How do I connect my subwoofer to my receiver?

[kdavis1049]

I just bought a JBL Sub10 subwoofer that has RCA connectors and I need some help in wiring it to my receiver. I have a Sony STR-D615 receiver which has surround speaker connections but no sub connectors. I have read a few applications on other sites like bi-wiring it to the center connectors or the front left/right connectors. Or via the tape deck connectors. My question is what is the best or at least the only viable method for connecting my sub to this receiver short of buying a newer receiver. This one is 13 years old and is OK but limited.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

A nice thing about that JBL sub is that it has speaker level connections. So, you could run the cables for your front main speakers to the sub, then run cables from the sub to your front main speakers. You would use the crossover on the subwoofer to control which frequencies were handled by the sub and which were handled by your front speakers. With that type of connection, whichever frequencies were handled by the sub (the frequencies below the setting on the crossover dial) wouldn't be sent to the front main speakers.

There are other ways to do it, but that's a good way if you got the sub because your speakers were lacking in bass.

Are you wanting to have the bass still played by your main speakers and by the sub?

 

[kdavis1049]

Thanks for your input Adam. However, the sub only has three RCA ports:
LFE Left Right
You say run the cables for my front main speakers to the sub, then run cables from the sub to my front main speakers. Would I use a Y connector? And if so on which?

 

[Adam]

Are you saying that your sub doesn't have speaker-level inputs? If it doesn't, then my apologies. When I looked up your sub, I went to the JBL product page linked here. The description and owner's manual both indicate speaker-level connections in addition to those RCA inputs.

You definitely do not want to run speaker-level signals to the those RCA connectors! Let's see if we can find a good way to do this.

If you don't have speaker-level inputs on the sub, I'm curious why the information from JBL indicates speaker-level connections. Could you please let me know if I linked to the wrong product page? Thanks.

 

[sawzalot]

The Jbl sub 10 does have speaks in and out in addition to the rca inputs,I dont know if some change has just recently been made though.

 

[kdavis1049]

Yes Adam that is the wrong page but it's not your fault because I can't find my sub on JBL's website. The one they have displayed is a 10" 150 watt RMS and mine is an 10" 100 watt with a different setup. My Owner's Guide says: JBL Balboa SUB10 (120v).

 

[kdavis1049]

I did some more searching and found a page on the Harman JBL site which is the correct info for my sub. I tried to include the link on this message but this site won't let me because I have lest than 5 posts.

 

[Adam]

Hmmm. I'm trying to think of a way to do this that is going to be better than just buying a new receiver. I'm still coming up to speed on this year's crop of receivers (and some new price points that are out there), but about six months ago you could get the Onkyo 506 for under $200 - and I think that it would beat that Sony hands down. I still have to find my bargain receiver for this year, though. I only mention that as a point of reference for when you're deciding what to do. You don't need to spend a lot of money to get a new receiver these days.

My leading option right now is this - for $20, you can buy a box that will convert speaker-level signals to line-level signals (like this one from Crutchfield). You could connect the "B" speaker outputs to that box, then connect the RCA line-level outputs from the box to your sub. With that type of connection, you would be able to control the volume of the sub from your receiver. You wouldn't be able to redirect any of the bass from the other speakers to the sub, but the sub would play the same bass that was being sent to the front speakers (and you'd control the frequencies using the crossover dial on the sub, assuming it has one - I'll go check that HK site in a second).

You could also use the REC OUT jacks from the TAPE/MD connections on the receiver (like you mentioned above), but that output is not controlled by the volume control on the receiver. It will be a fairly high signal level, too. So, that is not a good way to go, IMO. You can always try it, but I suggest that you start with the volume knob on the sub turned all of the way down to prevent it from getting damaged from the high signal.

 

[kdavis1049]

Adam: I checked the Crutchfield site and it says it's for a car stereo setup. Would it work for a home stereo setup?

As far as new receivers are concerned: I found a Yamaha RX-V463 5.1 channel and a Denon AVR-588 7.1 channel on eBay both for less than $200. Both look like good boxes but in your (and anyone else on here) opinion which would you go for?

 

[Adam]

Adam: I checked the Crutchfield site and it says it's for a car stereo setup. Would it work for a home stereo setup?

Someone (and I apologize because the name escapes me at the moment) PM'd me a couple of weeks ago to let me know that box is good up to an 80W input. You should verify that with Crutchfield if you're thinking about buying it, but it should handle the signal from your receiver just fine.

As far as new receivers are concerned: I found a Yamaha RX-V463 5.1 channel and a Denon AVR-588 7.1 channel on eBay both for less than $200. Both look like good boxes but in your (and anyone else on here) opinion which would you go for?

Those are both good brands. Check the features and see if they have what you want. I'm not that familiar with either one of those, so I'll let others give their opinions on which is best.

 

[kdavis1049]

OK Adam, thanks for all your input. I got a lot more info than I had before. Not sure which way I'll go at this point. Both the Yamaha and the Denon have what I need and I would prefer the new receiver route but I have a wife that says I'm spending too much on audio and computer equipment and she'll have a duck if I buy a new receiver so for now, I'll probably go the 19.99route for the Crutchfield thing. But if anyone else has anymore input, I am all ears. Thanks to you Adam and Sawsalot(sp)?

 

[kdavis1049]

Thanks a lot for all your input Adam and others. I know a lot more than I first did. Don't know which way I'll go yet. Both the Yamaha and Denon receivers have what I need and want but the Crutchfield thing sounds like what I'll go with for awhile until I can justify spending more money.

 

[Adam]

Always happy to help when I can! I'd say call Crutchfield and make sure that will work for you, but I think it will. $20 isn't all too bad to get the sub up and running, and it's a lot cheaper than a divorce.