Connect Sub to Amp Pre-Out or Speaker-Level?

[riceforlife]

Hey there,

I've been doing a lot of reading on these and other forums and I'm somewhat confused as to how to best connect a subwoofer to an integrated amp with pre-out/main-in. My sub has both speaker in/out and line in/out. I have a pair of floorstanding speakers w/ some bass so I'd love to use the crossover on the sub.

Do I:

1) connect (amp)speaker-out --> (sub)speaker-in --> (sub)speaker-out --> speakers
2) connect (amp)pre-out --> (sub)line-in --> (sub)line-out --> (amp)main-in
3) connect (amp)pre-out --> y-cable --> (sub)line-in AND (amp)main-in

My intuition:
1) Appears to be a very natural way to blend the floorstanders with the sub. Lots of cables though.
2) I hear my sub responds better to line-in than speaker-in so this seems better. Haven't come across any posts doing this though. Seems possible ...
3) Recommended by Polk online. Much less cable so cleaner and potentially less signal degradation. However, may be difficult to blend sub.

Also, 1) and 2) seem nice because they may take a load off of the main speakers and potentially improve low-midrange?

I'd love to hear people's opinions on how to go about this!

Thanks,
-LD

[meephis]

i would hook the sub up through the pre-amp out, this allows for a couple of advantages, mainly that you will be using the int. amp's built in crossover, and with some subs you can run it in the X-over bypass input an run the signal directly to the sub amp which can make setup a breeze aand adjustment between songs can be easily done on the unit which can be especialy handy if your sub controls are on the back of the cabinet.

[riceforlife]

I apologize for being unclear - I meant that the integrated amplifier's pre-out goes to its main-in. As a result, I don't think it has a built-in crossover.

[anamorphic96]

If you have a jumper to the main in you need to get a splitter so you can use the pre out jack.

[riceforlife]

If you have a jumper to the main in you need to get a splitter so you can use the pre out jack.
Yea, that's what I meant for option #3. Any opinions why that's better/worse than 1 or 2?

[markw]

... when I had a sub hooked up to my maggies. I simply letthe maggies run full range since they simply quietly ignored anything below their lower limit. that way, I set the sub's low pass filter to only allow it's sound to fill in below where the mains dropped off. Minimum overlap orf range. ..somewhere around 40 - 45 hz in my case.

[anamorphic96]

What equipment are you using? I like option 3, to me it seems the most natural. However if your mains cant handle full range sound maybe using option one or two would be the route to go.

Im using larger sized bookshelves and always used them full range and just blended the sub in where my mains would start to roll off. If I where using a receiver I would cross my mains over at 60 or 80hz.

[riceforlife]

What equipment are you using? I like option 3, to me it seems the most natural. However if your mains cant handle full range sound maybe using option one or two would be the route to go.

Im using larger sized bookshelves and always used them full range and just blended the sub in where my mains would start to roll off. If I where using a receiver I would cross my mains over at 60 or 80hz.
I have a pair of Athena AS-F2's as my mains and a Velodyne VA1012XII sub. I'm planning on purchasing a budget integrated amp, like the NAD C320BEE. IMHO, the Athena's can make it to about 40 Hz in good shape.

[anamorphic96]

You might look at the C352 instead. Better pre amp stage as well as a second pre amp output to accomodate a sub. Also you get a jump in power plus it sounds MUCH better than the 320. Try going to audiogon I have seen 352's for 450 new.

Great speakers by the way. They work great with NAD gear.

[riceforlife]

You might look at the C352 instead. Better pre amp stage as well as a second pre amp output to accomodate a sub. Also you get a jump in power plus it sounds MUCH better than the 320. Try going to audiogon I have seen 352's for 450 new.

Great speakers by the way. They work great with NAD gear.
Heh, I've been lusting for the C352; it just feels wrong to pay more for an amp than I did for my speakers :). Hence, the C320BEE.