"Box Set Sub" or "What-I'm-Cheap-Ok?"

[allforthename]

Hi all -

I'm a newb with a brand new receiver (Marantz SR5004) and 2 loudspeakers (vintage McIntosh XD715's) that I purchased after much help from the wonderful folks here.

So here's my new question: I have an old-ish box set surround sound kit from Samsung. I was thinking about selling it on Craigslist, but I doubt I'd get that much for it. So what about hooking up this subwoofer to the Marantz and using it with the McIntosh's? It's a Samsung PS-WP38 "Sub Woofer Speaker System" (here's the link to the set: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-HT-WP38-Theater-Wireless-Channel/dp/B0007RXJ5Y )

Am I going to damage the Marantz by hooking this sub up? I'm not an audiophile, so I'm not terribly worried about pitch/tone being exactly the same from different manufactures. I'm just slowly, scrapily (a word?) building a HT system and would love to have a sub without spending a bunch of money.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[GranteedEV]

Your mains probably have better bass than that piece of crap. I'd throw it in the trash and just use the bass in the mains. The marantz won't get wrecked from hooking it up to crap, but it's kinda pointless. Just wait til you can afford a real $500+ subwoofer, and until then enjoy the bass your huge mains provide!! If you want to try it out, go ahead, but my guess is that you're better off hearing less bass, than the distorted, bloated bass those tiny HTIB subs tend to provide.

 

[bikdav]

As far as any electrical damage is concerned, you won't have any problems. But, that subwoofer will be sonically drowned out with the Marantz receiver and McIntosh Xd-715 speaker combination. Seeing that the speaker is a 10 inch three way system, I'd go for a 12 or 15 inch subwoofer. Good quality 12s are plentiful without heart attack inducing prices attached to them. Some start at $400 or a little less.