Subwoofer question

[genuinebigdog]

Is it better to connect a subwoofer with the 1 RCA subwoofer cable or to use speaker cables ran from your reciever using the AB method?

Im sorry, I am a newb.

 

[Sheep]

RCA. Less wires, less mess, Bass managemnt options.

SheepStar

 

[MDS]

One cable from the receiver's subwoofer pre-out to the line level input of the sub (may be labelled LFE or Line-In) is the preferred method. With that method you will use the receiver's bass managment capabilities and allow the receiver to set the xover and level.

If you use the speaker level connection and the receiver has bass managment, then you would have to set the front speakers to Large and connect them to the subwoofer. With that connection, the sub gets the full range signal and you use its xover. One major negative is the fact that the best location for the sub may not be right next to the receiver and you will end up with long runs of speaker wire from the receiver to the sub and then another long run of speaker wire from the sub to the mains.

If by the AB method you mean connect the mains to the A terminals and the sub to the B terminals, definitely DO NOT do that - the impedance of a subwoofer is very low and the AB terminals of a receiver are usually wired in parallel. The receiver will have a very hard time driving that setup.

 

[Sheep]

If by the AB method you mean connect the mains to the A terminals and the sub to the B terminals, definitely DO NOT do that - the impedance of a subwoofer is very low and the AB terminals of a receiver are usually wired in parallel. The receiver will have a very hard time driving that setup

Unless the sub is powered

SheepStar

 

[genuinebigdog]

The sub is powered.

Yamaha SWT 150

One RCA cable sounds like the way to go for me. Thanks guys. I love this forum.

 

[GregBe]

I think the biggest disadvantage of using the speaker wire method is that your speakers are getting a full range signal. The opposing advantage of using a sub cable and the receivers bass management is all of the low bass that the speakers may struggle with are not sent to them. This will give you the ability to play louder without distortion of your speakers, or the need for larger amps than you would otherwise need by running your speakers large.

However I think that you should consider the speaker wire method of you have small satellite speakers that only play down to 100-120hz and your receiver has a fixed crossover at 80hz. In this scenario, I feel it is better to run the speaker wire method and take the cons that are listed above rather than have a hole in your response between 80-120hz. Even then though, you should try both methods and go with what sounds better to you.

 

[Buckle-meister]

Is it better to connect a subwoofer with the 1 RCA subwoofer cable or to use speaker cables ran from your reciever using the AB method?

I of course agree that the single cable should be used, but I'm surprised that nobody's mentioned one other major benefit: the amp section in a sub is almost certainly bigger than that in a receiver, and is therefore better able to drive the speaker.

 

[Nick250]

I think the biggest disadvantage of using the speaker wire method is that your speakers are getting a full range signal. The opposing advantage of using a sub cable and the receivers bass management is all of the low bass that the speakers may struggle with are not sent to them. This will give you the ability to play louder without distortion of your speakers, or the need for larger amps than you would otherwise need by running your speakers large.

However I think that you should consider the speaker wire method of you have small satellite speakers that only play down to 100-120hz and your receiver has a fixed crossover at 80hz. In this scenario, I feel it is better to run the speaker wire method and take the cons that are listed above rather than have a hole in your response between 80-120hz. Even then though, you should try both methods and go with what sounds better to you.

On my HSU VTF2 sub, if you run the speaker wires though it, the speakers DO NOT get a full range signal. The speakers get everything above whatever cross over you have set on the dial on the back of the sub. In my case 60hz. The same as if you set the same crossover on the receiver and used the sub pre out. I can't speak for other subs.

Nick

 

[MDS]

On my HSU VTF2 sub, if you run the speaker wires though it, the speakers DO NOT get a full range signal. The speakers get everything above whatever cross over you have set on the dial on the back of the sub. In my case 60hz. The same as if you set the same crossover on the receiver and used the sub pre out. I can't speak for other subs.

Nick

That should be true of all subwoofers. The SUB gets a full range signal, but it only sends the frequencies above its xover to the speakers that are connected to it. If you use the speaker level connections from the receiver's front speaker jacks to the sub, you must set the front channels to Large.

 

[eirepaul]

I of course agree that the single cable should be used, but I'm surprised that nobody's mentioned one other major benefit: the amp section in a sub is almost certainly bigger than that in a receiver, and is therefore better able to drive the speaker.

Absolutely. This and bass management are the best reasons for this type of connection.