How to hook up sub to receiver with no sub out.

E

erics

Audiophyte
I'm going to be getting some bookshelf speakers, something like the Bose 201 series, and a receiver to match the speakers. However, the receiver i'm planning on buying has no sub output. Is there anyway I can hook up the sub to the receiver? I've hooked my sub to my friend's speaker system using the headphone jack into the amp for my sub, but that's probably not the best way to do it. The sub amp I have is an instrument-grade Mackie 1400i. Thanks for the help folks.
 
A

allargon

Audioholic General
I'm going to be getting some bookshelf speakers, something like the Bose 201 series, and a receiver to match the speakers. However, the receiver i'm planning on buying has no sub output. Is there anyway I can hook up the sub to the receiver? I've hooked my sub to my friend's speaker system using the headphone jack into the amp for my sub, but that's probably not the best way to do it. The sub amp I have is an instrument-grade Mackie 1400i. Thanks for the help folks.
Please don't say that you're BUYING Bose on this site. That's a whole 'nuther ball of wax. What kind of receiver do you have? Is this a stereo receiver? You're correct that the head phone jack is not a good way to do it. Usually the sub should only have low frequencies sent to it not the full range (and TWO channels) that would be sent by a headphone jack.
 
E

erics

Audiophyte
Please don't say that you're BUYING Bose on this site. That's a whole 'nuther ball of wax. What kind of receiver do you have? Is this a stereo receiver? You're correct that the head phone jack is not a good way to do it. Usually the sub should only have low frequencies sent to it not the full range (and TWO channels) that would be sent by a headphone jack.
I don't have the receiver for the speakers yet, but the one i'm looking at is a stereo receiver. Also, the amp for my sub has a built-in crossover, so only the low frequencies are sent to the actual sub. So if there is no sub output in the receiver, am I pretty much screwed?
 
WmAx

WmAx

Audioholic Samurai
I don't have the receiver for the speakers yet, but the one i'm looking at is a stereo receiver. Also, the amp for my sub has a built-in crossover, so only the low frequencies are sent to the actual sub. So if there is no sub output in the receiver, am I pretty much screwed?
Why bother with that receiver then? You really need a receiver with built in active crossover and sub output so that it can apply crossover to both the main speakers and the subwoofer. If you don't then you lose clarity at moderate volume levels(because the small main speakers will be straining, with the midwoofer moving substantial distance, out of the linear range of the motor), as well as operating over the same band as the subwoofer, overlapping, causing additional problems.

I highly recommend Onkyo TX-SR505 or TX-SR506 surround receiver. You can just use it i stereo mode. But it's high quality and has active crossover and subwoofer output. It even looks quality, with a nice considerable aluminum front, where as most in this price range are cheap plastic. You should find this for well under $200 if you shop around online.

As for speakers, you can do far better than Bose for the same money. But it's up to you whether you want to go with Bose, of course.

You state the sub amp you have. What actual sub do you have?

-Chris
 
Y

yeahman68

Audioholic Intern
I'm in the same problem as you erics, I'm may have to switch receivers now, because as WmAx said, that there's no use of the crossover due to the absence of the sub-out. However, my uncle has hooked his sub to a stereo receiver without a sub-out, and he is able to use his crossover settings, is there anyway that he could have done this, maybe some weird adapter?
 
B

brendy

Audioholic
I don't have the receiver for the speakers yet, but the one i'm looking at is a stereo receiver. Also, the amp for my sub has a built-in crossover, so only the low frequencies are sent to the actual sub. So if there is no sub output in the receiver, am I pretty much screwed?
No, you can use the speaker level inputs on the sub.
 

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