Need help hooking up 2 subwoofers!!!

[jdog4411]

Quick question for anyone regarding hooking up multiple subwoofers to my home theater system. I have new Pioneer receiver, but it only has one output for a subwoofer. Im looking to hook up two PSW250 Polk Audio subs to the receiver. I'm pretty sure from reading other stuff that I can use a Y-adapter. My subwoofers however have a right and left input (red and white). Do I have to split the signal out of the reciever and then split again after the Y-adapter, or can I just split once and only plug into one input on each subwoofer? Will splitting twice affect the sound quality much? Thanks for your help.

 

[MikeSp]

You can use a splitter right out of the receiver's LFE output and probably then just connect the left LFE input of each sub (think that many subs will default to the left when only one input is used). Some subs will add a little more gain with a Y at the sub so that both the R & L inputs are used.

MikeSp

 

[majorloser]

I have three powered subs (yeah, I know, overkill)

I daisy chained them together. One cable out of the processor's LFE ouput wyed into both of the first sub's inputs and used a wye on the pass-thru RCA outputs to the second sub and used the same method to get the signal to the last sub.

That way it's only one run of cable around the room from the components in a closet on the side of the room to the subs across the front of the room.

 

[Phantomguy]

I have three powered subs (yeah, I know, overkill)

I daisy chained them together. One cable out of the processor's LFE ouput wyed into both of the first sub's inputs and used a wye on the pass-thru RCA outputs to the second sub and used the same method to get the signal to the last sub.

That way it's only one run of cable around the room from the components in a closet on the side of the room to the subs across the front of the room.

Yeah but doesnt that make 3 parallel drivers? Guess its not like full power/amplified signal coming out of amp where impedence would drop away heaps and overload the amp. So just clarifying - each "+" is connected together and each "-" is connected together? Well so to speak by using a "Y" connector. Right? and no problems?
Phantomguy

 

[toquemon]

I have three powered subs, too. I connected them the same way described before (chained) via line.level connections (not speaker-level). One advantage abount using this method is that you're only using one crossover (the receiver's one).

 

[majorloser]

I have three powered subs, too. I connected them the same way described before (chained) via line.level connections (not speaker-level). One advantage abount using this method is that you're only using one crossover (the receiver's one).

The only somewhat difficult part is ballancing them. I turn the power off on two subs and calibrate the third. Then alternate till I've got them all individually at the same level. Turn them all on and then use the processors LFE level control to set the total level.

 

[Sheep]

Yeah but doesnt that make 3 parallel drivers? Guess its not like full power/amplified signal coming out of amp where impedence would drop away heaps and overload the amp. So just clarifying - each "+" is connected together and each "-" is connected together? Well so to speak by using a "Y" connector. Right? and no problems?
Phantomguy

These are POWERED subwoofers. Hes runs an RCA to one amp, and then from that amp to the next, until all are hooked up. Its not speaker wire to drivers.

SheepStar

 

[saulsaxman]

try this one..

i have a Marantz 7.1 surround receiver- all digital hook ups and i have my speakers routed thru a Rotel multi channel power amp. I have mostly Paradigm speakers and im adding a second subwoofer. should i use the Y adapter to split the signal to the 2 subs from the Rotel? or the Marantz? basically my speaker wires all go into the back of my Rotel and then RCA from Rotel to Marantz

 

[Adam]

i have a Marantz 7.1 surround receiver- all digital hook ups and i have my speakers routed thru a Rotel multi channel power amp. I have mostly Paradigm speakers and im adding a second subwoofer. should i use the Y adapter to split the signal to the 2 subs from the Rotel? or the Marantz? basically my speaker wires all go into the back of my Rotel and then RCA from Rotel to Marantz

Welcome to the forum!

How to connect it depends on what kinds of subs you will have and how you have your system wired up.

Typically, people use their receivers to set the crossover frequency between the sub(s) and the speakers, and they use powered subwoofers. If that's the case with you, then the best connection is to have both subs directly connected to the subwoofer preout on the Marantz - and you'd use a Y-adapter on the Marantz.

If that's not the case for you, let us know.

 

[Q-StiX]

hi, im gonna try the Y adaptors to hook up my 2 subs later today. i have a sw450 klipsch and a 250watt polk audio i forget the exact model..., both powered. do you think it will do any damage to the reciever since it only has the 1 rca for the sub? i dont want it to go in protect mode at high volumes or anything lol... im new, hope i posted this in the right spot. ) thx all

 

[Adam]

hi, im gonna try the Y adaptors to hook up my 2 subs later today. i have a sw450 klipsch and a 250watt polk audio i forget the exact model..., both powered. do you think it will do any damage to the reciever since it only has the 1 rca for the sub? i dont want it to go in protect mode at high volumes or anything lol... im new, hope i posted this in the right spot. ) thx all

Welcome to the forum!

That won't hurt your receiver at all. Because the subs are powered, the receiver isn't using it's own amplifiers to power those subs - so playing them loud won't cause the receiver to get hot and go into protect mode.