Pre-outs and powered subwoofer

[sparkymaster]

I am sure this question has been asked before, but I have spent an hour looking for the right answers.

I have an old Marantz receiver SR-73. It has multiple pre-outs but no subwoofer line out. The pre-outs are front (2 rca connectors), surround (2 rca connectors) and a center out (1 rca connector).

I am thinking of picking up a set of the Athena Micra 6 http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/AthenaTechnologiesMicra6p1.html but of course I don't know the best way to hook up the sub.

I read the "No Subwoofer Output in 2-Channel Mode" (http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/loudspeakers/nosubwooferoutputin2channe.php) but the article suggests I use the pre-out (probably fronts) and connect to the sub inputs. But the picture of the sub in the review (above) doesn't look like it has rca connections in. Am I way off base?

Help.

Thanks.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I am sure this question has been asked before, but I have spent an hour looking for the right answers.

I have an old Marantz receiver SR-73. It has multiple pre-outs but no subwoofer line out. The pre-outs are front (2 rca connectors), surround (2 rca connectors) and a center out (1 rca connector).

I am thinking of picking up a set of the Athena Micra 6 http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/AthenaTechnologiesMicra6p1.html but of course I don't know the best way to hook up the sub.

I read the "No Subwoofer Output in 2-Channel Mode" (http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/setup/loudspeakers/nosubwooferoutputin2channe.php) but the article suggests I use the pre-out (probably fronts) and connect to the sub inputs. But the picture of the sub in the review (above) doesn't look like it has rca connections in. Am I way off base?

Help.

Thanks.

If you go back, check the last page I believe, enlarge it, you will see 2 cables. The top is the power cable. Below it is an RCA tipped cable and to the right are 4 speaker terminals. Now, from that picture, I don't see an RCA out and the 2nd set of speaker level connections may be out going to the main speaker but then you need to input speaker level signals for that to work. Perhaps that may be your best bet? Call the maker of that sub and ask, unless an on line picture at their web is better with clear labels for all the connections on the back.

 

[kaiser_soze]

Very suspicious

You can go to the manufacturer's web site and download the user manual. I did that, and was bothered by what I saw. There is a diagram accompanied with instructions recommending that you use your receiver's subwoofer output, and they state that when using that output, to follow the instructions for making settings on the subwoofer. Note first that this single line-level, RCA input is a single input for the monaural subwoofer, and is not compatible with a pair of line-level outputs for the main speakers from the receiver. Since you don't have a subwoofer output, you would want to use the speaker-level outputs. That in and of itself is not a problem, but there are other issues given what I saw in that user manual.

I could not find anything in the manual that said where to set the crossover frequency for the receiver's subwoofer output, and it strikes me as odd that they would recommend using that output but not advise you where to set the crossover frequency. Moreover, I expected that for this connection method, there would be a switch on the subwoofer to bypass or disengage its internal low-pass filter. But there was no mention of such a switch, and it would be very difficult to get the subwoofer and the satellites to blend properly using both the crossover in the receiver and the crossover in the sub unless you know the crossover frequency of the subwoofer and set the crossover in the receiver to the same frequency. Most subwoofers that accept speaker-level inputs also have speaker-level outputs, and the signal at those outputs is passed through a high-pass filter to insure that the satellites are matched up properly with the subwoofer. But this subwoofer does not seem to have that. Most small satellite speakers need to be connected with the use of high-pass filtering, lest they be overdriven by the bass energy in the full-range signal at the main speaker outputs. Most newer A/V receivers will provide that, either by giving you a way to specify that the main speakers are "small", or else applying a high-pass filter that is aligned with the low-pass filter for the subwoofer output. But if your receiver does not have this, and the subwoofer does not provide it by providing high-pass outputs either at line-level or speaker-level, then you have to wonder what will prevent the satellites from being over-driven by the full-range signal output from the speaker-level outputs of the receiver amplifier. This likely explains why they recommend using the receiver's subwoofer output. But given that, the subwoofer should have a switch to by-pass its internal low-pass filter, and the fact that it does not have such a switch, makes you wonder whether it even has a low-pass filter. This is especially curious given that they promote an ideal match between the subwoofer and the satellites. It comes across to me as a case of marketing trying to mask a product's flaw by touting it as an advantage. I get the sense that this is not a good product, and I would be reluctant to bother with it.

 

[sparkymaster]

Thanks

Thanks for both responses... That's about what I thought.

I had downloaded the manual, and was surprised at the one line it gave speaker level inputs. Oh well... back to the researching for a good (just to get me by for now) set of speakers (any suggestions??).

Thanks again!

 

[mtrycrafts]

Thanks for both responses... That's about what I thought.

I had downloaded the manual, and was surprised at the one line it gave speaker level inputs. Oh well... back to the researching for a good (just to get me by for now) set of speakers (any suggestions??).

Thanks again!

Before getting bogged down, what are your goals? You have an old receiver, most likely Dolby prologic from the sound of it?
If you keep this receiver, you need a sub that has internal crossover features, speaker level inputs and outputs so you can run the front speakers L/R to it first, cross the lows to the sub and above it to the L/R speakers. That is the kind of sub you would be looking for. the other speakers would not be an issue if you like whatever you pick, even from your above link but then you'd need a different sub.

 

[sparkymaster]

Yeah... I think that is exactly my problem. I am getting bogged down. About 5 years ago, my wife and I made the worst decision to get a bose lifestyle system. Fortunately/unfortunately, the "sub" has gone out on it. Rather than waste $300 with bose to fix it, I'd rather start a new system with older parts, but I'll need some speakers (from what I've read, any other receiver, other than the bose, will blow the surrounds out -- not to mention, probably won't sound great).

For now, the only thing I'm really looking for, is compactness (have a young child that will find and take apart anything) and potentially a good stepping stone for when we can afford more. It will probably be used more for music, but to find compactness, I've been inclined towards a theater set-up. Would love to spend less then $800 but the less the better right now... ;-)

Thanks for sticking with me on this... it's appreciated.