Solved! Pre-Wired 5.1 in Media Room - Need some help

[harrisiqbal]

Greetings Ladies/Gents,

First time setting up a Home Theater system and just can't figure this out.

I purchased the Onkyo HT-S3800 System that has a passive subwoofer. The Receiver connects to the Subwoofer using regular 2-conductor speaker wire (red/black terminals).

Here is the complication.

My Media room in my new home is pre-wired. The subwoofer in-wall cable that the builder used is RG6 cable (coax) that terminates into wall plates with a female RCA keystone adapter. Due to the placement of the Subwoofer - I want to make use of the In-Wall subwoofer cable which means...

Subwoofer to Wall RCA:

Subwoofer only has the red/black 2 conductor spring clip type terminals. See the manual following the link below and go to page 9 for the wiring schematic figure.

http/filedepot.onkyousa.com/Files/own_manuals/SN29402478_HT-S3800_En_160425_web.pdf)

What cable do I use to connect the Subwoofer to the female RCA port on the wall plate? I ordered 16 gauge speaker wire but don't know what to do here. I'm sure it is easy to accomplish but I'm new to this!

Wall RCA to Subwoofer input in Receiver

If i figure out the answer to my question above - then the same will apply here so that should be fine.

The rest of the speakers I think I have a handle on - I'm using a 5.1 2-gang banana style media wall plate and then just using terminated speaker wire with banana plugs to connect everything on the receiver end.

Just need help on the subwoofer part.

Help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
~Harris

 

[americanaudiophile]

The problem is that your room was wired for an active sub which connects to the line level sub out on AV receivers with interconnect cable.
Your HTS (and most others) has the amp for the sub inside the main unit so it should be connected with speaker cable like the other speakers.
RG6 does have two conductors (center and shield) but also has a lot more capacitance than regular speaker wire. That can be difficult for most amps to drive. It could damage the HTS or shut it down.
If you can position the passive sub so that speaker wire could be used that would be best.
If you have to try it then you can cut a single channel interconnect cable into two pieces and strip the wires to connect to the HTS sub out and the sub in.
Another option is to use a speaker to line level converter at the HTS and a powered sub.

 

[harrisiqbal]

The problem is that your room was wired for an active sub which connects to the line level sub out on AV receivers with interconnect cable.
Your HTS (and most others) has the amp for the sub inside the main unit so it should be connected with speaker cable like the other speakers.
RG6 does have two conductors (center and shield) but also has a lot more capacitance than regular speaker wire. That can be difficult for most amps to drive. It could damage the HTS or shut it down.
If you can position the passive sub so that speaker wire could be used that would be best.
If you have to try it then you can cut a single channel interconnect cable into two pieces and strip the wires to connect to the HTS sub out and the sub in.
Another option is to use a speaker to line level converter at the HTS and a powered sub.

 

[harrisiqbal]

Wow that is such a clear and concise response! Thank you! Makes so much sense.

So that basically means I can use a powered sub in the future with this HTB receiver as long as I get this converter thing you speak off. Any recommendations on the converter? Or does it even matter as to the brand/type of line level converter (I was just gonna Google it and buy whatever - just wanna make sure what I need to consider when buying it)

Cheers,
Harris