Sub Wiring for Zone 2 Audio

[Van G]

I'm wiring our main floor with 4 main in-ceiling speakers and would like to give the low's work to a floor standing sub.

I've run the in-ceiling speaker wire to low voltage box and then run the speaker wire from there to the media closet in the basement along with 2 Cat5e cables.

My question: I want to add a powered floor standing sub to this floor. How do I wire for it?

Do I run RG6 right to the media closet or does it have to go the same route as the speaker wire?

Van G

 

[markw]

Do you have a subwoofer output for your zone two?

If so, that's a new one on me. I've never heard of that one but I learn new stuff every day. If so, then you would simply run a coax from that output to where you wantto place the sub.

This wouldn't work if you expect to use your "zone 1" sub output, though. There's no assurance that it will even be playing the same source as zone 2 and the sub's level would not be controlled by the zone 1 controls.

If you don't have a zone 2 sub output, I would suggest perhaps getting a sub that has two channel line-level inputs and simply connect them in parallel with the zone 2 line level outputs. ...or even a sub with speaker-level inputs would work as well.

 

[Van G]

I haven't found a processor or avr that will run a seperate sub output for mutliple zones either. When I say Zone 2 I simply meant the main floor.

I've got all my wiring going back to a closet in my basement (HT).

I have a Yamaha RX-V1600 which either get sold or be used as the Zone 2 avr. My only issue with this is how to share sources (sat receiver, PS3, HTPC)?

 

[highfigh]

I'm wiring our main floor with 4 main in-ceiling speakers and would like to give the low's work to a floor standing sub.

I've run the in-ceiling speaker wire to low voltage box and then run the speaker wire from there to the media closet in the basement along with 2 Cat5e cables.

My question: I want to add a powered floor standing sub to this floor. How do I wire for it?

Do I run RG6 right to the media closet or does it have to go the same route as the speaker wire?

Van G

The easiest way is to use a sub with speaker level inputs and just run a 4 conductor speaker cable to a J-box and terminate the speakers' cabling there, so the high pass output can come from the sub. I don't know of a reasonably priced receiver or processor that has a separate Zone 2 sub out, although it may happen in the future, so make it easy to add cabling or just run a coax and Cat5e to the same location now. How much bass you want will determine how you do this and if you want to have the ability to adjust the level/frequency/phase of the woofer, a sub with the inputs I mentioned will allow this. It's a simple circuit and unless you're being really critical, it won't cause any problems with the sound quality.

 

[Van G]

Thanks for the reply highfigh, although I don't understand how to apply your use of the 4 conductor speaker wire (14-4) terminated in a junction box. Could you elaborate?

In the area that the Zone 2 sub will be located I've got a Quad Structure Cable (2 x Cat5e + 2 x RG6). My plan was to simply run and RG6 back to the media closet.

Another issue I will have to sort out if I go with separate processors for Zone 1 (HT) and Zone 2 is how to share the sources. I've had my eye on some of the Emo gear! Any suggestions?

 

[highfigh]

Thanks for the reply highfigh, although I don't understand how to apply your use of the 4 conductor speaker wire (14-4) terminated in a junction box. Could you elaborate?

In the area that the Zone 2 sub will be located I've got a Quad Structure Cable (2 x Cat5e + 2 x RG6). My plan was to simply run and RG6 back to the media closet.

Another issue I will have to sort out if I go with separate processors for Zone 1 (HT) and Zone 2 is how to share the sources. I've had my eye on some of the Emo gear! Any suggestions?

If the subwoofer has four binding posts, it has the ability to filter the bass out of the signal going to the ceiling speakers, or whatever speakers would be used for satellites. If you'll be using a receiver with 5.1 and setting the high pass for the ceiling speakers, what I described is moot. If you can, just run the coax to the closet for the sub. I was thinking that you wanted to have a sub in Zone 2. If this is the case, you would run a 4 conductor to a J-box behind the sub's location. If you want to use wall plates with binding posts, that's your choice. The feed from the receiver would then go to the subwoofer, providing it has binding posts for the input. If it has another set for the high pass output, you would connect a speaker cable to that and if you want to have more than one pair in that area, you could balance the levels with a pair of in-wall volume controls.


Since we're back on the Zone 2 issue, use digital inputs from the sources for the main zone and add an analog cable. The analog cables will send the signal to the Zone 2 audio path because few receivers convert from digital to analog.