Subwoofer "Line In" or "Speaker In"

G

giovanni

Active Member
Am I going to notice a diiference in the performance of my subwoofer or my main speakers if I hook up the sub through the "Speaker In" rather than using the "Line In" through RCA jacks?

The reason I ask is that my Sansui AU-717 has a "pre-amp out" that I could use for the sub, but the subwoofer I am considering does not have a "Line Out" to go back to the amp. I must connect the sub through one of the speaker outs.

I am currently using tower speakers connected in "System A". So I can go from the amp to the sub, and then out from the sub to my left or right tower speaker.

Also, if the sub is connected through the "Speaker In", is the load on the amp still the same as before (8 ohm's), or does it change?

Any advice appreciated.....
 
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giovanni said:
I am currently using tower speakers connected in "System A". So I can go from the amp to the sub, and then out from the sub to my left or right tower speaker.

Also, if the sub is connected through the "Speaker In", is the load on the amp still the same as before (8 ohm's), or does it change?

Any advice appreciated.....
Click to expand...
That's it. With no dedicated sub out you need to run the speaker wires to the sub and then out to the speakers. This will enable you to use the crossover in the sub. Another option, and I'm not sure if this is the best way to do it, is to split the signal coming off the pre out with Y cables and run one end back to the amp and the other to the sub. It might be worth a try. I have no idea if it changes the load but I don't think so.
 
"Another option, and I'm not sure if this is the best way to do it, is to split the signal coming off the pre out with Y cables and run one end back to the amp and the other to the sub. It might be worth a try. I have no idea if it changes the load but I don't think so."


Can anyone tell me if this set up will create a "distorted" signal or "weaker" signal going back into the amp?
 
I've split an audio signal before but never in this situation. I'd be interested to hear if someone else has tried this as well.
 
You can keep the connected/separated switch set to 'connected' and the preamp outputs will still carry the signal for your sub. There is no need to send the signal back to the amp inputs.
 
Try speaker connection W\O using the "outs"

giovanni

Try connecting an extra set of speaker lines from the receiver speaker outputs (maybe the "B") to the sub woofer speaker "input" BUT do NOT use the sub's "output" speaker connections, keep your main speakers "as is".

The reason I say this is because the signal at this point IS what goes to the speakers and if the sub is connected here, it will more faithfully IMHO reproduce the speakers sound and will blend in better than using a source of signal "several stages back" from this point (preamp out).

My Sansui 1000A tube receiver has a "mono sum" low level 'line out' RCA jack connected to the speaker terminals, NOT the preamp signal, this is what I send to the sub's RCA input.

An outboard "box" can be made to reproduce the same connection with any receiver, let me know if you want to try this, it is only four resistors I think, add an RCA jack and your done (I can get the info from the 1000A schematic).

As a result of using this connection, I have NEVER until now, heard a sub blend in so seamlessly with the main speakers! :yes:

Using just a "speaker in" to the subs while keeping your "mains" connected will not alter the load much at all (all there is in the sub's "speaker out" is two series capacitors and these will not be "seen" by the amp without anything connected to the sub "speaker out" terminals.

The sub's EQ will still function as before, and you will get a better match and blend to the main speakers, they will seem to function "as one" a lot better than on my previous receiver (SS) that had a dedicated subwoofer out jack.

Good listening! :music:

Mark T.
 
markn2wae said:
The reason I say this is because the signal at this point IS what goes to the speakers and if the sub is connected here, it will more faithfully IMHO reproduce the speakers sound and will blend in better than using a source of signal "several stages back" from this point (preamp out).
Click to expand...

In my secondary system, I get a better "blend" using the speaker in and out on my sub when mated with a receiver that doesn't have a dedicated sub out or preamp out.

In my main system, however, I use a dedicated crossover driven by a preamp out.

Well stated. :thmbsp:
 
Glad to help!

Urizen said:
In my secondary system, I get a better "blend" using the speaker in and out on my sub when mated with a receiver that doesn't have a dedicated sub out or preamp out.

In my main system, however, I use a dedicated crossover driven by a preamp out.

Well stated. :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

I'm glad to be of help and share my experience in these matters! :D

Mark T.
 
Ah this is simple. Do what I do! Use your headphone jack output. It's impedance is plenty low and it sure as hell has enough drive.


It works great. :yes:
 
i take it this is not home theater system 5.1 and the sub is non powered if not then amp to sub sub to speakers would be my play here.
 
Maybe I just haven't seen enough subwoofers, but the *nicer* ones I have seen do not offer the speaker level inputs, only line level. Whereas subs you'd find at BB, CC, et al, offer speaker level inputs.
 
kc8mob said:
Ah this is simple. Do what I do! Use your headphone jack output. It's impedance is plenty low and it sure as hell has enough drive.


It works great. :yes:
Click to expand...


I just tried this and it does work. The only way I got it to work was to split the line from the headphone jack to connect to the left and right speaker inputs on the sub.

Also tried to reconnect an RCA jack onto the split headphone jack end but that did not get the sub to work.

Anyone know what connecting a sub through the "headphone" jack does to your main speakers? Any less power to them, or to the sub. I could not notice much of a difference myself.
 
Oh well it sure should work, like I said it's what I do. I use Yamaha A-1000s and they are just 2 channel monsters, no subwoofer output.

Now did you make you own cable or did you buy one. It's worth buying one.

Get a 1/8th inch stereo plug to 2 male RCAs. Now this way you can use a
1/4" adapter jack for big headphone jacks and the small end on the cable if you need to come from a small headphone jack. It doesn't do anything to your speakers and the best part is the way headphones jacks are set up it's linear with your speakers, so set your subwoofer with your main speakers then just use the volume knob on the amp and the sub will rise and fall in line with your speakers.

-- -Adam
 
kc8mob said:
Oh well it sure should work, like I said it's what I do. I use Yamaha A-1000s and they are just 2 channel monsters, no subwoofer output.

Now did you make you own cable or did you buy one. It's worth buying one.

Get a 1/8th inch stereo plug to 2 male RCAs. Now this way you can use a
1/4" adapter jack for big headphone jacks and the small end on the cable if you need to come from a small headphone jack. It doesn't do anything to your speakers and the best part is the way headphones jacks are set up it's linear with your speakers, so set your subwoofer with your main speakers then just use the volume knob on the amp and the sub will rise and fall in line with your speakers.

-- -Adam
Click to expand...

You say to get a 1/8th inch stereo plug to 2 RCA jacks. I cant hook up this way because like I said in my previous post, the only way I could get the sub to activate was to hook it up through the "Speaker Inputs". I tried to reconfigure my cable to get back to RCA jacks but that did not get the sub to move!
 
So the RCA inputs on the sub don't work?

Is there a switch for the rca's. Just try feeding a fixed level form any unit to the RCAs and just use the gain control on the sub to vary it to test it.

If you can't get the sub to do anything with any input to the rca then it's broken
 
Like I said when connected through the "speaker in" the sub works fine. And, I have it connected with RCA's through the "sub out" of a Pioneer Home Theatre Receiver as we speak. It just would not work when connected with RCA's to the "headphone jack" of the AU-717. Headphones work fine on it too, so it is not the unit itself.

Maybe I did something wrong with the wiring when I tried to go from a headphone jack to an RCA with my own wiring connections? Does such an animal exist if I wanted to buy one? (a 1/4 inch headphone jack to 2 RCA)
 
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