LFE Port to L/R RCA plugs

[danieldefasson]

I have a HK AVR30 with 2 RCA subwoofer outputs (L/R).
I just bought a BIC America RTR-EV1200 subwoofer that has a single LFE port in.
Should I run both RCA sub cables from the AVR to the subwoofer and connect to the sub via an RCA Y connector?
Or should I run only one of the cables from the AVR and connect it to the sub? If so, which one.
Is there a recommended crossover level for the sub (40-180Hz)?

 

[jsmithepa]

Are u sure those are sub L+R? oftentimes, they are simply sub1 and sub2 to hook up 2 subwoofers.

Consult the manual to be sure.

 

[danieldefasson]

Definitely L/R Subwoofer out. The AVR30 is a least 20 years old.

 

[danieldefasson]

https/www.manualslib.com/manual/278932/Harman-Kardon-Avr-30.html?page=5#manual

 

[jsmithepa]

https/www.manualslib.com/manual/278932/Harman-Kardon-Avr-30.html?page=5#manual

Maybe I am blind but I don't see any sub out at all, it got SET A and SET B sprks outs.

 

[danieldefasson]

Please look in the middle of page 5 you will see LINE OUTPUTS with SUBWOOFER L/R being the ones on the left.

 

[jsmithepa]

Please look in the middle of page 5 you will see LINE OUTPUTS with SUBWOOFER L/R being the ones on the left.

That hidden ah heck!

THIS suggests using either L or R.

 

[danieldefasson]

Thanks.
So no need for RCA Y adaptor?

 

[jsmithepa]

Thanks.
So no need for RCA Y adaptor?

An electronics law says NEVER connect two OUTPUTS together, so a Y cable here would do that, so NO.

 

[danieldefasson]

Thank you for your help.

 

[ien2222]

Actually, in this case you need to connect via a y adapter which is fine to use for subs, especially in this case. In more modern AVR's where output is a single out, the AVR combines the signal (assuming speakers set to small) of the L/R before the output which is basically what you're doing here except that's happening at the interconnect.

If you only connect one up, you'll miss half the information you should be getting (which ever channel isn't hooked up).

 

[danieldefasson]

So I have a yes and a no. Which one is it? Yes Y or No Y?

 

[americanaudiophile]

The right way to connect the sub is to use the speaker level inputs which would have a crossover for the sub and avoids the whole Y connector issue.
The manual states that the sub outs can be used for any component requiring a full bandwidth line level input so they aren't actually sub outs at all and no way to make them a sub out. There is no crossover on the LFE input of the sub so you can't use that with this receiver.
Early surround receivers don't all follow the standards that they do now. Some early HDMI receivers did not accept audio via HDMI. That drove me crazy once.

 

[danieldefasson]

According to HK tech support: you can use any one of the L/R RCA channels at the back of the receiver. Since one subwoofer technically would not release a stereo signal (since there is only one), they only will be producing a mono signal, which is why you can use only one of the L/R RCA channels. Also, since subwoofers play the low frequency of audio which is heard regardless of left and right, having only one of the L/R RCA channels used would be all good. This is only applicable for the low ends or for bass, since bass is present on both Left and Right audio signals, and would not play any different from each other. That would have you not need to use a y-cable for connecting your subwoofer to the receiver.

For the speaker output terminals and for the pre-amp outputs, each Left and Right, and surround Left and Right all produces their own audio signal, since they technically produce a full range audio signal, which has all high, mid, and low.