Passive subwoofer

[sudyke]

Hi All!

I have a Sony hifi at that has a subwoofer out, which is connected to an AKAI amp, and from there to a crossover, finaly to the subwoofer, because the subwoofer isn't active! Would this work with my Pio VSX-D814? Does this have any effect on the amp?

My other question is: What is the "monitor out" for, what do you connect there?

Thx!
sudyke

 

[tbewick]

The 'monitor out' on my Denon receiver sends a composite video signal via a phono lead to a connected television monitor. The on-screen display used for setting up the AV amplifier is shown on the connected TV monitor.

I'm not sure about your subwoofer question. As long as it sounds okay, then I'd stick with it. I found the THX audio tests helpful in checking that my speaker system was set up correctly. It's available on the Star Wars DVD's.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hi All!

I have a Sony hifi at that has a subwoofer out, which is connected to an AKAI amp, and from there to a crossover, finaly to the subwoofer, because the subwoofer isn't active! Would this work with my Pio VSX-D814? Does this have any effect on the amp?

My other question is: What is the "monitor out" for, what do you connect there?Thx! sudyke

You should have sent the sub out to a crossover first, but why do that with a sub out? It should be properly crossed already

You can do the same with the 814 if it has a sub/LFE out. Send it to the amp in, no crossover needed.

 

[sudyke]

The sub-out is an RCA type connection, and the crossover is simple speaker cable type, so I can't put it before the amp. The crossover of the hifi isn't low enough for me! Right now, it is around 80Hz and it was around 150Hz before. The Pio problem is solved now, 'cos I just read in the manual, that I can plug the sub into the sixth speaker's place! Do you have any comments on the Rocket ELT speakers that we can win on the sweapstake? I am very new in HT, so I don't have a lot of experiences.

Thx for the help!

 

[mtrycrafts]

The sub-out is an RCA type connection, and the crossover is simple speaker cable type, so I can't put it before the amp. The crossover of the hifi isn't low enough for me! Right now, it is around 80Hz and it was around 150Hz before. The Pio problem is solved now, 'cos I just read in the manual, that I can plug the sub into the sixth speaker's place! Do you have any comments on the Rocket ELT speakers that we can win on the sweapstake? I am very new in HT, so I don't have a lot of experiences.

Thx for the help!

Sorry, I don't have a comment on those speakers. If you have a receiver crossover at 150 and another one at 80Hz, you loose everything between them. Maybe the receiver can be reset?
How will you send all the low frequency to the 6th channel?

 

[sudyke]

The sub out has the crossover at 150, but the full-range speakers still get all the frequecies, the sub out just makes the lower frequencies more punchy! I can set the eq to balance the highs and the mids. I think that my speaker's subs can't take as much as my highs. The mids are produced very well, only the very low subs distort them at high levels. I wish I knew more about this stuff when I bought my hifi. I wouldn't have gone with the Sony! Their speakers are horrible!
In the Pio's manual it says that I can connect a subwoofer to the 6.1's 6th powered channel (which would be the rear center speaker), and turn it to only give low frequecies! Did I missinterpret something? You can check the manual here for the 814 as well:
http://www.service.pioneer-eur.com/peeservice/RegistrInstrMan.nsf/(CountDownloadinInstructionManuals3)?openagent&ID=5633E50AC2BBDBE1C1256E6E0047C5A1&Attachment=XRE3079_VSX-D714.pdf

 

[sudyke]

Its on page 22!

 

[MacManNM]

The sub out has the crossover at 150, but the full-range speakers still get all the frequecies, the sub out just makes the lower frequencies more punchy! I can set the eq to balance the highs and the mids. I think that my speaker's subs can't take as much as my highs. The mids are produced very well, only the very low subs distort them at high levels. I wish I knew more about this stuff when I bought my hifi. I wouldn't have gone with the Sony! Their speakers are horrible!
In the Pio's manual it says that I can connect a subwoofer to the 6.1's 6th powered channel (which would be the rear center speaker), and turn it to only give low frequecies! Did I missinterpret something? You can check the manual here for the 814 as well:
http://www.service.pioneer-eur.com/peeservice/RegistrInstrMan.nsf/(CountDownloadinInstructionManuals3)?openagent&ID=5633E50AC2BBDBE1C1256E6E0047C5A1&Attachment=XRE3079_VSX-D714.pdf

I would strongly recomend against that. Your reciever doesn't have enough to drive a passive sub. Why don't you just ditch the high level crossover, and use the sub outtput with the Akai amp?

 

[sudyke]

Ditch the high lvl xover? What do you mean by that? I'm kinda new to this stuff! The problem with the Akai amp is that its my father's, and I may have to give it back to him! I love that amp! It beats everything in sound quality! 300W conservatively I think!
I guess the sub would only make the low freq. sounds cleaner, and on occasional peaks it will sound better than the bookshelves! Would it drain the power out of the amp? Its 350W... ooops... I forgot that its @ 2 ohms... that solves the problem unfortunately!
I guess I will have to beg my father to keep the Akai!
2ohms would kill the Pio amp instantly wouldn't it?

 

[MacManNM]

Ditch the high lvl xover? What do you mean by that? I'm kinda new to this stuff! The problem with the Akai amp is that its my father's, and I may have to give it back to him! I love that amp! It beats everything in sound quality! 300W conservatively I think!
I guess the sub would only make the low freq. sounds cleaner, and on occasional peaks it will sound better than the bookshelves! Would it drain the power out of the amp? Its 350W... ooops... I forgot that its @ 2 ohms... that solves the problem unfortunately!
I guess I will have to beg my father to keep the Akai!
2ohms would kill the Pio amp instantly wouldn't it?

Yes it would smoke it. The high level crossover is the one with all the big coils on it for your passive sub. Just bypass it. Using the sub out on your receiver does the job for it. You could find an older receiver to drive that sub also. something from the 70's or early 80's. Like a Marantz 2245

 

[sudyke]

Wouldn't that Marantz cost tons of money, being it an "antique" reciever? Also, one in good shape would be nearly impossible to find!? The AKAI i wrote about is a fully analog preamp from '74! This guy from an electronics store wanted to buy it from us for 1000$! I don't think I could beg enough to get it... I'll try looking around, but the problem is that I don't have a lot of $ right now! Could you write more specifically about bypassing it? I'm very new to this stuff! The high level crossover is inside the reciever right? Then I would have to open it, and the waranty will fly! The sub out on the reciever is RCA! I can't connect that to the woofer! Is there anyway to "make" a speaker have more inpendance? Like connect it to a coil or whatever??
I apreciate the help!

 

[sudyke]

http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/download.jsp?dir=/images/products/avamplifierreceiver/pioneer&filename=1086620194403vsx-d814.pdf&method=attachment

thats the backpanel

 

[sudyke]

Does the Harman Kardon HK 3250 take the 2 Ohm load?
Its a stereo amp, I can buy it for apr. 155$ here!

 

[MacManNM]

You need to go from the RCA out of the receiver, to some sort of amplifier, to the sub. There is a crossover in the sub, bypassing it will give you a couple of db. Anything will work really, any older receiver, amp or integrated amp. That HK you were talking about is only 40w/ch. not exactly a power house. Are there any mail order places there? What about buying a sub amp?

 

[sudyke]

I looked at all the amps I could on online used classifieds, but there were no sub amps, only normal amps. And there was only one that can handle 2 Ohms which was way out of my budget!
Is there any way to bridge the HK? It would then be 80W one channel driven! Right? Or bridgeing is only possible on car amps? On very high volumes even the 80W would be a little weak, but other than that it would be OK, wouldn't it?
There are mail order places, but very few dealing with used stuff! I only have max. 200$ to solve this problem, so that blows out buying a new amp...

 

[sudyke]

Nobody to reply???

 

[Doug917]

sudyke,

Have you looked on http://www.svsubwoofers.com/ ? They have Rane and Sampson amps that are designed to drive passive subs. I don't think they would have any problem with a 2 Ohm load.

 

[sudyke]

I'm looking at them now, but the problem is that I live in Hungary! Shipping here anything starts from 200$US I think! And you can't buy em here!