sonos connect amp & cambridge audio x200 sub

[HelBel65]

Hi all. Trying to set up my new system and it doesn't seem to be working!

I have a Sonos Connect Amp, a Cambridge Audio Minx x200 subwoofer and 2 Bose Acoustimass 3 speakers. Sonos is set up and working fine but I don't think the Minx sub is working. There's a barely detectable difference when I switch it off. The sound I'm getting from the speakers is pretty tinny and just can't work out what I'm doing wrong. The sub is getting a signal from the Connect Amp because it powers on when I play a track but I'm just not getting a good sound.

Complete novice at all this so would appreciate a dummy proof reply!

Thanks

 

[mmg]

First: did you set the crossover correctly on the sub? The Connect:AMP will automatically set the crossover for you, so you can't use the crossover on the sub: set it to the maximum value (200 on your sub). It's the 3rd dial from the left, which says "crossover frequency".

Second: you can set the output volume of the sub by using the "volume" dial on the sub. If the crossover is set correctly, try increasing the volume dial.

Also make sure the power cable is connected and the power switch is set to on

 

[HelBel65]

Happy to report the power was indeed on :cheer:

Have tried your other suggestions and it seems much better - thanks! :cheers:

 

[mmg]

Glad you got it to sound better. Are you using 2 subwoofers now? The Bose Acoustimass 3 has it's own sub, right? Or are you just using the cubes?

 

[HelBel65]

It does but the Bose sub is passive, which I didn't clock until after I bought the Sonos ConnectAMP

So then I bought the x200, the Bose sub now redundant. Free to a good home!

 

[mmg]

Hmm are you sure of that? The Bose cubes are meanth to be used with their sub. The sub reproduces some of the mid frequencies too. Withouth the sub, the cubes sound very thin indeed. I would try to hook the sub back up to the cubes. I'm pretty sure it will increase the sound quality. You can still keep using your Cambridge sub: Sonos will send the low frequencies only to the Cambridge sub, not to your Bose sub.

Ideally, it would be best to just ditch the whole Bose system and hook up some decent speakers (eg the B&W M1 if you're looking for small speakers). This would give you a big increase in sound quality, since these Acoustimass systems aren't very good with music.

 

[HelBel65]

ok, I'm beginning to realise that trying to to use the Bose speakers without their sub isn't the best plan. If I try to re-introduce the Bose sub, how should I connect it? Bose sub to cube speakers, and Bose sub to Sonos CA? (and leave the x200 connected to Sonos CA as it is currently?)

 

[mmg]

Yes indeed, connect like you say:

Sonos CA -> Bose Sub -> Bose Cubes

I'd try both with and withouth the Cambridge sub, and see which sounds best to you. Bose speakers generally provide decent bass, so you might find it too much with the Cambridge sub. Just try it out and see which combination sounds best to you.

 

[HelBel65]

But I was told the Bose sub would not work with the Sonos because its passive - its the only reason I bought the x200.....is that not correct? My original plan was the Sonos CA with existing Bose Acoustimass3 system but there was no way of connecting the Bose sub and CA to each other

 

[The_Lhc]

But I was told the Bose sub would not work with the Sonos because its passive - its the only reason I bought the x200.....is that not correct? My original plan was the Sonos CA with existing Bose Acoustimass3 system but there was no way of connecting the Bose sub and CA to each other

It's a passive sub so it has standard speaker connections on it (according to all the images I've just Googled), that's what you connect to the Connect:Amp's speaker terminals (to the bottom set of terminals on the Bose sub), you then connect the cube speakers to the top set of terminals, as suggested by the instructions on the back of the sub.

 

[HelBel65]

Yes, just standard speaker connections thats right. Nothing that will go into the Sonos sub out port.

This is lifted from the Sonos manual

Subwoofer output

Note: If you disconnect your subwoofer, make sure to

also disconnect the subwoofer’s cable from the

CONNECT:AMP output.

You may connect a powered subwoofer to this output using a standard RCA cable. The

system will detect when a cable is connected to the subwoofer output and adjust the

crossover frequency automatically

So it has to be a powered sub, right? Or have I messed up by buying the x200 without needing to?

 

[The_Lhc]

Yes, just standard speaker connections thats right. Nothing that will go into the Sonos sub out port.

You don't use the sub out port! Read what I said, you take speaker cable from the Connect:Amp's speaker connections to the input speaker connections on the sub and then take more speaker cable from the Sub's output speaker connections to the Cubes. Exactly as you would do it with any other amp! Think of it this way: you don't have a sub, you have two normal speakers that happen to share the same mid-bass speaker driver. So you connect them up exactly as you would any other normal speakers.

Or have I messed up by buying the x200 without needing to?

Yes, you had no need of it.

 

[HelBel65]

Yes you are spot on. I've done what I should have done in the first place and phoned Bose (I had not seen your latest post) The passive sub of the Acoustimass 3 will work fine with the Sonos CA. No need for a powered sub after all. Just hooked it all up using the standard speaker connections and working beautifully - sounds much better than with the x200. Richer Sounds have received an ear bashing and are collecting the x200 tomorrow.

What a lot of wasted time!

Thanks for your input