RCA cable using the LFE unfilterted port. I do not have a y adapter, but this seems to be working well.
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  • Loud &amp; Clear
    Loud &amp; Clear Posts: 1,538
    edited February 2004
    Your LFE unfiltered port on the sub? Are you saying that this has two input jacks?

    Two Channel Setup:

    Speakers: Wharfedale Opus 2-3
    Integrated Amp: Krell S-300i
    DAC: Arcam irDac
    Source: iMac
    Remote Control: iPad Mini

    3.2 Home Theater Setup:

    Fronts: Klipsch RP-160M
    Center: Klipsch RP-160M
    Subwoofer: SVS PB12NSD (X 2)
    AVR: Yamaha Aventage RX-A2030
    Blu Ray: Sony BDP-S790
    TV Source: DirecTV Genie
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