Connecting a sub to a Marantz SR4200...help needed

[g-child]

Hi Guys,

I just bought a Velodyne vx-10 subwoofer for my Marantz sr4200 receiver. I was all excited on my drive back to the store (who wouldn't? it was Christmas all over again!)). However, the excitement was short lived. I connected the subwoofer (via the mono input) to the pre-amp subwoofer out on the receiver, enabled the subwoofer in the settings, popped in the loudest movie I own and...nothing! When I connect the sub to the front channel speaker, the cone moves, but not nearly producing as much bass as I expected. I suppose my lack of research has bit me in the butt. I've only read enough to decide on the model.

From my discription above, can someone diagnosis my problem and tell me how to fix it? I've never connected a subwoofer to my receiver, so I don't know if the problem is the receiver or the sub. I was also under the impression that the vx-10 has its own built in amplifier, however I am not so certain now. Do I need a special cable to make the connection (I using a spare RCA cable right now)? Any ideas or suggestions are welcomed. Thanks!

[shokhead]

Did you get into the 4200 menu to set the sub up? Did you read the manual for the sub?

[Resident Loser]

...than my friend shokhead...did you look at EITHER of the manuals for proper connectivity? Settings? Anything?

Are all the proper switches switched, levers pulled?

Are you aware of the fact that as per the Velodyne website and the owners manual I downloaded( to familiarize myself with the unit in question, which BTW DOES have a 150w built-in amp) there are both line level AND speaker level inputs? Check dem swicthes and connections...LOOK at the manuals, they are there for a purpose...come to think of it, is it plugged in to a working AC outlet?

Unfortunately since the Marantz is an older model, info from that web site looks to be unavailable...now if I can take the time to do some reading and research...

jimHJJ...thank you...)

[g-child]

Thanks for your prompt responses.

However, I wished it was as simple as reading the manual (which I did). The subwoofer setting, as I mentioned in my original post, was enabled. As both manuals showed, through words and figures, it ought to be a really straight forward connection - connect wire between here and there. My experiments have shown that the line-level connection did not work (indifferent of the setting on the receiver. Moreover, the sub, by means of a status LED, claims it can't even detect a signal!), while the speaker level ones did.

RL: Thank you for your confirmation. Your mockery is however not appreciated. My ignorance has clearly presented myself as someone wanting others to do all the work for me. I am not like that and do try to work things out on my own first. I was hoping, through my plea for help, that someone who is more savvy with audio equipment than I can point out what I've obviously missed.

[Olivertmc]

g-child:

I have the SR5000, an older Marantz model, but I imagine pretty similar. Be sure that you are connecting the sub using the Pre-Amp Output of the Marantz (not the 6-channel input). On mine, they are right next to each other, and I have made that mistake more than once.

[Resident Loser]

...you are the one who brought up "lack of research"...

And if you mean the AC thing...take a look at the FAQ or troubleshooting section of your gear's manuals...betcha one of the first questions is "Is the unit plugged in?"...

jimHJJ(...none of this is rocket science, sometimes we all miss the bleedin' obvious...)

Addendum: I checked further on the web and ran across a Dutch(I think) site...Haven't a clue about Dutch(or German or what ever) but I think the gist was that the sub didn't work in some modes(Like proLogic) ...again I haven't a clue, but what about "speaker" size on the menu...as near as I can figure the poster called himself a the Dutch equivalent of a dumb@$$ when the problem was uncovered...perhaps?

[Worf101]

Thanks for your prompt responses.

However, I wished it was as simple as reading the manual (which I did). The subwoofer setting, as I mentioned in my original post, was enabled. As both manuals showed, through words and figures, it ought to be a really straight forward connection - connect wire between here and there. My experiments have shown that the line-level connection did not work (indifferent of the setting on the receiver. Moreover, the sub, by means of a status LED, claims it can't even detect a signal!), while the speaker level ones did.

RL: Thank you for your confirmation. Your mockery is however not appreciated. My ignorance has clearly presented myself as someone wanting others to do all the work for me. I am not like that and do try to work things out on my own first. I was hoping, through my plea for help, that someone who is more savvy with audio equipment than I can point out what I've obviously missed.

I've known RLoser for a long time here, no way he was mocking you. He was just asking pertinent questions. I detected no smart assness on his part. Seriously, I thought he was just being direct. Sorry if you feel offended but I think you're overreacting. The problem with typing is you can't hear any inflection and sometimes folks read things into words that arent' there...

Da Worfster

PS, sounds like your sub out on your amp might actually be dead. Have you any other subs you can check it with? Have you any friends with subs you can check it with and eliminate the sub as the problem...

[g-child]

Thanks for everybody's help! I think the culprit was the cheap RCA cable I dug up. When I replaced the cable with one that was specially designed for the subwoofer connection, I got a solid signal to the sub. To get everything to sound right, I also had to play with the LFE setting on the receiver and rebalance all the channel levels. All in all I'm very pleased with the new addition. My budget setup lives to see another day.

RL: My applogies for having taken you the wrong way. And yes, I don't think the sub works in the ProLogic setting. I'll have to read up more on that.

[Resident Loser]

...but thanks nonetheless...unfortunately, as das Worfster points out, the web is what it is and sometimes things get lost in the transistion...Glad to hear things worked out...and re: the wire, as I said earlier "sometimes we all miss the bleedin' obvious"...

jimHJJ(...good listening...)