Home Theater Sub Connection

[tesla1886]

I am in the middle of hooking up a Home Theater System. The sub I have and the receiver use different connections. The receiver uses RCA ports while the sub has terminals for speaker wires. Is there an adapter that I can get to connect this sub with this receiver? Perhaps something like this link? If this won't work is there anything that will?

Thank You

[pkscout]

That might work, but one of the things you need to check is input/output matching. Subs can either take line level or speaker level input (i.e. amplified or not), and receivers can output either line level or speaker level. They need to match (sometimes the devices only do one, sometimes there's a switch). If you send line level to something expected speaker level, you won't hear anything. Send speaker level to line level and you might blow out the sub.

[tesla1886]

That might work, but one of the things you need to check is input/output matching.  Subs can either take line level or speaker level input (i.e. amplified or not), and receivers can output either line level or speaker level.  They need to match (sometimes the devices only do one, sometimes there's a switch).  If you send line level to something expected speaker level, you won't hear anything. Send speaker level to line level and you might blow out the sub.

How can I tell what kind of sub my receiver needs. I actually have both an amplified sub (an older, almost 20 years old) and an unamplified sub. The older one has both inputs and outputs for the front speakers as well as two RCA ports (left and a right). Is there a way to determine whether or not the sub is line or speaker level.

This is the receiver that I have. I don't see anything in the description whether it needs line or speaker level.

Thank You

[pkscout]

I took a peek at the manual for that receiver. Looking at the specs, the amplifier lists specs for front, center, surround, and surround back. There is no mention of the sub channel. Given that, my best bet is that the Denon is going to do line level output. If the newer sub is unamplified, it's almost certainly expecting speaker level input. The amplified sub is probably your best bet for a line level input. The good news is that since the Denon appears to do line level output, your worst case scenario is either very low or no sound. There's not much chance you'll damage the sub trying things out.

[tesla1886]

I did get output from the preout, but as you said it was very low and hard to hear, even with the volume all the way up.

However I did get it to work connecting the front speakers through the powered sub. So I guess that will do for know.

Thanks for the help.