Connection question for Subwoofer

DirtyJester

DirtyJester

DirtyJester

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17 Oct 2006
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Ok bought myself a Monitor BXW-10 Sub and I'm wondering what way to connect it to my Yamaha RXV667. Do I just connect it via the LFE connections or LFE plus either right or left input ...or LFE plus right & left inputs ? Cheers
 
You can connect it to either, but the standard is "use the left input first", if there's 2.
 
On mine it goes from the LEFT Line Level Out phono on the sub to the LFE on the amp.

You can get cables that go into both the sub line level out phones and put it into a single connection but iv never stumped up the cash to see if it improves matters.

google

QED PERFORMANCE YSW SUBWOOFER INTERCONNECT Y ADAPTOR


edit

Actually I knew there was a reason why I didnt buy that cable.

When you install a Y splitter on the sub cable, all you are doing is doubling the strength of the input signal. You can expect a 3 dB increase in sound pressure.

You can also accomplish the same thing by upping the sub level in your pre/pro or AVR.

The Y splitter (of course) does not in and of itself provide any additional performance or sound pressure that could otherwise be exploited by increasing the sub volume control, the sub level in the pre/pro, or the master volume. You have 525 watts to play with in the PC+ and you can cut it anyway you want, but its still 525 watts.

The only time I recommend a Y splitter is if you are experiencing a "sleepy" auto-on circuit that would otherwise require you to crank your sub level in the pre/prop or AVR well into the positive region to get satisfactory auto-on performance.​
 
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So kidloco do you have the LFE connection on the back of your sub ? In my manual it says for the LFE Input - 'this input is to be used when connecting the BXW-10 to an AV amplifier.' I thought it would have been LFE on amp to LFE on sub ? Oooh I think I need more than coffee now ...

Cheers again mate (think I should have loco on the end of my name not you)
 
Left and right inputs are simply for those who wish to use dual subs.

You can connect to both inputs with a Y-connector, but it's not what most manufacturers will say in the manual. As said, it's usually recommended to use the left input on the amp to the sub.
 
EVH said:
Left and right inputs are simply for those who wish to use dual subs.

You can connect to both inputs with a Y-connector, but it's not what most manufacturers will say in the manual. As said, it's usually recommended to use the left input on the amp to the sub.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's what I've now done mate and thanks again for your help. All :D now.
 
Hey DirtyJester,

I'm having the exact same problem - my Yamaha V667 isn't picking up my BXW-10 sub.

Can you elaborate a bit more? You have a cable going from LFE on the back of the sub, to the 'Subwoofer 1' in the 'PRE-OUT' section on the V667? What settings (volume, cross over frequency, phase, power) have you got on the back of the sub?

Did you just use the autosetup with the mic and that picked it up?

Many thanks
 
ucdier said:
Hey DirtyJester,

I'm having the exact same problem - my Yamaha V667 isn't picking up my BXW-10 sub.

Can you elaborate a bit more? You have a cable going from LFE on the back of the sub, to the 'Subwoofer 1' in the 'PRE-OUT' section on the V667? What settings (volume, cross over frequency, phase, power) have you got on the back of the sub?

Did you just use the autosetup with the mic and that picked it up?

Many thanks
Click to expand...

The problem you have is that you're relying on the setup mic to do the whole routine. The sub has a sleep mode. It'll take a few seconds for it to wake up when it receives a signal from the amp. That might be okay for real world use but the setup mic isn't that patient. It thinks there's no sub.

What you need to do is go and do the speaker set up manually to start.
Front L&R - Small
Centre - Small
Surround - Small
Rear Surround - No (unless you have 7.1 speakers, in which case - Small)
Sub - Yes
Sub Xover frequency - 80Hz if you have bookshelf speakers, 100Hz or 120Hz if they're very small satellite speakers.​

Sub settings - these are initial settings just to get things going. You'll change these once you have bass working reliably to dial in the performance of the sub:

Phase - 0
Volume - about 50%
Xover frequency - same as the amp setting (80Hz/100Hz/120Hz) although this really shouldn't matter because it's only for the speaker input​

If the sub has an Auto mode then switch it off or set the selector switch to On instead. This will stop the sub going to sleep during the setup phase.

Once you have the speakers all firing you can go back and use the mic. Just be aware though, these systems aren't infallible. You'll get better results 99 times out of 100 using a tape measure and a sound meter.
 
Hi lucid,

Thanks for getting back.

I setup up manually as you’ve suggested (although I set Surround to ‘None’ for now). I set Xover to 80Hz as have pair of MA BX2. I also have the MA BXCentre.

I’ve set the sub settings as you’ve suggested.

I set power mode to ‘on’. (Not ‘off’ or ‘auto’).

I then tried playing a BD but sub still not working.

So the setup procedure wouldn't normally take into account that sub has a sleep mode?

Do you have any other suggestions for what to check?
 
Check your wiring and use the amps test tones rather than a movie.

As for the amp and sleep mode, it's just one more thing that can go wrong if you're not used to setting up home cinema gear. Make things simple for yourself. Get rid of- or disable- or bypass anything that tries to wrestle control away from you during the early stages of the setup procedure. You need to know what's working and what isn't. The more you rely on automatic setups and wizards then the more obscured the whole system becomes for you. Like now, your sub isn't working, but if you'd used the internal test tones you would have found this out during hookup when plugging in cables was still fresh in your mind. Now you're having to backtrack and diagnose because the auto routine hasn't worked.
 
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Thanks lucid,

I've checked wiring and as far as I can tell its as per the manuals.

I've also used the test tones but still nothing from the sub.

I've tried a few configurations and played around with the settings on the AVR based on various posts I've seen.

I think the following is the way it should connect but doesn't seem to be working:

To the BXW-10 sub I've connected as per photo below (Pic 1)
- connected cable to LFE IN (cables as supplied by you guys as well - came as a pair)
- connected power cord to socket
- volume set to around 10 o clock position (I've tried this at various settings - hence shown different in photo)
- crossover frequency control to 90Hz (Again, I've tried this at various settings - hence shown different in photo. But guess this shouldn't make any difference as I'm using LFE input and therefore it should be controlled by AVR right?)
- phase control switch to 0
- power mode switch to on
- mains power switch on

To the Yamaha AVR I've connected the sub as per second photo below:
- connected cable to 'SUBWOOFER 1' in 'PRE OUT' section


In addition to above, I've tried a variation using the lead for 12 volt trigger input also. It made no difference. (Also, the pin seems to go in at a slightly offset angle into the back of the sub). But I guess the only addition this would have would be that the sub would turn itself off when not in use?

I don't suppose I could have set something incorrectly on the AVR so that it's not picking it up now? Is there a way to restore default settings on the Yamaha? Although I would have thought by using the YPAO microphone and the autosetup it should be able to pick it up. But it doesn't.

Cheers

Pic 1:
SUB.jpg


Pic 2:
AVR.jpg
 
I think I’ve followed settings for the sub and 667. I’ve laid out the procedure in painstaking detail below. Apologies for the ramblings. I thought by doing this I might find the problem myself.

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According to the 667 manual the main steps are as follows:

Step 1A
Connect the subwoofer input jack to the SUBWOOFER 1 or 2 jack on the Yamaha 667 with an audio pin cable. I have used one of the stereo audio cables (insert link) – a pair of which I purchased with system from richersounds. I’ve inserted one end of one of them into SUBWOOFER 1 jack on the Yamaha 667.

Step 2A
Set the subwoofer volume as follows:
Volume: set to approx half (or slightly less than half)
Crossover Frequency: set to max
So I’ve set volume to 11 o clock position and crossover frequency to 150 Hz (as this is the max on the BXW-10)

Step 3A (not sub specific)
3.1 Check unit, TV, sub
3.2 Place YPAO at ear height
3.3 Turn on receiver
3.4 Connect YPAO
3.5 On screen, select ‘measure’, then ‘enter’ – performs measurement and displays result.

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According to the Monitor Audio BXW-10 sub manual the main steps are as follows:

There are two possibilities for input – 2 x stereo, 1 x LFE. All 3 are RCA connection. As I am connecting to a Yamaha 667 (and not a stereo amplifier), I presume I should follow instructions for using the LFE input on the sub (is this correct?). Also, by using this, the crossover frequency shouldn’t matter, as the crossover function being controlled by the AV amplifier (Yamaha 667) to which it is connected.

Even though this is the case, suggested settings are provided for the cross over frequency. They are as follows:

Type of Main Speaker
Monitor Audio Product Crossover
Control Setting
Small stand-mount/ bookshelf speaker RX1; BX1/2; R225HD/250HD;R oneHD 60-90 Hz

(Theres a more extensive list but I’ve only included this as I have pair of BX2’s). Thus there is a conflict – as the Yamaha 667 manual suggests setting it to 150Hz and the BXW-10 sub is suggesting to set it lower at 60-90Hz. I think the hierarchy is the Yamaha so I’ve set it to max of 150Hz. Plus, shouldn’t this just mean that it kicks in more often? (Although not really as the cross over is set in the Yamaha 667 menu).

Volume Control – Advice as follows: Start with the volume at a low level and increase the level control until a balanced sound is established. If using an AV processor or AV receiver amplifier, the system can be adjusted by the test tone function within the set-up features. (Refer to the set up section in the AV processor or AV receiver amplifier user guide.)
Thus I’ve used the recommended setting of 11 o clock as per Yamaha 667 manual.

Phase Control Switch – Advice as follows: it should be noted that in most cases the phase control switch should be set to 0 degrees, especially when using a digital AV processor or AV receiver amplifier.
Thus I’ve set it to 0 degrees.

Power Mode Switch with On-Auto-Off Facility
I’ve switched this to on.
(Should the LED immediately go to green to indicate it is operational? Or will it only go green when it is ‘on’ AND it receives a signal? (e.g. test signal from auto setup procedure with the YPAO mic)).

12 Volt Trigger Input ~ Centre Pin = +12Vdc
Monitor Audio recommend using this function and a lead is supplied. This 12 volt signal is supplied by the AV amp/receiver and tells the BXW-10 to turn on from standby mode. This allows a more accurately controlled auto on/off function, and is far more energy efficient. When using the 12v trigger, the Power Mode Switch (7) can be in any of the three positions, for it to function correctly.
I’ve not connected this and won’t bother trying until its up and running. Unfortunately at the moment it is very energy efficient as it aint working at all.

Its plugged in.

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Summary

So I’ve set it up as best with the guidance from both manuals.
- Using 1 cable (stereo audio cable) to connect ‘Subwoofer 1’ jack on the ‘PRE-OUT’ section of the Yamaha receiver to the ‘LFE IN’ at the back of the sub.
- Set volume to 11 o clock position (on sub)
- Set cross over frequency to max 150Hz (on sub)
- Turned on the sub (its plugged in, mains power switch is on, power mode switch set to ‘on’) and a red LED comes on to indicate standby mode at the front, and the LED at the back is red.
- Turned on the Yahama 667 – standby screen appears on TV
- Inserted YPAO microphone into front of Yamaha 667 for autosetup
- Pressed enter on remote to start – it selects ‘Measure’ in on screen menu for autosetup
- It then finds my front left, centre, and front right, but not my sub.

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So basic setup according to the manuals doesn’t seem to work for me. Now onto some variations to standard suggested settings.

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Variation 1: Changing crossover frequency to 80Hz. (Now within recommended range as per BXW-10 manual)
- I changed crossover setting on back of sub to 80 Hz
- (I didtn turn anything of and on again – presume there is no need?)
- I then performed ‘Measure’ step again. Still doesn’t pick up sub.

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Variation 2: Change to Subwoofer 2 on AVR
- Turned off Yahama 667
- Turned off sub
- Took out cable from ‘Subwoofer 1’ and inserted into ‘Subwoofer 2’
- Repeated as per summary above
- Still doesn’t pick up sub
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Variation 3: Used different cable to connect sub and Yamaha 667.
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Variation 4: Used different socket for plugging in sub to main power.
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Variation 5: Tried to setup the sub manually and then played BD to check.

None of the above worked.


Note that I am using Philips stereo audio cable that I purchased with system:
http://www.philipsshop.ie/Spec She...10_pss_eng.pdf

Am I doing something wrong with the cables hooking-up the sub to the Yamaha 667?

Any other suggestions?
 
Okay, what we need to establish is if the sub is working and if the cable is working. The test is simple, although it'll probably scare the pants off you the first time you try it.

Turn off both amp and sub. Disconnect the sub lead from the amp end. Turn the sub volume control down to 1 notch above minimum. Turn sub on. Touch your finger to the end of the phono cable centre pin. The sub should buzz. If you hear nothing try the volume at 2 notches. If you still get nothing then I'd suspect a duff lead first. Turn off the sub and swap out the cable with something else just as a test. If still no sound try the Left Line In socket. Repeat the test at the lower volume.

If you do hear a buzz when running on the LFE input then you know the sub is working. The issue then has to be the amp.
 
lucid said:
Okay, what we need to establish is if the sub is working and if the cable is working. The test is simple, although it'll probably scare the pants off you the first time you try it.

Turn off both amp and sub. Disconnect the sub lead from the amp end. Turn the sub volume control down to 1 notch above minimum. Turn sub on. Touch your finger to the end of the phono cable centre pin. The sub should buzz. If you hear nothing try the volume at 2 notches. If you still get nothing then I'd suspect a duff lead first. Turn off the sub and swap out the cable with something else just as a test. If still no sound try the Left Line In socket. Repeat the test at the lower volume.

If you do hear a buzz when running on the LFE input then you know the sub is working. The issue then has to be the amp.
Click to expand...

Hi lucid,
Thanks for getting back. But whatever about pants, should I be wearing some type of rubber soled shoes trying to do this? Well at least I've had a good NYE if it all comes to an end shortly.

Just a quick clarification before I try this. I should try it with the cable plugged into the 'LFE In' at the back of the sub first. Then if nothing, try it in 'L Line Input' second?

Do I need to lick anything? Feels like I should - either the cable or my finger. Hmmm....

By the way, I have now connected all my speakers in case that was the problem. Now running 7, but still no 7.1 as of yet... Didn't make the slightest difference. Tried it again both manually and autosetup - again setting all the speakers to small.
 
It's a basic question but does the amp auto detect the sub connected to it? My old Yamaha 795 has a setting for LFE out via EITHER the main speakers OR the sub output.
Oh n don't lick your LFE cable, you might get a numb tongue!
 
Just press your finger against the end of the ruddy cable, doesnt matter about what boxer shorts you have on!! As long as its set to a low volume as lucid suggests then no damage will be done.
 
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