Connecting a subwoofer

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Hello all, I am new to all this so please be gentle with me! Ok so I have bought a Denon amp and CD player and some KEF speakers and I should be picking them up on Tuesday (Can't wait!). However, I also have an active Eltax sub-woofer and I was hoping to link this up as I also want to connect me DVD player and listen to movies through the speakers and sub. I read in a what hi-fi magazine that the speaker cables to each speaker should be the same length but with the sub I have to connect the cables from amp to sub, then sub to speakers. So my questions are:

a) should the speaker cables going to my amp be the same length as those going to my speakers? or does that not reallt matter so long as the cables to each speaker are the same?

b) i was intending on buying some good speaker cable (QED Silver Anniversary), if the signal has to pass through the sub to get to the speakers will this reduce the sound quality?

c) will the speakers still be able to play when the sub is switched off?

d) i think this sub is for use with films, will it be ok with music or should I buy a better all rounder? (This is going to be an expensive hobby isn't it?!)

Anyway, thats all I think but any other advice or tips on setting up a new system would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance,

Sam Carson.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Which Denon amp do you have? And what's the model number of the Eltax? Let me know and I'll try to figure it out

 

[Anonymous]

The amp is the Denon PMA 500 and the Sub is the Eltax Atomic A6.2 the speakers are KEF Cresta 3 if that matters. Any views on the setup? Its my entry into the world of Hi-Fi seperates so hopefully it will keep me entertained for a while before I feel the need to upgrade! Which speaker cable would you recommend, I've read some great reviews of the QED Silver Anniversary, would you have any other suggestions? Thanks Andrew,

Sam Carson.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Right, no preouts on your amp so you have to run it at speaker level. No, no need to keep the speaker cables from amp to sub same length as those from sub to speakers, as long as the two amp to sub cables are the same length, and two from sub to speaker are equal.

No problem with your choice of speaker cable, but bear in mind those springclips on the Eltax probably won't take banana plugs. For convenience, I'd run a hunk of Anniversary biwire cable to the sub, just to keep things tidy, and then single-wire runs to your main speakers.

Not sure about whether the speakers will work with the sub off, as the information I have isn't clear about whether the speaker level connection is just a pass-through, or whether the output from the speaker out terminals is high-pass filtered - ie with the bass removed. If it's the latter, then probably the speakers won't work with the sub turned off, but an email to Eltax HQ should elicit an answer.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andrew!

 

[Anonymous]

Hello again! Due to poor service from my local Richer Sounds, I decided to take my money elsewhere and finally decided on the NAD C 320BEE Amplifier paired with Wharedale Diamond 9.1 speakers and NAD C 525BEE Cd player. Very happy with it so far, just waiting for my soundstyle speaker stands and silver anniversary xt cable now (making do with some of my brothers old speaker cable at the moment!). Now, in relation to my previous question about connecting a subwoofer, this amp has a pre out, unlike the Denon.... So could you please tell me how I can connect the same sub with a pre out? Do I need a cable like this:

http://www.infinitecables.com/pop/av_rca1m2m.htm

Also, the pre out connections are linked to the "main in" connections with 2 metal clip things... Why is this? And if I connect my sub to the pre out do I just take these out? I think I need a 'hi fi for dummies' book! Or maybe I should just buy What hi fi more often! Cheers guys...

Sam.

 

[Andrew Everard]

The 'metal clip things' are jumper bars connecting the preamp section out output to the power amp section's input, and they're there to allow you plug an external processor, such as an equaliser, inbetween the two sections. If you pull them out you'll get no sound from the amp as all, as signal will no longer be passing from preamp to power amp.

Stick to the speaker cable connection as already discussed.

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, but the guy I emailed at Eltax said that if I use that connection, the sub will still filter out some of the low frequencies even when it is switched off and I only really want to use the sub when watching films, when I am listening to music with just the speakers I want to hear their full range without any low frequencies filtered out. Is it possible to have sub to amp and speakers to amp seperately?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Not with that amp, no. The best way to do it is to connect the speakers directly to the amp, and connect the subwoofer at speaker level in parallel - ie to the same amp terminals as the speakers. That way the speakers get full range all the time, even when the sub isn't on.

 

[Anonymous]

can ne1 tell me is there any gramophone available that can be connected to a woofer or amplifier...?? and how about the record...??