hookup to older receiver

[Quailrancher]

I want to hook up my older Sherwood to a crossover. I have the cables, but I'm not sure what inputs on the receiver to use. My choices are CD, TV/Aux, Tape, and VCR. I think we can rule out VCR and I lean toward TV/Aux, but what do I know?

 

[R.Elder]

Are you asking if you can use an integrated amplifier like a power amplifier?

 

[lovinthehd]

What crossover? Why? Sherwood what?

 

[Quailrancher]

Are you asking if you can use an integrated amplifier like a power amplifier?

I suspected I could.

 

[R.Elder]

Without line inputs ... it’s hard. Those inputs are made for a steady signal and you use the volume to adjust it. With a power amp the line inputs are for variable signal. So you set the volume and forget it.

 

[R.Elder]

So you can try but likely you’ll have issues. Try the TV/Aux and you’ll see. I tried something similar with my old SC-79 to run the extra channels my new AVR supports. I wasn’t comfortable setting it up so high. With it only powering 2 channels I still had to set it to -10. That’s with fairly efficient Klipsch speakers.

 

[lovinthehd]

So no crossover, just using a spare receiver as power amp? Any of the line inputs on the receiver would work (except phono as that would apply the phono stage/riaa eq), although you may have to fuss a bit with the volume control on the receiver for the best match to the pre-out level of whatever you're using as pre-amp.

 

[Quailrancher]

What crossover? Why? Sherwood what?

I have a subwoofer amplifier which runs directly from the crossover subwoofer output. Crossover for the subwoofer is set at 100 Hz low pass (which works well) and 100 Hz high pass for the main speakers.

The Sherwood receiver is a RX 4105

 

[Quailrancher]

So no crossover, just using a spare receiver as power amp? Any of the line inputs on the receiver would work (except phono as that would apply the phono stage/riaa eq), although you may have to fuss a bit with the volume control on the receiver for the best match to the pre-out level of whatever you're using as pre-amp.

Sorry. The crossover is a Rockville RX230.

 

[lovinthehd]

Looks like you'll need some xlr to rca cables to connect the Rockville to the Sherwood. As before as far as which input to use on the Sherwood and using the volume on the Sherwood appropriately....how will you balance the output of sub & speaker?

 

[Quailrancher]

Without line inputs ... it’s hard. Those inputs are made for a steady signal and you use the volume to adjust it. With a power amp the line inputs are for variable signal. So you set the volume and forget it.

Doesn't my receiver consist of a tuner, a preamp, and a power amp in one box, and doesn't the preamp convert input to what the power amp needs?

 

[Quailrancher]

Looks like you'll need some xlr to rca cables to connect the Rockville to the Sherwood. As before as far as which input to use on the Sherwood and using the volume on the Sherwood appropriately....how will you balance the output of sub & speaker?

I have the cables i used to connect the crossover to the defunct class D amplifier and they fit. The sub amplifier has a volume control.

 

[lovinthehd]

Doesn't my receiver consist of a tuner, a preamp, and a power amp in one box, and doesn't the preamp convert input to what the power amp needs?

Yes, that's what a receiver consists of. Are you using it as simply an amp, tho? The only gain control you'll have is either the volume control on the Sherwood and any kind of gain adjustment on your Rockville (I just looked at connection type since you didn't say how you planned to feed signal to the crossover) for the speakers you hook up to the Sherwood. What will you hook up to the crossover as source? Or do you want to use the receiver more than just as power amp?

 

[lovinthehd]

If you want to insert the crossover in the signal path of the receiver then use the tape loop since it doesn't have a pre-out/main in set of connections.

 

[Quailrancher]

Yes, that's what a receiver consists of. Are you using it as simply an amp, tho? The only gain control you'll have is either the volume control on the Sherwood and any kind of gain adjustment on your Rockville (I just looked at connection type since you didn't say how you planned to feed signal to the crossover) for the speakers you hook up to the Sherwood. What will you hook up to the crossover as source? Or do you want to use the receiver more than just as power amp?

The chain starts with a CD player (no fm stations at the tip of the Big Island of Hawaii unless you like Hawaiian Music). This goes to a Rockville REQ231 equalizer, and from there to the Rockville RX230 crossover. From the crossover to the stereo and sup amps. Stereo output is from 100Hz up, and sub output is from 100 Hz down. Judging from single channel performance, this worked very well. The purpose of the sub is to keep large cone excursion out of the main speakers.
I assumed that the input options on the Sherwood were all preamp. However, the whole Sherwood business went down in flames when I hooked it up and turned it on. Dead as a door nail. Research showed that it was made in China. Now I have to find an amp on Amazon, which means playing Chinese roulette again. One in twelve failure is about the best you can expect, even with name brands. The current Sherwood is one in five.

 

[markw]

Doesn't my receiver consist of a tuner, a preamp, and a power amp in one box, and doesn't the preamp convert input to what the power amp needs?

True, but you have no way to separate those functions. You would normally insert the crossover between the preamp output and the main input but without the ability to electrically isolate them from each other, you've got issues.

 

[lovinthehd]

The chain starts with a CD player (no fm stations at the tip of the Big Island of Hawaii unless you like Hawaiian Music). This goes to a Rockville REQ231 equalizer, and from there to the Rockville RX230 crossover. From the crossover to the stereo and sup amps. Stereo output is from 100Hz up, and sub output is from 100 Hz down. Judging from single channel performance, this worked very well. The purpose of the sub is to keep large cone excursion out of the main speakers.
I assumed that the input options on the Sherwood were all preamp. However, the whole Sherwood business went down in flames when I hooked it up and turned it on. Dead as a door nail. Research showed that it was made in China. Now I have to find an amp on Amazon, which means playing Chinese roulette again. One in twelve failure is about the best you can expect, even with name brands. The current Sherwood is one in five.

Check out the Crown XLS 1002/1502s perhaps would work for you, depending on your budget, with your gear it should be fine as long as you don't need other receiver/pre-amp functions.

 

[TLS Guy]

Your problem is that with your set up you need a pre amp and power amp in separate boxes. You connect the preamp to the peripherals like your CD player. The crossover is then connected to the output if the preamp. The high pass is connected to your new power amp and the low pass goes to the sub. This is the only way you can control high pass and low pass balance with a single volume control.

If you use an integrated amp then you need one with bass management and then get rid of your crossover. There are no other options to do what you want other than using an AV receiver and again getting rid of your crossover. That is with new equipment. You could look for a vintage receiver with jumpers between the preamp and power amp stages. Quite a few vintage receivers were configured that way. You would remove the jumpers and connect the output to your crossover and send the high pass output back to the power amp inputs and the low pass to the sub amp.

That is all of your options.

 

[Quailrancher]

True, but you have no way to separate those functions. You would normally insert the crossover between the preamp output and the main input but without the ability to electrically isolate them from each other, you've got issues.

I currently follow the crossover with a stereo class D amp and a subwoofer class D amp and, while the stereo amp has a dead channel, otherwise it works well and sounds fine. The Sherwood receiver is dead and gone, so I can't comment on that.

 

[TLS Guy]

I currently follow the crossover with a stereo class D amp and a subwoofer class D amp and, while the stereo amp has a dead channel, otherwise it works well and sounds fine. The Sherwood receiver is dead and gone, so I can't comment on that.

We know that, but it is incorrect and NOT a workable solution. You need a control unit ahead of the crossover otherwise your speakers and sub are not under synchronous control.