Connecting speakers/sub

dacads

dacads

dacads

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Hi guys, so I have recently purchased the Cambridge Audio S90 Sub and wondering how I can get it working with my M-Audio AV40 Speakers.

The sub has both high and low level input and I have a Marantz PM6003 Amp although won't the sub be damaged if I connect to the amp as it's already powered?

The speakers currently go from RCA Input to Speaker out on my soundcard.

Thanks
 
If your sound card has a dedicated sub out port then you can use that.

If not you will have to use the high level connection. (looking at google pics of that sub I cant see the low level inputs though) Your sub should have come with a high level cable, which is 1 plug at the sub end going to 2 wires. You connect 1 to each channel of the speaker outs on the back of the amp and use the high level cross over on the sub to determine what frequencies the sub is to play.
 
I've included the spec sheet of the amp which you can click on.

I thought the aux/dvd are low-level?

So how would I go about connecting the speakers to the amp? If I leave them connected to the soundcard I would to control two volumes.

I'm using the onboard sound which has 7.1 sound so if I connected sub to the sub out would I be able to control volume with just the speakers?
 
Your sub doesnt have a dedicated high level input which only gives you 2 options.

Sub out connection on either amp or your sound card

Stereo Pre outs from your amp (which looking at the rear of you amp it doesnt have)


So unless your soundcard has a sub out I cant see a way of hooking it up.
 
Actually it does have both high level input and output

images


For the moment I've tried using the RCA to RCA cable that provided to connect the sub to the subout on soundcard but just get a buzzing/rumbling noise. The cable is not dual RCA so I've connected it to the left input on the sub line-level. I think it's for connecting to a sub-out on an amp though as it's not rca to 3.5mm

high_quality_RCA_cable.JPG



I'm guessing I need the same cable as I use for my speakers

2rca-ste.jpg


The RCA to RCA is probably for connecting to sub out on an amp as stated in the manual
 
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The spec sheet I linked to is different, and the image off google was different as well

But if yours looks like your pic then you can use the high level connection. Looks like you could use it as a pass through as well. which means you could set it up one of 2 ways.


1: No pass through.

From you speaker out binding posts on the amp. Add another run of cables for each channel into the sub high level in. So on the amp you would have 2 lots of cables from each channel. One going to the sub, the other your speakers as per normal.


2: Pass through
From you speaker out binding posts on the amp to the sub high level input. Then another set of speaker cable from the sub high level output to your normal speakers. Daisy chaining it.



Edit - Just noticed your speakers are active. I take it your not even using the Marantz amp then?


If you are only using the active speakers just connected to your sound card then just use the sub out on the card. You can connect it to either the left or right input, I use left.
 
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Ok so option one is from amp to sub and amp to speakers

And two is from amp to sub to speakers?

Right got it..how would the RCA to 3.5mm work though? I'm guessing I only have to use one volume knob on either option?
 
dacads said:
Ok so option one is from amp to sub and amp to speakers

And two is from amp to sub to speakers?

Right got it..how would the RCA to 3.5mm work though? I'm guessing I only have to use one volume knob on either option?
Click to expand...

Correct, but are you using your amp currently with those speakers mate. Its just I thought they were active are they not?
 
kidloco said:
Correct, but are you using your amp currently with those speakers mate. Its just I thought they were active are they not?
Click to expand...

Yes they are active and currently hooked up to my PC Soundcard. Wouldn't I risk damaging them by connecting to amp?
 
dacads said:
Yes they are active and currently hooked up to my PC Soundcard. Wouldn't I risk damaging them by connecting to amp?
Click to expand...

Yes!, thats why I was confused you even brought the amp into the conversation mate.

The 2 options I gave before were for using your amp with passive speakers. So ignore them.

You need to just use sub out from the sound card to left input on the sub.

With regards to 2 volume controls. You could just set the speakers to as loud as you want them to possibly be, then use the volume control in windows to set the level.
 
Sounds good mate so a single RCA to 3.5mm cable will do the job?

Reason for bringing amp is I got carried away and bought one second hand thinking I would be buying bookshelf speakers :p I'll hold onto it for now though might be handy for future upgrades ;)
 
I think you're going to need a pass through RCA cable. You can't connect the subwoofer to the centre/sub out connection on your motherboard; because when set to 2.1, that channel is not used. When set to 2.0/2.1, the low frequencies are sent along with the rest to the green left/right connection. The crossover in the subwoofer of 2.1 speakers then sorts out what is sent to the sub, and what goes to the satellite speakers.

You need to connect the subwoofer to the same connection as the AV40's. A pass through RCA cable will allow you to do that; then you just set the crossover on the subwoofer. You'll have to use the two volume controls, but there's no getting away from that with powered speakers that don't have their own subwoofer connection.
 
Just read your reply Marsman..got the 3.5mm adapter today but didn't work.

From what I've gathered I need to use a Y-Adapter so I can connect the sub and speakers to the same output?


images


I assume this will work in the same way as the pass-through cable?
 
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It should do. I think that's the only way it's going to work. Splitters are not ideal, but as you need the subwoofer to receiver the same signal as the AV40's, can't really see many other ways of doing it.
 
Wait so if I had some active monitors with an output I could have just connected the sub to that?
 
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