Connecting a Subwoofer to Marantz PM5005 (Help Please)

[Jammin Floyd]

I just purchased a Marantz PM5005 to replace my old Pioneer VSX-4800. I couldn't be more pleased with the way this amp has improved the sound of my system. Seriously. I'm playing my records on my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon turntable with the Acryl-It platter. Very soon I will be replacing my old Pioneer CS-G303 speakers with some more modern bookshelf speakers at around the $500 price point. I'm still deliberating on which ones.

I eventually want to add a powered subwoofer to the system, but I honestly have no idea how to hook one up without a sub-out on my integrated amp. Please forgive my ignorance. I've been searching online and found this link: https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/2r6i9f/using_a_subwoofer_with_a_stereo_receiver_no_sub/
but it really just confused me honestly, as there seemed to be some conflicting information. Is there an actual "good" way to hook a subwoofer up to a stereo amplifier with no sub-out, or am I just going to end up having to rig something up regardless or do without? I want to be able to have my sub handle frequencies at a certain threshold and the satellites handle those above that. This has to do with high-pass and low-pass, right? Again, please forgive my ignorance.

I would be so grateful if someone could explain an effective way to hook a powered sub up to my integrated amplifier, and also what kind of features/specifications a particular sub would need in order to be hooked up that way. Some suggestions of particular subs would be really nice too. Somewhere between the $300-$500 price point?

I just read an article that said that no subs are really worth it under $500. I didn't know if this was common belief or if it was just one person's opinion with a fatter wallet than mine. I'd be willing to spend $500 on a sub if it were "necessary," but I wanted to make sure there weren't any formidable subs to be had under that price point.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. I hope I posted this to the right forum. I'm very sorry if not. I just figured you Marantz guys could help me more with my specific unit.

 

[neevo]

I'm in the same position as you. Purchased a Wharfedale SPC-10 Powercube with speaker level inputs. Works perfectly with my Kenwood KA7100 and sounds brilliant too.

Speaker level inputs is what you need.

Can run them off the same speakers outputs on your amp as your speakers or have them setup on speaker B outputs if you like, doesn't really matter.

 

[Jammin Floyd]

I'm in the same position as you. Purchased a Wharfedale SPC-10 Powercube with speaker level inputs. Works perfectly with my Kenwood KA7100 and sounds brilliant too.

Speaker level inputs is what you need.

Can run them off the same speakers outputs on your amp as your speakers or have them setup on speaker B outputs if you like, doesn't really matter.

So you go from your amp to your sub and then from your sub to your speakers?

 

[whoaru99]

So you go from your amp to your sub and then from your sub to your speakers?

Or, from the amp to sub and speakers in Y fashion. Or, from amp to speakers to sub. Essentially, whichever way works easiest for running the wires because any of those ways is just a parallel connection of sub and speakers.

If the sub you get has a speaker level high-pass filter built-in (and you want to use it) then amp > sub > speakers is the way you'd go.

 

[Jammin Floyd]

Or, from the amp to sub and speakers in Y fashion. Or, from amp to speakers to sub. Essentially, whichever way works easiest for running the wires because any of those ways is just a parallel connection of sub and speakers.

If the sub you get has a speaker level high-pass filter built-in (and you want to use it) then amp > sub > speakers is the way you'd go.

So I need speaker-level inputs and a high-pass filter (which, if I'm not mistaken, will allow me to separate/delegate higher and lower frequencies to the satellites and sub, respectively). Can I get some suggestions of specific subwoofers up to $500 that have these features? That would give me somewhere to start looking and a reference for comparison.

 

[neevo]

The high pass filter generally is built in to the speaker outputs however not all subs have these (these subs will have speaker level inputs and also speaker level outputs). Mine doesn't and in that instance I don't bother and just run my speakers full range. Not really an issue unless you like big volumes.