If you’re considering using a subwoofer in your audio system, then you should be aware that there’s more than one way to do it. If your receiver does not have a subwoofer output, then the easiest thing to do is connect the subwoofer to an AUX input or line-level input. This will allow any sound coming from the speakers connected to those inputs (typically front and rear) to also go through the subwoofer as well.
Have you Ever Wondered How to Connect a Subwoofer to your Receiver?
If so, then this article is for you. We’ll go over the different ways that you can connect a subwoofer to receiver without subwoofer output and help you figure out which one will work best for your system. There are two main types of connections that we’re going to cover in this article line-level inputs and AUX inputs.
Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages, but both are very effective at getting sound from your speakers into the subwoofer. Read our full guide on connecting a subwoofer without a dedicated output! Let’s get started!
How To Connect A Subwoofer To Your Receiver Without A Subwoofer Output?
Following are the best methods to connect subwoofers to receivers with no subs output:
AUX Input:
If your receiver does not have a subwoofer output, connect the subwoofer to an AUX input or a line-level input instead. You will then have to set the speakers that are connected to your receiver’s subwoofer output to SMALL, or ZONE B if you’re using a multi-zone setup.
You can also connect the speaker wire from each of your front and rear channels directly into the positive and negative terminals on your amplifier (or powered monitor). This way they act as satellite speakers for your main system. For this configuration, it may be best if all of these secondary outputs use small format drivers themselves in order not to overtax any one device with too much bass energy.
Internal Amplifier:
If you have a speaker with an internal amplifier, then it will need to be connected directly to the positive and negative terminals on your receiver. In this case, your subwoofer would connect as usual into the LFE output from your receiver to receive its signal.
Note that if you’re using multiple amps in one system (such as bi-amping or tri-amping), then all of those outputs should go through their respective preamp stages before going back out again. The only exception would be dual-mono configurations where each amp drives a single full-range driver within a passive crossover network rather than splitting up individual frequencies between two separate drivers/amps.
How To Connect Multiple Amps In One System?
You may be wondering how to connect multiple amps in one system. It can seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually not as difficult as you might think.
Type of Amp:
The first thing you need to do is find out what type of amps and speakers you’re dealing with. Some systems use 4 channel amps while others will have 2 channel or 8 channel models.
You’ll also want to know the number of channels each amp has available for input and output, so that if any one amp goes down your entire system doesn’t go dark because there was no backup for the channels needed by the speaker setup.
After you’ve got all that figured out then it’s just a matter of connecting everything up correctly and making sure everything is turned on at the correct volume levels. Now that you have your amps connected, it’s time to turn them on.
Power:
Make sure the power is turned off for all of the components including the subwoofer and speakers before making any connections between each amp channel to make sure there aren’t any short circuits or problems like that which could damage one or more pieces of equipment.
Input Cable:
Once everything is powered off then connect an input cable from a speaker output channel on your receiver to an available channel on both amplifiers (usually labeled “L” and “R”). From what we have seen these are always in order starting with L/R front left/right channels first followed by rear channels after those two are taken care of.
Testing Stage:
After connecting the cables to both amps its advisable to test out whatever speakers are being used for the subwoofer to make sure they’re working correctly. When everything is hooked up and both amps are on it’s time to start powering things on in order from amplifier channels closest to receiver inputs first until all of them are turned on at once.
It’s time to turn down the power level knob(s) for each amp channel so that no speakers or subs will produce any noise yet there still able to do their job even when playing back audio at low volume levels.
Last Step:
Lastly set your receiver master control (usually labeled “master” or something similar) as high as it will go and then set the volume level for each amp channel to a comfortable listening level (usually around 60%) and you’re good to go. Now that your system is turned on, it’s time to start adjusting levels between receiver channels and amps so everything sounds right with how you’ve got things arranged.
You may need to make some changes based upon where speakers or subwoofers are located in relation to one another as well as how high off of the floor they sit relative to listeners who will be using them at different times. It can take a while before getting all of this perfect depending upon how many components there are but once it’s finished should sound great no matter what kind of music is being played back through it!
Safety Tips To Keep In Mind:
Make sure, before adding a subwoofer to a receiver that doesn’t have an output, it’s important to find out what type of amps are being used in the system. After everything is connected up correctly and powered on, you can start adjusting levels between each amp channel and your receiver so they’re all at comfortable listening volume settings. Don’t forget to test subwoofer or speaker inputs before powering systems back on after connecting them together!
Final Thoughts:
When adding a subwoofer to any sound system where one isn’t already present it’s important for safety reasons not only turn power off but also disconnect anything else from speakers or subs until testing proves there aren’t any problems with how things were connected up. It may take a while before getting everything sounding perfect depending upon number components involved but once finished should sound great.
