Connect a subwoofer to Pioneer amplifier

[Landola]

Hello,
i am a newbie in hifi. I bought an older stereo amplifier. It is a Pioneer rds804. On the back side of this i have one rca connection that is for suwoofer pre out. So now i have to buy a used subwoofer. What shoul i look for to buy a sub that will be possible to connect to this amplifier? Must it be a line in 3,5 mm connection on the backside to achive this? See pictures from manual.
TIA
/L

 

[TLS Guy]

Hello,
i am a newbie in hifi. I bought an older stereo amplifier. It is a Pioneer rds804. On the back side of this i have one rca connection that is for suwoofer pre out. So now i have to buy a used subwoofer. What shoul i look for to buy a sub that will be possible to connect to this amplifier? Must it be a line in 3,5 mm connection on the backside to achive this? See pictures from manual.
TIA
/L

Are you sure you have the model number correct. I can find no data on that unit at all, and so can not find the specs of that subwoofer out.

If that was part of some all in one system you have probably made a very unwise purchase.

 

[Landola]

Are you sure you have the model number correct. I can find no data on that unit at all, and so can not find the specs of that subwoofer out.

If that was part of some all in one system you have probably made a very unwise purchase.

Sorry, it should be pioneer vsx804rds , https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/pioneer/vsx-804rds.shtml

 

[TLS Guy]

Sorry, it should be pioneer vsx804rds , https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/pioneer/vsx-804rds.shtml

There is no English manual available. However, that is an old 1995 multichannel receiver, with totally outdated technology. That unit is useless in this day and age, and was a total waste of money. Older two channel receivers can still be put to use, but not those sort of horrors. It is useless as receivers like that became outdated after the AV analog sunset which happened for reasons to do with digital rights management.

 

[Landola]

There is no English manual available. However, that is an old 1995 multichannel receiver, with totally outdated technology. That unit is useless in this day and age, and was a total waste of money. Older two channel receivers can still be put to use, but not those sort of horrors. It is useless as receivers like that became outdated after the AV analog sunset which happened for reasons to do with digital rights management.

Yes i know that it is very old. But it sounds fine to me. But there must be options to connect a sub to it? Not counting on a brand new modern sub. Will not spent lot of money on this old reciever.
/L

 

[TLS Guy]

Yes i know that it is very old. But it sounds fine to me. But there must be options to connect a sub to it? Not counting on a brand new modern sub. Will not spent lot of money on this old reciever.
/L

Well, that's the problem. I don't understand those languages. Since I am a bonafide English Expat, I believe the whole world should speak English. Because of the type of plug I am suspicious this old unit may be designed for a passive sub. So the first step is to find out if it needs a passive or an active sub. Passive subs have not been made for years and would be very hard to find. I am also suspicious that it may require an odd impedance. So it is very likely you will not find a sub that can be used. If you can't translate the user manual into English then we can not help you.

 

[Landola]

Well, that's the problem. I don't understand those languages. Since I am a bonafide English Expat, I believe the whole world should speak English. Because of the type of plug I am suspicious this old unit may be designed for a passive sub. So the first step is to find out if it needs a passive or an active sub. Passive subs have not been made for years and would be very hard to find. I am also suspicious that it may require an odd impedance. So it is very likely you will not find a sub that can be used. If you can't translate the user manual into English then we can not help you.

I have an english paper manual. Will attach 3 here, maybe that can help?

 

[lovinthehd]

Not sure why you think a 3.5mm jack would be an input on a sub, generally they're rca as well. Probably even the headphone out jack is 1/4"/6.35mm rather than a 3.5mm type. Typically to connect a sub you just use an rca male--male cable to connect the avr to the sub.

I had a 504 a long time ago, don't remember much about it, tho.....but something like this while extremely limited in use today, could function as a simple receiver well enough.

 

[TLS Guy]

I have an english paper manual. Will attach 3 here, maybe that can help?

I don't see any mention of a sub out in the specification. I have never heard of a jack like you describe being a sub out. In 1995 subs were very uncommon.

I have an english paper manual. Will attach 3 here, maybe that can help?

Those pictures were not helpful. The English manual gives no spec. on that sub out. I did manage to find a crude circuit diagram. That unit seems a particularly nasty contraption. The sub out has no crossover and is connected to the front and center power amps via resistor network, which is a particularly nasty affair.

If you have not bought a sub I wouldn't. If you have you can try using a mono micro connector to RCA.

The manual is particularly silent about that connector, but does say you can connect to a power amp connected to a sub. These days subs have their own power amp.
I have a strong suspicion that they were hoping no one would try and use that connection. You will have to use the crossover in the sub. As far as I can deduce that sub output is full range.

My advice is to drop that unit like a hot potato, if it still works, as I doubt it will work for long.

 

[lovinthehd]

I don't see any mention of a sub out in the specification. I have never heard of a jack like you describe being a sub out. In 1995 subs were very uncommon.


Those pictures were not helpful. The English manual gives no spec. on that sub out. I did manage to find a crude circuit diagram. That unit seems a particularly nasty contraption. The sub out has no crossover and is connected to the front and center power amps via resistor network, which is a particularly nasty affair.

If you have not bought a sub I wouldn't. If you have you can try using a mono micro connector to RCA.

The manual is particularly silent about that connector, but does say you can connect to a power amp connected to a sub. These days subs have their own power amp.
I have a strong suspicion that they were hoping no one would try and use that connection. You will have to use the crossover in the sub. As far as I can deduce that sub output is full range.

My advice is to drop that unit like a hot potato, if it still works, as I doubt it will work for long.

Looking at the rear panel it has pre-outs (rca) for both sub and center channel. I don't remember what it has for bass management, but it may have been fixed/minimal.

 

[TLS Guy]

Looking at the rear panel it has pre-outs (rca) for both sub and center channel. I don't remember what it has for bass management, but it may have been fixed/minimal.

I can tell from the circuit that there is NO bass management. It is a very crude circuit, and I mean crude. It is derived through a resistor circuit from the right, left and center power amps.

 

[lovinthehd]

I can tell from the circuit that there is NO bass management. It is a very crude circuit, and I mean crude. It is derived through a resistor circuit from the right, left and center power amps.

Would that be like what many 2ch integrated amps offer for such? I didn't have a sub back when I had the similar Pioneer but found a manual for mine, no sign of bass management but don't think I had any content back then for the LFE channel if it even accommodated that...any sign of that in the schematics?

 

[TLS Guy]

Would that be like what many 2ch integrated amps offer for such? I didn't have a sub back when I had the similar Pioneer but found a manual for mine, no sign of bass management but don't think I had any content back then for the LFE channel if it even accommodated that...any sign of that in the schematics?

I certainly hope not. I would have thought the sub out would be supplied via a dual channel Buffer IC op amp, and the channels mixed so they don't interfere with one another.
I have not looked at a circuit for one. Firms are paranoid someone will copy their circuit, which they won't, if they publish them.