What's the best way to connect my speakers and sub to this amp?

[Wiffmaster]

Hi everyone, been lurking these forums for a while and thought it was time to join.

I've got a pair of B&W 602 S2 that I want to bi-wire to my amp. The cables are currently connected at the speaker end using banana plugs. This is what the speaker connectors look like on my old Technics SU-X880 amp. Am I right in assuming that I can connect to the surround terminals as well as the main ones, and this will bi-wire the speakers?

Secondly, if in the future I wanted to add an active sub to my setup, would it be possible to connect it to the amplifier, and, if so, what's the best way of going about it? Here are a couple more pics of the back of the amp - back of amp 1, back of amp 2.

Sorry if any of these are obvious questions, I just want to make sure I don't damage anything!

Thanks in advance.

 

[brendy]

Question 1 : Since they are labelled surround I would think not.
Question 2 : The EXT INPUT & OUTPUT would be the best way. As an alternative you can use speaker level connections.

 

[Wiffmaster]

Thanks for your reply. I'm not sure what the 'surround' terminals do exactly on my amp - it's an old 2 channel amp, so I though they were just a way of connecting an additional set of speakers to the setup (hence I thought they may be able to be used for bi-wiring).

With regards to the sub, I'm guessing I just run a standard RCA cable from the EXT OUT of the amp in to the Line In on the subwoofer - or would I need to use the EXT INPUT for something as well?

Many thanks.

 

[nibhaz]

First off, there is no need for you to bi-wire, there are some very threoritcial arguments for its "possible" benefits but with your set up I assure it would merely be an exercise in spending twice as much on cables than you need.

Secondly, the c-shaped bars between the EXT out and EXT in are acting as jumpers between the units pre-pro section and it's amplifier section. What this means is that if you pull the bars out you'll be separating the units processor from its amp section. This wont help with your current question but it does give you a number of options in the future. For example you could run the EXT out to an active crossover like this and run back into the EXT in which would allow you to make a myriad of adjustments to qualize your system to your room's acoustics. Secondly, you could run the EXT out to an external amplifier and use your unit as just a pre/pro. Thirdly, you could attach a different receiver’s pre out, or a pre/pro's outs to your units EXT in to use it just as an external amplifier.

As for the active sub...you'll want run speaker wire from your receiver to the speaker level inputs on the sub, and then connect the 602's to the speaker level outputs of the sub. This will allow you to use the crossover in the sub for bass management, since it appears that your unit doesn’t offer this feature.

 

[Wiffmaster]

Ah ha! Now I think I understand it - many thanks to you both. I'll scrap the bi-wiring idea then (I remember hearing someplace that you need to spend $1000s on equipment before bi-wiring has any real affect, but wasn't sure if it was true). So, anyone have any ideas for a good active sub? I'm looking to spend below £100 ($190ish) and would prefer a used unit off ebay (that's where I got my 602s).

Thanks.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...(I remember hearing someplace that you need to spend $1000s on equipment before bi-wiring has any real affect, but wasn't sure if it was true). Thanks.

That is not true either I hear about lots of stuff that is not true. No surprise