Newbie Q: Sony DreamSystem subwoofer to yamaha receiver

[demyers1]

Can I connect a Sony Dreamsystem subwoofer to my new Yamaha receiver?

The Yamaha looks to have just a audio plug for the subwoofer connection.

The Subwoofer has two wire pairs coming out of it?

Is there an adapter that I can wire to???

TIA
Dave

 

[abboudc]

There are two ways of hooking up a sub, basically:
1. Unamplified - this is what you see labelled as Subwoofer Output on your Yamaha.
2. Amplified. Running the main channel(s) for your front speakers into the sub first, then hooking up the speakers to the sub. This is also called speaker level.

You shouldn't need any adapters, etc. Does your sub have RCA input jacks (red and white)? If so, hook up the subwoofer out on your yamaha to either the white or red (not both).

If not, you'll end up having to use the speaker level. No adapters needed.

 

[demyers1]

Thanks, but I'm not clear on what you mean?

I do not have RCA plugs in this Subwoofer.

The subwoofer has two wire pairs coming out of it...
Do I hook those into the front speaker connections on my receiver?

Then where do I hookup the front speaker wires?

Can I connect both my front speakers and the woofer into the front
speaker connections on the receiver? Or will this cause damage?

 

[wafflebird]

You have a non-powered sub

You have a non-powered sub that was originally working with another receiver that had a specific speaker wire output for the sub. I was in the same boat with a Kenwood receiver I had. If you only have a speaker wire connection coming out of the sub you only have a couple of choices;

First choice (and do not take this the wrong way) junk it. It is very difficult to find any current receiver that has a speaker wired output for a sub. Most all (if not all) have the LFE coax style of sub output. If you look around a little you can spend around $200 or so and get a powered sub that will far surpass the ability of the sub in question...... trust me I have been there.

I do know that Radio Shack sells a connector with speaker wire that has the LFE connector on one end and the twin speaker wire ends on the other end. But bear in mind that the sub was probably used to working with a 60-100 watt or so output through the wires to the sub and the LFE signal comming through the receiver will only give you around 25 1/2 watts as most receivers only output about 9 volts max out of the LFE. And 9 volts equals roughly 25.5 watts (2.83 volts per watt 2.83 X 9 = 25.47) so you will really will not get much out of it.

DO yourself a favor and get you a powered sub, do some research once you have your target price and you will be one happy camper once you are done. Check out the Onix X-sub HSU and svsound.com just to name a few.

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!