Subwoofer audio upgrade

rmark45matsu

Estimable
Aug 23, 2014
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4,590
Currently I have Logitech Z313 Speakers paired with the Logitech Z506's, creating a 7.2 sound system. I cannot use the bass in the Z313 Speaker set, at least not to it's full potential. It's very muffled and just doesn't give out the same booms as my subs from the z506's.

Anyhow my post is regarding an upgrade to this system. I would like to increase the size of my sub woofer, currently it's 4.5 inches I believe, and I'd like to get a 10 inch or 12 inch sub. I was wondering how I would do that without tossing out my system? Could I split the sub line coming from my PC and plug it into my existing sub and the new one? What do subs need to work? I'm not sure on all these, if someone could shed some light that would be much appreciated.

If possible recommend a sub woofer too :)

Thank you.
 
Solution
getting it to work with your 5.1 set should be fairly easy. you can make use of stereo to mono splitters to pull off the sub signal from the cen/sub 3.5mm connection and passthrough the signal to the speakers without a sub signal (so sub SHOULDNT fire if its wired that way) then take the signal and input that to your new sub (note: powered sub with its own ac cable) and it should fire.

if you want both subs to fire, just split the sub signal and feed it to both subs (but this may sound odd)

there is no way short of rewiring the z313 internally to stop the sub from firing typically. the sub will fire on all low tones passed to it via the 3.5mm and not just on tones specified as subwoofer only. you could of course likely use a high-pass...
getting it to work with your 5.1 set should be fairly easy. you can make use of stereo to mono splitters to pull off the sub signal from the cen/sub 3.5mm connection and passthrough the signal to the speakers without a sub signal (so sub SHOULDNT fire if its wired that way) then take the signal and input that to your new sub (note: powered sub with its own ac cable) and it should fire.

if you want both subs to fire, just split the sub signal and feed it to both subs (but this may sound odd)

there is no way short of rewiring the z313 internally to stop the sub from firing typically. the sub will fire on all low tones passed to it via the 3.5mm and not just on tones specified as subwoofer only. you could of course likely use a high-pass filter on that line to filter out the lower bass tones and turn to subwoofer knob sensitivity down to zero to prevent it from firing in that way though.

having 3 subs setup and all working at once will sound audibly odd since they are not matched and all have different types of sound output. i'd suggest just having one working but thats just my suggestion.

as far as subwoofers on the budget side of things..

dayton's sub-800 is under $100 and gets some words of note for being good value for the money. it is an 8inch.
polk's psw-10 is $130 and gets words of note for being great value for the money. it is a 10inch.

do keep in mind that if you get too powerful of a subwoofer it will drown out your satelites (this is one reason i do not like the klipsch promedia 2.1 set as the sub is just too strong and drowns out the satelites).

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an alternative thought process would be possibly selling off the z313 and z506 and upgrading your whole system.

the monoprice 10565 / energy take classic 5.1 are great speakers for the money and paired up with an entry level receiver you would take quite an increase in sound quality (5.1 not 7.1 though).

home theater speakers are quite a bit better than pc speakers, generally.
 
Solution

rmark45matsu

Estimable
Aug 23, 2014
26
0
4,590


So I'm looking at getting -

http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-10-Inch-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B0002KVQBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430276263&sr=8-1&keywords=polk%27s+psw-10

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Audio-Cable-Splitter-1-Mini/dp/B00004Z5CP/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1430276879&sr=8-2&keywords=3.5mm+to+rca

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000067RC4/ref=twister_B006WVAYA2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Is this all I'll need?
 

rmark45matsu

Estimable
Aug 23, 2014
26
0
4,590
Sorry, about that. I want the back to remain the same, where it fires softly once in a while, but I want my main sub, to not fire at all, I just want this new sub to fire.

^If that was confusing, to sum it up, I want this new sub to replace my old one.
 
i believe the first cable you picked should work as it seperates 3.5mm's stereo signal into left and right rca which is what you want. in this case it separates the cen/sub into center and sub respectively. now i believe the subwoofer side should be the red rca, though if this doesnt work correctly i'd try swapping.

you should be able to just use the subwoofer signal carrying rca plug and connect it up to either one of the line in inputs on the subwoofer. typically i pick the left connection but it shouldnt matter. some users and some subwoofer models will output a little more bass from using a regular rca splitter to duplicate this across two plugs and connect into both L/R inputs (some say on certain models this gives them more bass) but in your case i would say you are fine with just the one (according to your manual as well)

for clarification the cable is now connected:

subwoofer----red rca------------X------ 3.5mm-----PC orange jack
(blank)--------white rca-----'

as for the other cable, no.'

READ ME FIRST! check that the connection on the actual 5.1 PC subwoofer itself is a 3.5mm cable (the cable that goes from the orange pc jack to the subwoofer) is 3.5mm on the end that connects up to the pc. if it is then the below will work and save you using the original cable. if it is NOT a standard 3.5mm or you arent sure instead of the cable below get one that has a FEMALE 3.5mm jack on it and connect up the original 5.1 pc subwoofer's orange connector to it instead

what i would get is a rca female to 3.5mm male connector (basically the same cable as the first but with female not male rca ends)

i would then connect the white rca of the first cable (blank) up to the white connector of the new cable.

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test it. sound should trigger out all speakers and the new sub.

if you are not getting center and sub, reverse red&white on the rca connectors (but leave the connection on the actual polk sub alone as this doesnt matter)