Can this be right? or a disaster?

Mr.Jim

President of nothing
Subscriber
I have an Audio Space Galaxy 34 tube amp ( integrated) and Tekton Lore speakers. The amp has
one set of speaker hook up's and no other outputs. Sounds good but bass is a
bit lacking and want to hook up my DCM 10 powered amp.
Our local audio store told me I could hook up my DCM 10 sub to this by: Running wires to speakers as normal, and then running wires from my sub, and connecting the wires to the speaker wires into banana jacks and then to the amp. So I am essentially wiring 2 sets of speaker wires together with the sub adding the 100 watts to the mix.
Can this be right? Or how else can this be hooked up if not correct?
 
Powered subs add no load to the amplifier as they have their own amplifier. You can either run speaker wire to the sub from the amplifier terminals or the terminals on the speakers (from the amp is usually easiest).

In short, yes a perfectly normal way to hook up a powered sub with high level inputs.
 
Powered subs add no load to the amplifier as they have their own amplifier. You can either run speaker wire to the sub from the amplifier terminals or the terminals on the speakers (from the amp is usually easiest).

In short, yes a perfectly normal way to hook up a powered sub with high level inputs.

Nightwisher, is giving you sound advice. My only comment is since the sub draws so little current you can use the cheapest twin lead you can find at Home Depot. Then, you can get the sub's signal from either the amp or from your speakers, which ever is closest to the sub.

Regards,
Jerry

PS: A very highly respected sub manufacturer recommends connecting subs in music systems this way.
 
Can this be right? Or how else can this be hooked up if not correct?

I would run RCA interconnect from the Audio Space Galaxy (Tape Out) to the RCA inputs on the sub.
I'd stay away from two amps connected to one pair of speakers in any way.
 
If you get your sub feed from a tape out, the sub level will not follow the the same level increase as the main speakers. I have run a sub like this for testing, but i had to change the sub level with each change in volume.
 
I would run RCA interconnect from the Audio Space Galaxy (Tape Out) to the RCA inputs on the sub.
I'd stay away from two amps connected to one pair of speakers in any way.

+1. If the first amp's bass output is tainted by the speaker, say resonance, then the sub amp's input signal would also be tainted and influence the sub. I concur that 427's suggestion would benefit the most.

keep on truckin
Joe
 
+1. If the first amp's bass output is tainted by the speaker, say resonance, then the sub amp's input signal would also be tainted and influence the sub. I concur that 427's suggestion would benefit the most.

keep on truckin
Joe
I don't know about you, but I'd rather not adjust the subwoofer volume every time I even thought about changing the volume on the integrated amp. Freddymac's comment was on point. The sub simply will not change volume with the speakers when it is hooked up via the Tape Out. It's hard enough to get subwoofer levels to match to the speaker levels, let alone every time there is a volume change. It's just not worth the hassle, even if there is some so-called "resonance". This is the first time I have heard such a theory and I have some serious doubts about it, considering the manufacturers themselves recommend you hook up subwoofers with the high level inputs (provided there isn't a sub out or pre out available).

Using the Tape Out for a subwoofer is quite simply not something that should be recommended unless that is the only option. Period.

i thought subs had speaker outs ? or is that just the better ones ?
Some do, some don't. It depends on the model.
 
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I don't know about you, but I'd rather not adjust the subwoofer volume every time I even thought about changing the volume on the integrated amp. Freddymac's comment was on point. The sub simply will not change volume with the speakers when it is hooked up via the Tape Out. It's hard enough to get subwoofer levels to match to the speaker levels, let alone every time there is a volume change. It's just not worth the hassle, even if there is some so-called "resonance". This is the first time I have heard such a theory and I have some serious doubts about it, considering the manufacturers themselves recommend you hook up subwoofers with the high level inputs (provided there isn't a sub out or pre out available).

Every system has speaker resonances, different damping on the speaker. With fixed output tape, you are correct, it would be more inconvenience.

keep on truckin
Joe
 
Every system has speaker resonances, different damping on the speaker. With fixed output tape, you are correct, it would be more inconvenience.

keep on truckin
Joe
I think if someone is worried about speaker resonances and the effects they have on a subwoofer through it's high level inputs, they would do much better investing in something with a sub out or pre out to solve that problem rather than worrying about it here and creating a new, much bigger and more obvious problem (and hassle).

Just my thoughts. I push back because I've lived with a sub hooked up to tape outs and I can tell you I praised the day I got a receiver with a sub out (the speaker level inputs on that sub have a constant 60 Hz buzz otherwise I would have used that).
 
I have hooked it up the way I originally described ( with the 1 set of speaker wires, and 1 set of wires from the dcm sub hi level twisted together and put into a banana plug to plug into the speaker terminals on the integrated amp and it works fine. BUT, sometime after shut down it causes my surge protector alarm to come on. It doesn't trip it off, but I have to turn the surge protector off and then back on to make the alarm go off. It does not happen for at least an hour after shut off.
 
To make myself clearer, I have just purchased the Audio Space Galaxy, and immediately hooked up the sub. I have no track record of the use of either unit before this initial hookup. I changed surge protectors and the 2nd also beeps by morning. Last night I turned it all off, and was up another hour and heard nothing. Sometime in the next 6-7 hours it started to beep.
 
I think if someone is worried about speaker resonances and the effects they have on a subwoofer through it's high level inputs, they would do much better investing in something with a sub out or pre out to solve that problem rather than worrying about it here and creating a new, much bigger and more obvious problem (and hassle).

Just my thoughts. I push back because I've lived with a sub hooked up to tape outs and I can tell you I praised the day I got a receiver with a sub out (the speaker level inputs on that sub have a constant 60 Hz buzz otherwise I would have used that).

Thanks for your information Night.

keep on truckin
Joe
 
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