How do you connect your sub?

mr2sw21

I am currently connecting my sub via speaker wires from the front speaker ports in the AV receiver then from the sub to the speakers.

I heard some say connect the sub directly to the AV receiver via sub cable. Is that better?

Any one tried the different combination? Can you please share? So I can determent to buy the cable or not.

Thank you,

XJRGUY

My hardware has an LFE out.

I run a cable from the LFE out on my gear to the LFE input on my subwoofer(s)

The processor does all the work to send the right signal to my sub(s) after I set the crossover frequency (currently 60hz)

One cable per sub (other than power) and that's it for me.

BlueFox

Front left/right pre-amp out to left/right sub inputs using a Polk PWS1000. AVR has all speakers set to "large", and sub set to "no".

danger boy

I hook mine up to a sub cable to my avr. simple and no messy wires all over the place.

kawizx9r

LFE out on AVR to the back of my sub utilizing y-cable. Crossover set to bypass built in sub crossover and use my AVR to control freq. cut off

wutadumsn23

I would recommend utelizing the LFE output on your sub (if you have one) via sub cable to the back of your AVR. It is how I have mine hooked up and it seems to work best.

miner

L/R pre out from preamp to L/R In on sub amp; L/R Out on sub to L/R In on amp. Cross sub @ 80Hz so only 80 Hz and above goes to amp and subsequently to bookshsleves on stands. Itried running bookshelves @ full range but they would strain a bit at high volume.

mr2sw21

sorry to ask but what is LFE and one has picture how to connect that?

kawizx9r

Some subwoofers have an LFE input to hook it up to your AVR, if your sub only has RCA inputs (left and right) just use a y-cable to split it up from your AVR's single sub out

thuffman03

Using the cross over on the sub between my pre and amp.

obieone

mr2sw21 wrote: »

sorry to ask but what is LFE and one has picture how to connect that?

Take a single RCA cable, from the 'sub' preout on your receiver, to the LFE in on the sub. Any of the maunals that came with your sub, or receiver should have a diagram:)

And I'm doing the L/R pre's to the sub. Don't watch enough movies to care about the LFE's, and prefer to get as much 'full range' sound out of my budget system.

Erik Tracy

I connect my sub two ways:
1)Sub out on the AVR to LFE input on the sub...usual settings for fronts=small, xover at 80hz, etc, et al. Works well for movies

2)Pre outs on the avr to my external amp and 'y' connected to the L/R pre ins on my sub for Pure Direct mode on my AVR for 2-channel listening. Different saved memory setting for the mains=large.

It does mean manually swapping the cables on the back of my sub, but, to me - worth it....I think I get MUCH better sub integration with my mains for music with the pre-out L/R connections - bass is much more 'complete' and natural as I can fine tune the xover on the sub instead of using the fixed 20Hz increments on my avr for selecting the exact xover frequency.

YMMV....

Chameleon2

I have two subs that I currently testing to find out the best place for them.

But, the questions I have are on how best to connect when NOT using an AVR LFE.

The first sub is connected to the (old) AVR by speaker wire; AVR LF to sub LF-in and AVR RF to sub RF-in.
The question I have is then how to best connect the second to the first.
1. should I daisy-chain with more speaker wire
OR
2. should I used RCA cables and go line-out L&R sub 1 to line-in L&R sub 2?
3. is there a 3rd alternative?

thanks.

obieone

Chameleon2 wrote: »

I have two subs that I currently testing to find out the best place for them.

But, the questions I have are on how best to connect when NOT using an AVR LFE.

The first sub is connected to the (old) AVR by speaker wire; AVR LF to sub LF-in and AVR RF to sub RF-in.
The question I have is then how to best connect the second to the first.
1. should I daisy-chain with more speaker wire
OR
2. should I used RCA cables and go line-out L&R sub 1 to line-in L&R sub 2?
3. is there a 3rd alternative?

thanks.

Are you using these sub's primarily for music? If so, then I'd recommend L/R RCA preouts to L sub in, and R sub in.

Chameleon2

oops, I should have mentioned that this is for HT.

NewHTguy

BlueFox wrote: »

Front left/right pre-amp out to left/right sub inputs using a Polk PWS1000. AVR has all speakers set to "large", and sub set to "no".

Me too. This connection allows the sub to be engaged when running in Pure Audio mode.

obieone

Chameleon2 wrote: »

oops, I should have mentioned that this is for HT.

Then I would use a Y splitter out of the avr's SUB-OUT, and one RCA to each sub's LFE in. That's the best way to utilize the LFE signal in movies.

Chameleon2

Let me edit my post and try this again:

* Home Theater

I have two subs that I am currently testing to find out the best place for them.

The first sub is connected to the AVR by speaker wire (not using the SUB-OUT).

The question I have is how to best connect the second sub to the first.
1. should I daisy-chain with more speaker wire
OR
2. should I used RCA cables and go line-out L&R sub 1 to line-in L&R sub 2?
3. is there a 3rd alternative?

thanks

bevo

kawizx9r wrote: »

Some subwoofers have an LFE input to hook it up to your AVR, if your sub only has RCA inputs (left and right) just use a y-cable to split it up from your AVR's single sub out

I don't think you have to use a splitter. The people at SVS told me that the AVR is only sending a mono signal, so you can hook 1 cable into either the right, or left LFE input on the sub. Splitting the signal doesn't do anything, since the signal is mono anyway. The left and right LFE inputs are receiving the same signal. So no need for the splitter, because you will gain nothing by using it.

Someone with more knowledge correct me if I'm wrong.

kawizx9r

I mentioned use of splitter because many times, the signal can come off as being very weak. Maybe not in your case with your subwoofer, but in my experience and with several others I've known, utilizing only 1 cable/output/input they were still getting a signal to their subwoofer, but the volume levels came off as very low to them if anything at all. Soon as they used a y-splitter and used both inputs on the sub, the sound was fuller and there wasn't any need to have the gain/volume on the subwoofer itself higher than 1/2 volume.

bevo

In any case I guess a splitter couldn't hurt.

mr2sw21

obieone wrote: »

Take a single RCA cable, from the 'sub' preout on your receiver, to the LFE in on the sub. Any of the maunals that came with your sub, or receiver should have a diagram:)

And I'm doing the L/R pre's to the sub. Don't watch enough movies to care about the LFE's, and prefer to get as much 'full range' sound out of my budget system.

I see, so if I try to hook it up like that, am I suppose to use regular RCA cable? Or any other type or brand cable should I use? but where in the amp should I plug in? (the front pre-amp outlet)? cause it require L/R at the sub and the amp for sub just has one hole or should I get a one to two splitter? or I can use the (zone pre-amp plugs) since no speaker is plugging it.

obieone

mr2sw21 wrote: »

I see, so if I try to hook it up like that, am I suppose to use regular RCA cable? Or any other type or brand cable should I use? but where in the amp should I plug in? (the front pre-amp outlet)? cause it require L/R at the sub and the amp for sub just has one hole or should I get a one to two splitter? or I can use the (zone pre-amp plugs) since no speaker is plugging it.

1. Yes, you can use 'any' rca cable, but I'd recommend 'Monoprice'- absolute BEST prices on cables-ANY kind.

2. You plug the cable into the 'SUB' port on your preamp. If you don't have a 'SUB' port on your preamp, then you can use either the R or L out- this will involve a Y splitter, since it sounds as if your using a power amp

3. You can plug the cable into EITHER the L or R terminal of the sub- I assuming you don't have an 'LFE-IN' on the sub?


Hope this helps.

mr2sw21

obieone wrote: »

1. Yes, you can use 'any' rca cable, but I'd recommend 'Monoprice'- absolute BEST prices on cables-ANY kind.

2. You plug the cable into the 'SUB' port on your preamp. If you don't have a 'SUB' port on your preamp, then you can use either the R or L out- this will involve a Y splitter, since it sounds as if your using a power amp

3. You can plug the cable into EITHER the L or R terminal of the sub- I assuming you don't have an 'LFE-IN' on the sub?


Hope this helps.

1, thanks I will check that out.

2, the pre amp do have the sub port but there only one hole. So should I plug L or R?

3, The sub do have LFE-IN cause I can plug in L or R or the sub (single) may be you can tell me better my sub is PSW110

Thanks a lot man,

kawizx9r

Hook it up using the single cable, LFE output of your AVR to the LFE input of your subwoofer.

wutadumsn23

kawizx9r wrote: »

Hook it up using the single cable, LFE output of your AVR to the LFE input of your subwoofer.

+1, this should give you the best results for HT, it is what I was trying to say in my post at the top.

Chameleon2

deleted due to a lack of interest