Active subwoofer hookup [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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carlow
01-05-2006, 08:06 AM
Hi all... I'm a bit of a home theatre newbie and I have a subwoofer question. My surround amp is a JVC RX-6020v and it's got a single RCA type out for the sub (for an active sub only). I have my eye on a used powered sub that has 2 RCA (red/white) plugs in the back as well as speaker hook ups. My question is, if the sub doesn't have a plug for AC, where does it get its power to drive the internal amp? I'm assuming I'll have to buy a y-adapter to for the RCA plug to be able to plug it into the surround amp, but I don't understand where the power to power the sub's amp will come from. Sorry if this is a silly question, but hey, I'm new! :)

zepman1
01-05-2006, 09:01 AM
If the sub is indeed active, it needs to have a power cord! Anyhow, you don't need the Y-adapter for the subwoofer cable, although I use one. The sound is mono and only one cable needed. Just attach sub cable to receiver and then to one of the jacks on the sub. Supposedly it is better to use the Y-adapter, but I am not sure I hear any difference with using it.

carlow
01-05-2006, 09:59 AM
Thanks for your help... I'm going to the place tonight, and I'm sure I just didn't see the AC plug. What are the other speaker connections for in the back? I've asked around and have been told I can use those to hook up my surround speakers, but I don't see how the sub will know whatever speakers are front, back, center, etc... Any idea?


If the sub is indeed active, it needs to have a power cord! Anyhow, you don't need the Y-adapter for the subwoofer cable, although I use one. The sound is mono and only one cable needed. Just attach sub cable to receiver and then to one of the jacks on the sub. Supposedly it is better to use the Y-adapter, but I am not sure I hear any difference with using it.

zepman1
01-05-2006, 10:49 AM
The speaker wire connectors on the back of the sub present another way to hook it up. I believe it would be called a "speaker level connection". In this way I think you run speaker wire for the front 2 speakers into the back of the sub and then run wire out of the sub into the front speakers. The sub will act as a crossover. You would not normally do this with the surround speakers, although I guess you could if you had more than 1 sub.

If you use the subwoofer RCA jacks instead then everything is hooked up as normal, with a subwoofer cable between receiver and sub. In my opionion that is the best way to do it, because your receiver is then acting as the crossover which would be preferable in the vast majority of cases. And if you use your sub for home theater, it is the best way to take advantage of the LFE channel in a 5.1 setup.

Hope this helps.

carlow
01-05-2006, 12:00 PM
From what I remember (I'm not at home at the moment), the LFE control lets me set it to -10db, 0, +10db. Does LFE stand for "low frequency emission" or something similar? Why would I need to change this setting?


The speaker wire connectors on the back of the sub present another way to hook it up. I believe it would be called a "speaker level connection". In this way I think you run speaker wire for the front 2 speakers into the back of the sub and then run wire out of the sub into the front speakers. The sub will act as a crossover. You would not normally do this with the surround speakers, although I guess you could if you had more than 1 sub.

If you use the subwoofer RCA jacks instead then everything is hooked up as normal, with a subwoofer cable between receiver and sub. In my opionion that is the best way to do it, because your receiver is then acting as the crossover which would be preferable in the vast majority of cases. And if you use your sub for home theater, it is the best way to take advantage of the LFE channel in a 5.1 setup.

Hope this helps.

zepman1
01-05-2006, 12:35 PM
LFE is Low frequency effects. The adjustment is needed so that you can adjust the output level (volume) of the sub to your listening tastes and so that it properly blends in with you other components.

carlow
01-05-2006, 01:26 PM
Ah, ok... many thanks. I'll play around with it tonight when I get the sub home.