Discussion
I've just picked up an av amp which has the RCA type output for the sub.
However.. my ageing sub has twin inputs similar to those on a 'normal' speaker.
Does anyone know if there are any cables that would split the RCA out into twin speaker cable? Or would I be just as well to try and connect up an RCA plug to the end of my twin cable?
However.. my ageing sub has twin inputs similar to those on a 'normal' speaker.
Does anyone know if there are any cables that would split the RCA out into twin speaker cable? Or would I be just as well to try and connect up an RCA plug to the end of my twin cable?
The RCA out is very likely to be a 'Line level' output to go into a powered sub, one with it's own inbuilt amp. It is not a speaker output so will not run your existing sub, which I suspect has no amp??
Edited by cjs on Monday 25th October 12:10
Edited by cjs on Monday 25th October 12:12
I just plug mine into one of the two inputs on my powered sub, but there are Y adaptors you can get for the job.
Something like this maybe?
http://www.cables4all.co.uk/ixos-xha215-y1f--subwo...
Something like this maybe?
http://www.cables4all.co.uk/ixos-xha215-y1f--subwo...
I used one of these a while ago to split the line-level sub-woofer output from a pre-amp into 2 sub-woofers, it would do the trick, but the 2 RCA inputs are likely stereo inputs for R/L channels, and you'd be sending the same input to both.
My sub-woofer has stereo RCA inputs, but works in mono if you just run 1, which i do.
My sub-woofer has stereo RCA inputs, but works in mono if you just run 1, which i do.
Are they twin speaker inputs (ie dual voice coil driver) or could it be 1 input and one output. There are some subs out there that contain an active crossover and are designed to be daisy chained to one of the speaker output.
The phono adapters above wont work, as mentioned in the second post, phono = line level so a phono to bare wire type thing wont work.
If it is a dual voice coil sub you either need to get rid of it for one with a built in amp (active sub) or have a look round for a seperate amp for it.
The phono adapters above wont work, as mentioned in the second post, phono = line level so a phono to bare wire type thing wont work.
If it is a dual voice coil sub you either need to get rid of it for one with a built in amp (active sub) or have a look round for a seperate amp for it.
If I am not mistaken, the above solutions are not answering the questions, but slightly confusing the situation....i think. Sorry if the following is teaching anyone to suck eggs, but it seemed to be the best way to explain it.
The OP has an AV receiver, which has RCA sockets for Sub Out put.
This should feed an active sub, or another amp which can then feed a sub with speaker cables.
The sub you have has speaker terminals on it. I take it that it does not have a power lead connection? If it does, then it is an Active sub, else it must be a Passive sub.
Given it is passive, you cannot take an output from the RCA Sub out on the receiver directly to the sub. It needs to go from the RCA sub out, to another amp, to the sub. Or it can go from the Sub out to the input on an active sub (that has a built in amp, hence the presence of a power cable).
I think it is a little unsual for the receiver not have a speaker level sub out connection (assuming it feeds all the other speakers), and if it does, it should be a simple job to wire it up. I would check that the RCA sub out is not actually an RCA sub in socket, that would connect to a 5.1 output from a matched device. Worth a look, might be a simple oversight. What make model is it?
Lastly, the sub itself, you say it has twin terminals on it. I assume this is a single pair, consisting of a positive(red) and negative(black). Not as some have read it to be, two pairs (i.e. to sets of sockets, like it has two speakers inside the box)
If it has two pairs, it may just have a loop on it, rather than two voice coils. One of the pairs of terminals would be an input, and the other an output. You would use this like: 2 channel amp, one speaker output directly to a speaker, other speaker output to the sub input, sub output then feeds the other speaker. This basically loops the feed into, and out of the sub, so you can use it with just a 2 channel amp. It will have an inbuilt filter to block out mid/high frequencies from what it sends to the sub driver. The output should be unaffected.
A simple test for two voice coils is to feed a single set of the inputs and see if the sub works, and then disconnect and use the other pair and see if it still works. If it does, then it most likely has a dual voice coil. Normally an "output" set of terminals will not allow you to drive the sub, as it will be an unfiltered signal that can damage the speaker.
Hope that makes sense..... and has not totally confused the hell out of you and everyone else!
The OP has an AV receiver, which has RCA sockets for Sub Out put.
This should feed an active sub, or another amp which can then feed a sub with speaker cables.
The sub you have has speaker terminals on it. I take it that it does not have a power lead connection? If it does, then it is an Active sub, else it must be a Passive sub.
Given it is passive, you cannot take an output from the RCA Sub out on the receiver directly to the sub. It needs to go from the RCA sub out, to another amp, to the sub. Or it can go from the Sub out to the input on an active sub (that has a built in amp, hence the presence of a power cable).
I think it is a little unsual for the receiver not have a speaker level sub out connection (assuming it feeds all the other speakers), and if it does, it should be a simple job to wire it up. I would check that the RCA sub out is not actually an RCA sub in socket, that would connect to a 5.1 output from a matched device. Worth a look, might be a simple oversight. What make model is it?
Lastly, the sub itself, you say it has twin terminals on it. I assume this is a single pair, consisting of a positive(red) and negative(black). Not as some have read it to be, two pairs (i.e. to sets of sockets, like it has two speakers inside the box)
If it has two pairs, it may just have a loop on it, rather than two voice coils. One of the pairs of terminals would be an input, and the other an output. You would use this like: 2 channel amp, one speaker output directly to a speaker, other speaker output to the sub input, sub output then feeds the other speaker. This basically loops the feed into, and out of the sub, so you can use it with just a 2 channel amp. It will have an inbuilt filter to block out mid/high frequencies from what it sends to the sub driver. The output should be unaffected.
A simple test for two voice coils is to feed a single set of the inputs and see if the sub works, and then disconnect and use the other pair and see if it still works. If it does, then it most likely has a dual voice coil. Normally an "output" set of terminals will not allow you to drive the sub, as it will be an unfiltered signal that can damage the speaker.
Hope that makes sense..... and has not totally confused the hell out of you and everyone else!
Edited by 007singh on Wednesday 27th October 19:02
Gassing Station | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff