Sub connection advice

[mfontmt]

I recently purchased an EMP Tek 1010i Sub. It looks like it needs RCA plugs to connect to my receiver (Onkyo HT-R390). So, I bought some RCA phono plugs to attach to my 16 gauge speaker wire. Doing a search, there is a lot of how to links but I'm not very experienced in this area. The plugs I bought have two screws that appear to be there the hold the wires. One screw is on an inner metal cylinder The other is on the entry point to the plug (after the casing is unscrewed and removed,by the way). So, part of my question is do I just put one wire through this? Most of the online stuff say to connect a positive wire to one part of the plug and a negative to another. What confuses me is there is a spot for two RCA Plugs on the sub. If I use positive and negative on one plug, what would I use for the other. I guess it just doesn't make much sense to me.
The other part of my question is ...Is there any advice in general when doing this like warnings or such? To me, it seems like simply connecting the positive to one plug and screwing in the unsheathed wires and doing the same for the negative using the other plug? Am I wrong in assuming this?
Sorry in advance for the long post

 

[jcl]

Here is a pdf to your avr manual - http://www.intl.onkyo.com/downloads/manuals/pdf/ht-r390_290_manual_e01.pdf

I'm afraid it doesn't look like you have a line level sub or lfe out.

Well now, the EMP website says your sub has speaker level inputs and outputs, but the manual doesn't make any mention of it.

I think you'll have to use the audio outs. See the bottom of page 15 titled "Connecting a Recording Component". Connect an rca cable from those jacks to the stereo l/r inputs on the sub. You'll be sending a full range signal to the sub, not using any base management in the avr, so you'll have to experiment more with the crossover and volume settings on the sub.

 

[AverageJoe]

... Well now, the EMP website says your sub has speaker level inputs and outputs, but the manual doesn't make any mention of it.

Hmm. Looks like the manual is correct and the specs on the site are in error - unless they made more than one version. Only line level inputs on mine.

 

[jcl]

I checked the Audioholics review and there's a picture that shows only line level inputs on the sub.

 

[mfontmt]

So basically with my receiver this sub wont work?
Im really dumb with this stuff. Ha. I bought rca plugs and was going to convert my 16 ga speaker wire to rca and plug into the left line input and plug the other end (which would be just regular speaker wire to the clips on my receiver. Is this a bad idea?

 

[Grador]

So basically with my receiver this sub wont work?
Im really dumb with this stuff. Ha. I bought rca plugs and was going to convert my 16 ga speaker wire to rca and plug into the left line input and plug the other end (which would be just regular speaker wire to the clips on my receiver. Is this a bad idea?

Very bad, likley bad enough to blow up the electronics in your sub

 

[mfontmt]

So im gonna need a new receiver or return the sub then right? Or is there an option im not seeing?

 

[Grador]

So im gonna need a new receiver or return the sub then right? Or is there an option im not seeing?

Looked at the manual for your receiver, yes it looks like you need to ditch one or the other. I'd suggest ditching the receiver myself.

 

[jcl]

No, the avr and sub will work together as I explained in my earlier post. It's just that you cannot connect them so that the bass management in the AVR will be used. You'll need to use the sub controls for that.

You have to decide if that's worth upgrading for.

 

[markw]

True, it'll send a signal to the sub, but...

No, the avr and sub will work together as I explained in my earlier post. It's just that you cannot connect them so that the bass management in the AVR will be used. You'll need to use the sub controls for that.

You have to decide if that's worth upgrading for.

It's not just the bass management he loses.

If he does this, the sub's volume will be independent from that of the rest of the speakers. Every time he changes the systems volume, he'll have to hike to the sub and adjust it's volume to match. ...not really what I would call a user-friendly solution.

 

[jcl]

It's not just the bass management he loses.

If he does this, the sub's volume will be independent from that of the rest of the speakers. Every time he changes the systems volume, he'll have to hike to the sub and adjust it's volume to match. ...not really what I would call a user-friendly solution.

Ah hell, good point. It's enough to test that the sub isn't doa but it's no long term solution...

 

[Grador]

The manual says that recording cannot be done for digital inputs, so that actually doesn't work at all.

 

[jcl]

There are analog ins but I'll admit it's a lost cause and the OP seems to have agreed seeing their thread about new receiver recommendations.