Matching Sub to Receiver?

[cdccarter]

I am new to audio/home theater setup and am getting ready to buy new speakers that will work with my existing Panasonic SA-HT280 receiver.

I think I have found an attractive speaker set (yes, it has to look good in my living room, as well as sound good), however I am a little concerned about the sub that comes with the ONKYO SKS-HT240 Home Theater Speaker Kit I am looking to buy.

Here are the important specs (or at least I think they are important)

Receiver: Panasonic SA-HT280
* 20HZ-20kHz both channels driven
* 100 W per channel (8 ohmz)

Output at 1kHz each channel driven
* .9% total harmonic distortion
* Front 2 X 100W (8ohmz)
* Center 2 X 100W (8ohmz)
* Surround 2 X 100W (8ohmz)
* Sub (100 Hz) 100W (8ohmz) - The original sub that came with the receiver does not have its own power supply (passive?)

Speakers I want to buy: ONKYO SKS-HT240
* 2-way - Active subwoofer, passive satellites
* Response Bandwidth 27 - 35000 Hz
* Active subwoofer - 150 Watt - 27 - 150 Hz - 15 KOhm - Wired
* Right/left channel speaker - 2-way - 100 Watt - 55 - 35000 Hz - 8 Ohm - Wired
* Right/left rear channel speaker - 2-way - 100 Watt - 65 - 35000 Hz - 8 Ohm - Wired
* Center channel speaker - 2-way - 100 Watt - 65 - 35000 Hz - 8 Ohm - Wired
* In one of the reviews for the set it says "Since the subwoofer's connectivity is limited to just a single RCA line-level input, it can be used only with receivers that have a line-level subwoofer output." But I don't know what this means.


So, does anyone have any concerns with me hooking these speakers up to the receiver? I don't want to burn my house down or anything.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me. I am looking forward to my big-boy TV and theater setup!!!

Thanks!!!

 

[armaraas]

I don't live next to you, so go ahead and hook it up!

Alright, just kidding. Seriously, don't go running to get the speakers because of me, wait for someone more knowledgeable to chime in too. I looked up the manual for the receiver, I think I found it but not sure, does it look like this one?
http://www.usersmanualguide.com/panasonic/home_theater_audio_system/sa-ht280

I'm thinking the subwoofer with the Onkyo speakers is not going to work with your receiver. The receiver appears to have just a speaker wire connection for the subwoofer and not an RCA jack, so yes I believe the original sub was probably powered by the receiver just like the speakers.
I didn't see an RCA jack for the sub listed in the receiver manual. I don't know of a way to get that to work, maybe someone else here will have an idea...

 

[TLS Guy]

I am new to audio/home theater setup and am getting ready to buy new speakers that will work with my existing Panasonic SA-HT280 receiver.

I think I have found an attractive speaker set (yes, it has to look good in my living room, as well as sound good), however I am a little concerned about the sub that comes with the ONKYO SKS-HT240 Home Theater Speaker Kit I am looking to buy.

Here are the important specs (or at least I think they are important)

Receiver: Panasonic SA-HT280
* 20HZ-20kHz both channels driven
* 100 W per channel (8 ohmz)

Output at 1kHz each channel driven
* .9% total harmonic distortion
* Front 2 X 100W (8ohmz)
* Center 2 X 100W (8ohmz)
* Surround 2 X 100W (8ohmz)
* Sub (100 Hz) 100W (8ohmz) - The original sub that came with the receiver does not have its own power supply (passive?)

Speakers I want to buy: ONKYO SKS-HT240
* 2-way - Active subwoofer, passive satellites
* Response Bandwidth 27 - 35000 Hz
* Active subwoofer - 150 Watt - 27 - 150 Hz - 15 KOhm - Wired
* Right/left channel speaker - 2-way - 100 Watt - 55 - 35000 Hz - 8 Ohm - Wired
* Right/left rear channel speaker - 2-way - 100 Watt - 65 - 35000 Hz - 8 Ohm - Wired
* Center channel speaker - 2-way - 100 Watt - 65 - 35000 Hz - 8 Ohm - Wired
* In one of the reviews for the set it says "Since the subwoofer's connectivity is limited to just a single RCA line-level input, it can be used only with receivers that have a line-level subwoofer output." But I don't know what this means.


So, does anyone have any concerns with me hooking these speakers up to the receiver? I don't want to burn my house down or anything.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me. I am looking forward to my big-boy TV and theater setup!!!

Thanks!!!

You need a receiver with an LFE out at line level for a powered sub. By the way avoid Far Eastern speakers, they are almost always strangely voiced. I'm yet to hear a set of Asian speakers, I would give house room to. Choosing speakers is not primarily a matter of interior design, but it is a consideration. A good looking lousy product is waste of space and money.

 

[Exit]

If you don't have a low level subwoofer out but still want to add an additional subwoofer, look for a subwoofer that will take high level speaker wire inputs. For cost savings, some subwoofers do not include these inputs and only have low level RCA connector inputs. Look on the back of the subwoofer for places to connect speaker wires and if you find these than you have a subwoofer you can connect to your system via speaker wire from the main channels. There is usually speaker inputs for the left and right speakers for positive and negative connections each. If you are looking at text descriptions, look for mention of speaker level inputs.

 

[cdccarter]

armaraas. Yes, that is indeed my user manual. Thanks for checking.

It sounds like all the speakers but the sub will work. I think that is ok, as astetically, it is the front and center speakers that I am most concerned about. The clean/low-profile look will make my wife happy.

I still have the sub that came with this unit. I have been pleased with the sound and can continue to use it. The sub will be in a fairly discreate part of the room, so looks won't matter as much.

I read reviews about the SA-HT280 that said it also had RCA LFE out at line level for a powered sub. But it doesn't show in the manual, so I may need to do some figuring it out.

 

[destrada]

I have that HTIB. It does have a subwoofer out, although I've never used it.

 

[lsiberian]

Ok seriously?

your wasting your money on that system.

If your concerned with looks save up and get a KEF 3005 set.

If your unwilling to save then get a KEF 1000 set from accessories 4 less.

Or how about the EMP set on our website that goes for 500. It's way better than the Onkyo system.

Seriously those speakers are a bad purchase from an audio person's perspective. You'd be better off keeping your money than spending it on that junk.

Speakers look nice if they have a good finish and they are perfectly normal to see in people's homes.