Sub LFE or L&R hook up?

rstrine

Hi, I have always wondered this, My amp has a single RCA output for the Sub. My Sub has 1 LFE(RCA) input, a L&R(RCA)input and speaker wire inputs. Do I run one single line to the LFE or one line from the amp with a Y conector to the L&R into the Sub? Right now I use the later.
I only want to do what is best.
Thankyou, Randy

PolkThug

I would use the LFE so you're not going through a crossover twice (once at the receiver level, and once at the sub). When you switch to LFE you may need to raise the sub level on the receiver to match the volume you are currently hearing using a splitter. (Of course the best way to calibrate is to use a test tone and an SPL meter.)

Regards,
PolkThug

kingkip

One thing to note is that your receiver may not be filtering the LFE in the first place. Check your manual or with Sony. I think (and I could be waaaaaay off), that most people on the forum use the splitter, I do anyway, and think it sounds better.

Tour2ma

Randy,
As kk suggests, you do need to figure out what your AVR is doing and be sure you are not dounble filtering the signal to your sub at the AVR and the Sub's cross-over.

The AVR is where you should be managing your bass. To avoid double filtering at the sub either use the LFE input as PT suggested or turn the sub's variable crossoveer to its maximum setting.

As for which is better... folks can be found that prefer both. Using the Y-splitter as you currently are does double the input strength and gain you 3 dB output. Sub won't play louder when calibrated to the rest of your speakers, but it's amp works slightly less hard.

rstrine

Thank you everyone for the replies. Hmmmm. I am now trying the method of one single line(LFE) as my amp has LFE output.
I did have to turn my sub up a bit to compensate for the loss of output. The jury is still out as I'm going to try both ways on the same music and movies. I guess I wanted to know what is proper, and am now finding out it could be a matter of taste but taking in account of not doubling the crossover. I've heard before to turn my crossover all the way up on the sub and have done so in the past, as to let my amp do the work in that area. Do I understand correctly, that in the single hook up the sub's crossover is null at that point?

Tour2ma

Yes, as PT pointed out above, using the single LFE imput bypasses the sub's x-over.

Stefanie

Does using the LFE In bypass the volume control on the PSW505?

Does the Low Pass Rheostat do anything when using the LFE In?

I am hooking the sub up to a Yamaha RX-V1400

Thank You

Tour2ma

LFE bypasses the low pass x-over, but not the volume control.

Stefanie

Thanks Tour2ma,

Does the volume control increase the wattage or is that a constant? Also would you happen to know where I should set the volume control before I hook it up to my Yamaha RX-V1400?

Thanks

kingkip

The wattage is constant, the outut is variable (the volume knob). Set the volume where you like, but as a starting point I set mine to the 10 to 11 O'clock position. I also have the 505 with the Yammie 2400.

kingkip

A word of caution that I should have mentioned: You probably shouldn't go past the one o'clock position on the volume. You run the risk of bottoming the sub. I found that the YAPO did a pretty good job of calibrating the sub as well with the previous sub settings I mentioned.