Subwoofer question for skeptic or anyone else

[Number9]

Hi all, I have a low watt receiver (60 wpc) & I want to add a powered sub. I have 2 sets of speaker outs & I have a 2 channel system (not interested in home theater). Will it be possible for me to add the sub? The guy that I bought the speakers from said that I would'nt be able to add a sub but he never explained why. Thanks in advance, Michael

[markw]

Most subs have speaker level inputs and outputs. Be sure whatever you buy has these.

This is what you would need to do:

1) Remove your current speaker wires from the receiver.

2) Connect the sub's speaker level inputs to receiver's speaker terminals.

3) Connect your speakers to the sub's speaker outputs.

This will send all bass to the sub and additionally, relieve your mains from trying to produce deep bass and will probably clean up the overall sound.

[Number9]

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[Number9]

That's the sub that I'm interested in. It's a small sub but it's supposed to be good. I'm limited on space & placement in my listening room. If anyone has any suggestions or info that would be useful to me please let me know. Thanks again, Michael

[This Guy]

I wouldn't look at that "subwoofer". I consider 8" speakers to not eve be subwoofers at all because thy can't reproduce that last octave very well (besides sunfire true sub with 2" of excursion). If you want a small sub with some grunt I'd go with this. You only need a couple tools, nothing you probably can't do.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&User_ID=13710832&St=3986&St2=36049461&St3=-28592875&DS_ID=3&Product_ID=167006&DID=7

I'd also check out the Adire rava $400 (adireaudio.com) and HSU STF series or VTF-2 around $450 (hsuresearch.com). Both are a bit bigger then the Dayton, not sure if it's an issue.Good luck.

-Joey

[Woochifer]

Hi all, I have a low watt receiver (60 wpc) & I want to add a powered sub. I have 2 sets of speaker outs & I have a 2 channel system (not interested in home theater). Will it be possible for me to add the sub? The guy that I bought the speakers from said that I would'nt be able to add a sub but he never explained why. Thanks in advance, Michael

You basically have two options. You can either high pass the speaker output through the subwoofer, which is what markw described. The other option is to low pass the output from your receiver. It works similarly to the high pass option in that it takes an output from the receiver and using the subwoofer's crossover, filters out the low frequencies going to the main speakers. The only difference is that rather than working with the high level speaker outputs, it does the filtering with the lower line level outputs. However, you need to check and see if your receiver has either a tape monitor or a premain coupler (i.e. Main In), and you need to check the subwoofer to see if it can crossover a line level signal.

The Adire Rava can do both, the Rava SE (which has a higher quality amp and crossover) can only do the low pass (Adire recommends that subwoofer two-channel separates, and that you connect the subwoofer/crossover between the preamp and amp). There are lots of options out there, so I have no idea what that sales guy's thinking. The one-way low pass connection using a subwoofer output is the most common subwoofer connection, but it's by no means the only way.

[markw]

I've found running a sub from a tape monitor output to be more trobulesome than it's worth.

This is before the volume control so every time you adjust the volume, you'll need to readjust the subs volume.

With a pre out, you generally set the subs volume once and from there on, it follows the volume settings on the receiver.

Of course, if you don't mind making two adjustments every time you change the volume, it's fine.

FWIW, by using speaker level inputs to a sub, it DOES low pass the low freqs to the sub AND high passes the remainder to the main. Most subs do this.

If one wishes to only avail themselves of the low pass capabilities, they simply need not connect the subs outputs and run the mains either from another parallel speaker terminal on the amp or, at line level, by using a "Y" connector at the preamps output and routing one side to the sub and the other to the mains amp. This is what I do with my maggies.