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Author Thread: Front speakers powered by sub or receiver
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Bronze Member
Username: Dmc1

Post Number: 26
Registered: Jan-05
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I just got finished hooking up my Onkyo TX-Sr602 and WOW thats nice. I did have a bit of trouble on the auto speaker set up. The darn thing was horrible and I went to manual mode and its ok now. The question I have is on how to power the front channels
Polk the maker of the 6500 speakers recommends powering though tht e sub. The Onkyo has putputs for the sub and front channels. What is the best choice. Sub powered fronts vs recvr powered fronts
thanks
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?PFF??!!What?
Unregistered guest
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Eh? Not sure what you are asking here...

How can speakers be powered by a sub? Do you mean that your speakers have two groups of connections on the back?
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Bronze Member
Username: Dmc1

Post Number: 28
Registered: Jan-05
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Maybe "powered" is the wrong term
The connection to the front channels go to the sub
then to the reciver
the recvr has a preamp for the sub but its not used
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.......not so pfft!
Unregistered guest
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Ahh.. I see. The preamp output on the reciever sends an non-amplified signal to subs which house an internal amplifier.

You'll need to buy an 'active' sub to connect to the preout on the reciever.
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Bronze Member
Username: Dmc1

Post Number: 29
Registered: Jan-05
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Im confused
The sub is powered
Is has volume control
The dials on the back of the sub control the pass freq and the volume. I think the recvr could do that too it the front speakers come right off the reciver and not go to the sub first.


The sub would then just be connected directly to the recvr and not be powered by the front channels

WHich method is better
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...pfft, my fault!
Unregistered guest
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Sorry, my fault.

Connect the sub to the 'sub preout' on the back of the reciever.

Connect the front speakers directly to FL and FR outputs on the reciever.

Setup the volume of the sub using the test signals on the amp or a setup dvd.

Fingers crossed..
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Bronze Member
Username: Dmc1

Post Number: 30
Registered: Jan-05
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I got ya
So Can you explain why polk suggest the alternate set up method. Is it because there is a cross over build into the sub of some kind. There is another dial on the back of the sub like a type of pass filter that contols the output to the front channels. Is that just for cheapo recvrs that cant control the sub independantly. Just wondering.
But to be clear. I will just forget the Polk wiring suggestion and wire the sub with a single wire and not muck around with bringing the front channels wires to the sub.
I appreciate your time on this
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Bronze Member
Username: Dmc1

Post Number: 31
Registered: Jan-05
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anyone know why polk make the suggestion from the thread above
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Unregistered guest
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Hi DC,
hhmm, I was googling the same question u had.
The reason why I feel polk made that suggestion is probably this (although I am not 100% sure)
right now, ur receiver is filtering the high&low frequencies and sending them to speakers and subwoofer respectively.
This may be causing a "hole". For example, if ur receiver is designed to cutoff sounds at 150Hz: send all lower frequencies to the sub and all higher frequencies to the speakers,
Whereas, ur sub is designed to handle frequencies till 100Hz (as an example).
In such a situation, some of ur sounds would get lost.
So, as polk suggests, if ur front channels are connected thru the sub, the sub decides the cutoff frequency, implying that no sounds are lost.
This is my perception of polk's suggestion, although I could be wrong.
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Bronze Member
Username: Dmc1

Post Number: 32
Registered: Jan-05
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I understand
SO am I better off connecting the fronts thought the sub or not. I guess your theory is implies that they should but it looks like you lose some speaker/sub control though the recvr
It definately mucks up the auto speaker set up feature. I guess i will just tinker around
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