Please help! Hooking up new Subwoofer and Receiver

[rcalhou]

I consider myself below the level of novice or beginner when it comes to home theater equipment and electronics, seriously. I need help determining what I need to buy and what I need to do. The guys at my local Radio Shack and Best Buy have failed me.

I recently purchased a new receiver, a Denon AVR-1913. I also purchased a dual in-wall subwoofer, a Pyle PDIWS28. The Denon has what looks like a subwoofer cable input. The Pyle subwoofer has a red and black coming out of each of the two subs, so 2 red/2 black. I already have the sub wired back to the receiver area with regular speaker wire. I have no idea how to hook the rest of this up. Do I need an amp? What type of wire would go from the amp to the receiver input? The receiver is a 7.1 channel and I'm already using the 7 channels for ceiling speakers. Can I parallel the two sub speakers since I don't have a 7.2 receiver?

Please help! I can use explanations on what type of amp I might need ( somethinglow end, just for tv use and occasional ipod listening), and also some advice on what type of wires/cable I need as well. I guess I should've thought of all of this earlier.

Thanks.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

Yes, you need an amplifier to run those Pyle subs.

1) You'll connect the receiver to an amp using an RCA interconnect cable. You can get those many places, and you can get ones that are just fine for <$10. For example, here's a six-foot one from Monoprice.com.

2) As for an amp, there are many choices out there. The first one that came to mind for me was the Dayton Audio APA150. You can hook both sub drivers up to it at a max output of 75W in stereo mode. It's at Parts Express for $119.

Because your amp only has a single output for the sub amp, you'd use a y-splitter to connect it to the two RCA inputs on the Dayton if you got that. Something like shown below, or you could just get a single cable with one male RCA on one end and two male RCAs on the other.

 

[rcalhou]

Adam - thanks for the great feedback and advice. I plan on buying the cables and amp that you recommended. One last question: what exactly is the y-splitter called? I searched on google and there are a ton of choices.

I might be back to ask you questions on how to wire everything! Thanks again.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Adam - thanks for the great feedback and advice. I plan on buying the cables and amp that you recommended. One last question: what exactly is the y-splitter called? I searched on google and there are a ton of choices.

I might be back to ask you questions on how to wire everything! Thanks again.

Here you go. You can also just run to Radio Shack and grab one for cheap.

Dayton Audio RCAY-MFF RCA Y Cable 1 M To 2 F 181-692

I got one that is like this but not from Monster. You are not allowed to use Monster and be an Audioholic.
http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=655

If you end up buying wire and cable online. Mono Price and Blue Jean Cable's is the places to use.

 

[markw]

OR, you might be able to find a servicable "Y" connector at a well-stocked dollar store.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

OR, you might be able to find a servicable "Y" connector at a well-stocked dollar store.

...or....he could look in my spare gear box, I bet there is 10 in there...

 

[audioholic212]

You are not allowed to use Monster and be an Audioholic.

Unless you got those Monster products for pennies when Circuit City closed down.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Unless you got those Monster products for pennies when Circuit City closed down.

I actually prefer their Banana Plugs to all other's on the market. I use them but I play like I don't. I did actually get them at the closing of CC.

You can actually pick up your amp by the speaker cable with these plugs. I know because I picked up my EMO and slung it around. Don't tell Rick.

http://www.nextwarehouse.com/item/?1133588_g10e

 

[audioholic212]

I used these for my banana plugs. They lost tension in them around a year ago.

Banana

 

[afterlife2]

Here is some stuff you can read on your spare time: http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/884979-post2.html

 

[rcalhou]

Do I need a 6 inch y splitter that has 2 female/1 male, or 1 female/2 male?

 

[rcalhou]

I'm still confused. Are you suggesting that I need to buy a 6 foot interconnect cable as well as a 6 inch y splitter cable (2 male/1 female)? How would I use each cable?

I only have one input for the subwoofer on the Denon AVR-1913 receiver, so would I only need the y splitter to run to the amp? Would I need a 3 male y splitter to power both subs?

 

[Adam]

Hi. You just need some way to connect one RCA jack on your Denon to two RCA jacks on the amp. You only need to use two inputs on that Dayton - one for each of the sub drivers.

You can do that with a single cable or with multiple cables. Single cables with one male RCA plug on one end and two male RCA plugs on the other end are available (example shown below), but finding one with the length that you want might be difficult. It's likely easier to find a male RCA to male RCA interconnect (those are very easy to find in any number of lengths) and a female RCA to two male RCA y-splitter cable.

Speaking of cable lengths, the length that you want with depend on how far apart you'd like the receiver and amp to be. The six-foot cable that I posted was just an example...you can get them in a lot of different lengths.

 

[ImcLoud]

I consider myself below the level of novice or beginner when it comes to home theater equipment and electronics, seriously. I need help determining what I need to buy and what I need to do. The guys at my local Radio Shack and Best Buy have failed me.

I recently purchased a new receiver, a Denon AVR-1913. I also purchased a dual in-wall subwoofer, a Pyle PDIWS28. The Denon has what looks like a subwoofer cable input. The Pyle subwoofer has a red and black coming out of each of the two subs, so 2 red/2 black. I already have the sub wired back to the receiver area with regular speaker wire. I have no idea how to hook the rest of this up. Do I need an amp? What type of wire would go from the amp to the receiver input? The receiver is a 7.1 channel and I'm already using the 7 channels for ceiling speakers. Can I parallel the two sub speakers since I don't have a 7.2 receiver?

Please help! I can use explanations on what type of amp I might need ( somethinglow end, just for tv use and occasional ipod listening), and also some advice on what type of wires/cable I need as well. I guess I should've thought of all of this earlier.

Thanks.

Which amps are you going to get? you may need splitter cables for them too..

 

[afterlife2]

Which amps are you going to get? you may need splitter cables for them too..

He's got a Denon AVR-1913.

 

[markw]

He's got a Denon AVR-1913.

I think it's the amp he's feeding that into we need to know. It might be a two channel amp.

 

[rcalhou]

Here's the latest. I purchased the Dayton Audio APA150 amp. I also picked up an rca splitter, 1 male/2 male. I wired the subwoofer speaker wires to the APA150 and plugged in the 2 rca plugs as well. Then I plugged the other RCA end into the Denon AVR-1913. I wasn't getting any sound out of the subwoofer so I thought I might need to recalibrate my receiver so I went through that process again with the microphone in each location of the room. During this process I actually heard the subwoofer. My issue now however, is that I'm not getting any sound from the sub when I'm watching TV or plug in the Ipod. All of the 7 ceiling speakers are working fine. I will say though, that when I use the Ipod that all only 5 of the speakers produce sound. The 2 surround sound speakers only put out sound from the TV.

Can someone explain why my sub is not putting out any sound, and why my 2 surround speakers only put out TV volume? I feel that I must have the sub wired properly because I heard it during the calibration process.

Thanks again. This forum has helped me a ton.

 

[Adam]

Hi. Often, the auto calibration systems on receivers will set speakers to "large," which results in the sub(s) not being used much. Check to see if that happened, and if so, set your speakers to "small."

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Here's the latest. I purchased the Dayton Audio APA150 amp. I also picked up an rca splitter, 1 male/2 male. I wired the subwoofer speaker wires to the APA150 and plugged in the 2 rca plugs as well. Then I plugged the other RCA end into the Denon AVR-1913. I wasn't getting any sound out of the subwoofer so I thought I might need to recalibrate my receiver so I went through that process again with the microphone in each location of the room. During this process I actually heard the subwoofer. My issue now however, is that I'm not getting any sound from the sub when I'm watching TV or plug in the Ipod. All of the 7 ceiling speakers are working fine. I will say though, that when I use the Ipod that all only 5 of the speakers produce sound. The 2 surround sound speakers only put out sound from the TV.

Can someone explain why my sub is not putting out any sound, and why my 2 surround speakers only put out TV volume? I feel that I must have the sub wired properly because I heard it during the calibration process.

Thanks again. This forum has helped me a ton.

Read this:

Setup Guide | batpigworld