Connecting new Onkyo receiver to OLD Polk RM Series II Subwoofer
ba58smith
Posts: 7
I've searched, but can't find any references to this, probably because my subwoofer is so old. (18 years old!)
I just bought a new Onkyo receiver, model TX-NR626, and I'm trying to hook it up to my good ol' RM Series II Subwoofer. Here's my problem:
- The receiver's only outputs for a subwoofer are RCA-style connections. There are a total of 4 of them; a "L" and "R" for each of them, one labeled "Pre-out Subwoofer", and another labeled "Line Out". The manual says these two outputs both output the same thing, and can be used to power two subwoofers, or a subwoofer and something else.
-The inputs on the subwoofer are the type with a plastic nut that screws onto a terminal. There are a total of 4 of them on the subwoofer: Right and Left, + and - for each.
The subwoofer has no "Out" terminal(s), nor any controls whatsoever. (I have seen reference to these things on some Polk subwoofers, while searching for my answer.)
Can this be made to work?
Any help is greatly appreciated. I really love my old Polks and want to keep using them all!
I just bought a new Onkyo receiver, model TX-NR626, and I'm trying to hook it up to my good ol' RM Series II Subwoofer. Here's my problem:
- The receiver's only outputs for a subwoofer are RCA-style connections. There are a total of 4 of them; a "L" and "R" for each of them, one labeled "Pre-out Subwoofer", and another labeled "Line Out". The manual says these two outputs both output the same thing, and can be used to power two subwoofers, or a subwoofer and something else.
-The inputs on the subwoofer are the type with a plastic nut that screws onto a terminal. There are a total of 4 of them on the subwoofer: Right and Left, + and - for each.
The subwoofer has no "Out" terminal(s), nor any controls whatsoever. (I have seen reference to these things on some Polk subwoofers, while searching for my answer.)
Can this be made to work?
Any help is greatly appreciated. I really love my old Polks and want to keep using them all!
Post edited by ba58smith on
Comments
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Run the front r and l speaker outputs to the four connections on the sub and then on to the r and l front speakersHome Theater
Onkyo PR-SC5508 Sharp LC-70LE847U
Emotiva XPA-5 Emotiva XPA-2 Emotiva UPA-2
Front RTi-A9 Wide RTi-A7 Center CSi-A6 Surround FXi-A6 Rear RTi-A3 Sub 2x PSW505
Sony BDP-S790 Dishnetwork Hopper/Joey Logitech Harmony One Apple TV
Two Channel
Oppo 105D BAT VK-500 w/BatPack SDA SRS 2.3 Dreadnought Squeezebox Touch Apple TV -
Run the front r and l speaker outputs to the four connections on the sub and then on to the r and l front speakers
So, just to be 100 clear, treat the terminals on the subwoofer as though they are both IN and OUT?
Can anyone else validate this approach? (Sorry, Zane77 - you know what they say, "trust but verify".)
Thanks so much!
Brian -
Well, I tried that. Got no sound from the subwoofer. But when I hooked up another non-powered sub (a cheap-o Pioneer), it worked. So I guess the RM Series II needs more power than the receiver is providing. Thanks anyway!
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Can you post a pic of the back of the sub ?HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
Can you post a pic of the back of the sub ?
Does that tell you what you were wanting to know? There are absolutely no other markings on the entire speaker - it's just all white. -
That's a passive sub, your gonna need an amp for that. Those are left and right inputs, no outputs. I'm betting their is an internal crossover too. Your onkyo may power it but be sure that whatever channel you use, is set to full range. I'm betting that's why you didn't hear anything when you tried it. But really you are not gonna want to power that off of your receiver, It's likely to be under 4ohm anyway.Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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Yeah, that's not going to work. Even if it did, it wouldn't be very good. Time to go shopping. What speakers are you planning on driving with your receiver ?HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
I'm (obviously) pretty ignorant on all this, and really appreciate your help, folks!
1. Would it make sense to get an amp just to power the sub? Do they make such a thing?
2. The speakers are also Polk (I've been a fan since 1989!) - but they don't need an amp, as the receiver acts as the amp for all except the sub. At least, I think that's right - they seem to be working fine. The fronts are RT5, the center is a CS225, and the rears are still in their ceiling mounts in another room, so I don't know the model number. These are all from about 1999.
BTW, the CS225 has a bit of static out of one of its two speakers. Not bad, but you can hear it if you listen closely. Any chance it could be replaced, this many years after it was made? (About 1999.) -
i have one but I want to keep it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DBX-XB140-Subwoofer-Amplifier-140-Watt-Amp-for-Subwoofer-USA-Ex-Sound-/321324739881?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item4ad0726d29POLK SDA 2.3 TLS BOUGHT NEW IN 1990, Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-198
POLK CSI-A6 POLK MONITOR 70'S ONKYO TX NR-808 SONY CDP-333ES
PIONEER PL-510A SONY BDP S5100
POLK SDA 1C BOUGHT USED 2011,Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-194
ONKYO HT RC-360 SONY BDP S590 TECHNICS SL BD-1 -
I'm confused about two things:
1. Is this yours, listed on ebay, but you have decided not to sell it? Or are you saying you have one of these, which you're going to keep, and the ebay link is just to show me what you have?
2. The input on the back is four terminals - L/R/+/-. But my Onkyo receiver has only the RCA-style outputs to the subwoofer - one cable out of the receiver goes to the subwoofer. (At least, that's how the Onkyo diagram illustrates it.) How would I connect these two devices?
Am I better off buying a powered subwoofer with an RCA-style input, and be done with it? Polk sells a factory refurb PSW10 on ebay for $100 that looks like it would be a good solution. -
Your Onkyo's subwoofer out is supposed to go to a powered subwoofer or a separate subwoofer amp.Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
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I've decided to keep using the old subwoofer with the Zone 2 speakers on the Onkyo, and I ordered a refurbed PSW10 from Polk. Thanks, all, for your help!
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http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-spa250-250-watt-subwoofer-plate-amplifier--300-803 .... Built a little box for this and you're good to go!.... use LFE on your receiver to plate amp, plate to sub !
