Connecting Sony STR-DN1050 Receiver to Logitech 2.1 speakers?

[Reciever80]

Hey guys,

I've been looking through the forums but I'm having trouble understanding some of the answers, so I'm sorry that I'm posting a question that seems to be so similar to many others.

I have a 2.1 Logitech speaker system that uses 1/8" and RCA inputs. It's really nice, and I have two of them (Z-2300).

My roommate just got the Sony receiver (STR-DN1050) and two bookshelf speakers (Klipsch R-15M), and we want to use the 2.1 systems as back/side speakers for a 5.1 setup, but the back of the Receiver only has speaker wire connections for those. I tried using zone 2 output RCA to RCA but there was a *lot* of static coming through as well.

From the other answers I read, it seemed like you couldn't connect speaker wire to RCA. When I was at Best Buy, however, I asked their audio guy (my age, senior, college town, I doubt he'd lie) how to connect the two and he said I needed banana[strike] clips(?)[/strike] plugs running the speaker wire into the clips, twisting em around, then plugging them into the RCA inputs of the 2.1 system. If that's totally not the case, maybe he misunderstood me, who knows ¯\_(?)_/¯.

So with all that context, lies the question: how should I be connecting the speakers to the receiver, or is that not feasible/possible? And for bonus points, why would that not work?


(Probably unnecessary information): Also running a Klipsch R-21SW subwoofer. Let me know if these speakers and receiver seem incompatible?

 

[ssddx]

i wouldnt...

if you try to connect the 2.1 logitech up to the receiver you could blow out something on the 2.1 system. the logitech 2.1 systems are self powered they are not designed to handle highly amplified input even on the 1/8 inch jack. they are designed to input a weakly amplified signal and do all the amplification themselves.

even if you could hook them up safely, i still wouldnt as the logitechs would bring down the total quality of sound. home theater speakers sound so much better than pc speakers that the rear would be a weak point and may bug you.

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now, its technically possible to run a 4.0/4.1 or similar type setup manually... if you connect the receiver up to the pc via an analog rca r/w (via 3.5mm adapter on pc side) or 3.5mm from your pc headphone/front jack and the logitech set on the rear jack. you would lose out on hdmi, video passthrough and similar features though.

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if he wants 5.1 i would invest in more klipsch speakers, run prologic or another virtual mode or just be content with 2.0.

for the record i'm running a klipsch setup myself (though with the smaller quintet iv set and subwoofer). great sounding speakers. i didnt have the cash at the time to go full blown bookshelf setup but i would have liked to.

 

[Geekwad]

This is never going to work correctly, the way you envision it. The speakers you have are looking for line-level inputs, like the headphone jack out of your receiver, or if using RCA, a AUX output or similar. If you put an amplified signal (like from speaker outputs) into the line-level inputs and then the powered Logitech 2.1 speaker system amplifies it again, it's going to sound horrible.

However, note that if you do use a line-level output from your receiver though, the surround encoder will not work correctly with them. The best you can probably hope for is the sub-woofer out (if it's stereo and can have the crossover unapplied as an option), or if the receiver has an A/B or two zone setup option where both zones can be receiving the parent signal at the same time. This would leave you with stereo front and back, but not true surround.

 

[Reciever80]

i wouldnt...

if you try to connect the 2.1 logitech up to the receiver you could blow out something on the 2.1 system. the logitech 2.1 systems are self powered they are not designed to handle highly amplified input even on the 1/8 inch jack. they are designed to input a weakly amplified signal and do all the amplification themselves.

even if you could hook them up safely, i still wouldnt as the logitechs would bring down the total quality of sound. home theater speakers sound so much better than pc speakers that the rear would be a weak point and may bug you.

-------------------

now, its technically possible to run a 4.0/4.1 or similar type setup manually... if you connect the receiver up to the pc via an analog rca r/w (via 3.5mm adapter on pc side) or 3.5mm from your pc headphone/front jack and the logitech set on the rear jack. you would lose out on hdmi, video passthrough and similar features though.

--------------------

if he wants 5.1 i would invest in more klipsch speakers, run prologic or another virtual mode or just be content with 2.0.

for the record i'm running a klipsch setup myself (though with the smaller quintet iv set and subwoofer). great sounding speakers. i didnt have the cash at the time to go full blown bookshelf setup but i would have liked to.

Hey ssdx! Thanks for the quick, informative reply.

I don't have an audiophile's ear, but the Z-300 speakers sound pretty great to me (THX if that means anything). I doubt I'd mind the quality .

The one clarification I have to ask, in your 'manual setup' solution, are you saying have the receiver output to the pc, then the PC to the speakers? If so, how is that different than going straight to the speakers? It looks like you suggested going from an RCA output from the Receiver but the receiver doesn't come with any .

P.S. you mentioned 'highly amplified output' but another problem we're working on is quiet speakers. They're not completely silent, but much quieter than we expected given the $1.4k 2.1 setup.

 

[ssddx]

pc 3.5mm jack (front/headphone ----> receiver input. likely all you have is rca so you would need an 3.5mm to rca adapter from pc->avr
pc 3.5mm jack (rear) ----> logitech 2.1 set

basically things would be hooked up like a pc speaker set and not typical of a receiver home theater set would normally be. the difference between what you originally suggested and this is that the receiver only acts as an amplifier for the home theater speakers and is completely independent of the 2.1 set.

it would be quadraphonic 4.0 not 5.1 but thats about the best you could do. unless adding in a powered speaker of some sort, it would also be impossible to run true 5.1 in this way.


computer would need be to set to 4.0 sound (if your drivers support it). if you pick 5.1 then it will not work right as you would lose almost all dialog since that is going to be on the center channel which you will not have connected. also you might lose out on some low end bass response as well given the subwoofer signal is separated on 5.1 and is pusehd onto the same line as the center (c/sub 3.5mm connection).

also, not sure how well the pc would play 5.1 content over a quadraphonic setup.

my recommendation would still be to not do this as its going to sound worse and you lose features like hdmi passthrough and the like but that is your choice.

a better choice (in my opinion) would be going virtual surround (such as pro logic setting on your receiver), upgrading to a 3.1 (center + sub) or just filling out the rest of your setup with home theater speakers. you could use smaller satelites for the rears (such as the quintets i own myself) and just get a half decent center channel. in many big sets towers are used for the fronts but bookshelves for the rears - perhaps something similar but with bookshelves and satelites. just a thought. i would make sure to keep similar power handling and ohm rating though.

 

[Reciever80]

This is never going to work correctly, the way you envision it. The speakers you have are looking for line-level inputs, like the headphone jack out of your receiver, or if using RCA, a AUX output or similar. If you put an amplified signal (like from speaker outputs) into the line-level inputs and then the powered Logitech 2.1 speaker system amplifies it again, it's going to sound horrible.

However, note that if you do use a line-level output from your receiver though, the surround encoder will not work correctly with them. The best you can probably hope for is the sub-woofer out (if it's stereo and can have the crossover unapplied as an option), or if the receiver has an A/B or two zone setup option where both zones can be receiving the parent signal at the same time. This would leave you with stereo frontc and back, but not true surround.

Hey Geekwad, thanks for the quick reply as well.

When you say 'sounds horrible', are you saying that subjectively (like it's not hi-fidelity, but it still produces decent sound) or it's going to be clipped or high-static (i.e. barely coherent, awful to listen to in general). I feel like its the latter, but still wanted to clarify.

We do have two subwoofer RCA(?) outputs on the back of the receiver -- one of them is going to a Klipsch R-21SW subwoofer, so I'd only have the other output. The zone 2 output worked (two of those), but the volume didn't change with the receiver's volume setting and there was a decent level of static arriving with the music/TV sound we were using for testing. Not sure what to do , so I guess I'm awaiting your feedback.

EDIT: ssdx and I are discussing a possible workaround, and I brought up the possibility of sending the receiver output to my Behringer audio mixboard. If you could account for that possibility, that would be extremely appreciated.

 

[Reciever80]

pc 3.5mm jack (front/headphone ----> receiver input. likely all you have is rca so you would need an 3.5mm to rca adapter from pc->avr
pc 3.5mm jack (rear) ----> logitech 2.1 set

basically things would be hooked up like a pc speaker set and not typical of a receiver home theater set would normally be. the difference between what you originally suggested and this is that the receiver only acts as an amplifier for the home theater speakers and is completely independent of the 2.1 set.

it would be quadraphonic 4.0 not 5.1 but thats about the best you could do. unless adding in a powered speaker of some sort, it would also be impossible to run true 5.1 in this way.


computer would need be to set to 4.0 sound (if your drivers support it). if you pick 5.1 then it will not work right as you would lose almost all dialog since that is going to be on the center channel which you will not have connected. also you might lose out on some low end bass response as well given the subwoofer signal is separated on 5.1 and is pusehd onto the same line as the center (c/sub 3.5mm connection).

also, not sure how well the pc would play 5.1 content over a quadraphonic setup.

my recommendation would still be to not do this as its going to sound worse and you lose features like hdmi passthrough and the like but that is your choice.

a better choice (in my opinion) would be going virtual surround (such as pro logic setting on your receiver), upgrading to a 3.1 (center + sub) or just filling out the rest of your setup with home theater speakers. you could use smaller satelites for the rears (such as the quintets i own myself) and just get a half decent center channel. in many big sets towers are used for the fronts but bookshelves for the rears - perhaps something similar but with bookshelves and satelites. just a thought. i would make sure to keep similar power handling and ohm rating though.

It sounds like your suggestion has the computer as the audio source, which is great for having people over and playing music, but was mainly concerned with audio from the TV.

Before you think of changing the prior solution to meeting the TV source criteria, maybe consider this: I have a Behringer audio mix board that takes 1/4", XLR and possibly RCA inputs (I haven't tested the RCA inputs but I think they were broken last time I checked). Could I have the receiver send the 5.1 rear speaker outputs go to the mixboard, then from the mixboard to the 2.1? Could that handle the amplified signal issue that /u/Geekwad mentioned in his response?

I think I actually do your solution, but instead of the PC being the middle of it, my audio mix-board sends one output to the receiver (and the HT speakers) via 1/4" to RCA cable, and another to the 2.1 speakers via 1/4" to RCA cable.

 

[ien2222]

Hehe, you guys are over thinking this.

@OP: Yes, you can do it, however you need to only use the sats and NOT the sub. Since you'll be using them as side/rears you can get away with smaller speakers that don't go very low. PC sats are a bit of a stretch though which means you'll be missing some content so it's not going to be the greatest, but as a ad hoc solution it'll be passable.

You'll need to get something like this:
It's a speaker wire to RCA female plug.
Just connect the 2300's (sats only, NO sub involved) to the rca end and the the wire part will be connected to the surround outputs on the Sony.

Be careful to not use them too loud, I really don't know what the impedance is for those sats and you don't want to cause too much strain on the AVR.

 

[americanaudiophile]

If you connect them to the receiver speaker terminals you will damage the speakers since they are self powered. You need a speaker to line level converter like this one
http/www.crutchfield.com/p_142LOC80/Scosche-LOC80.html

 

[ien2222]

The sats themselves are not powered which is why I specifically mentioned you don't use the sub which does contain the amp.