How to connect subwoofer to Yamaha RX-V850 ?

[liemjerry]

Hello
I need info about how to connect subwoofer, I am using Tannoy Six .0 subwoofer that have :
- high level input
- 1 pair RCA input connector

to my Yamaha RX-V850 AV receiver

so can I connect Speaker B group for instance to high level input of Tannoy subwoofer or there's oher better connection ?

Thank you

 

[swechsler]

If the subwoofer has only inputs and no outputs then do as @opnly bafld suggested. If there are outputs on the sub that you didn't mention, let us know what it has, or provide a picture of the connection panel on the subwoofer (I searched but couldn't find any mention of a Tannoy Six.0 or 6.0).

 

[liemjerry]

thank you
@opnly bafld and @swechsler

the backside/panel of, sorry I have make wrong type mentioned, Tannoy FX5.1 subwoofer is as follows :

but there is one thing I want to ask the Yamaha RX-V850 is written LOW FREQ fc 200Hz, if I put it directly into the Tannoy FX5.1 subwoofer on the low level input using RCA cable 1 connector to 2 connector does not experience problems such as low mismatch frequency or something else?

 

[swechsler]

This subwoofer was part of a home-theater-in-a-box, and the specs list its frequency response up to 140hz. As you can see by the back panel, there is no adjustable crossover frequency, and I believe that it may not have any built in crossover at all. What are your main (left/right) speakers? If you're not using the Tannoy speakers that came with the subwoofer, this may be a less than optimal setup.

 

[liemjerry]

while freq response (-6dB) is : 45-140 Hz, but Yamaha RX-V850 coupler : fc out is 200 Hz...do those 2 specs will be a problem?

 

[AudioGMan]

Get a couple of RCA Y adapters that are one female to two males. Remove the Yamaha’s front preout jumpers. Plug in the Y adapters using the two male ends into the Yamaha to jump the preout to main in and essentially do the same thing the jumper pins do. Now run a pair of RCA cables to you subwoofer’s corresponding left and right RCA inputs. Keep in mind you will be sending a full range signal to the subwoofer so it will only give you good results if the subwoofer has a built in low pass crossover.

 

[peterp1]

while freq response (-6dB) is : 45-140 Hz, but Yamaha RX-V850 coupler : fc out is 200 Hz...do those 2 specs will be a problem?

What main speakers do you have? The 140hz crossover built into the sub is probably too high unless your main speakers are pretty small. It looks like your Yamaha is fixed at 200hz, which is a bit of a drag. You'd really want to set the Yamaha lower than the 140hz fixed value of the sub (how low depends on your main speakers) to make up for lack of crossover control on the sub. Using the RCA's will be better than speaker-level because the Yamaha is at least cutting off some of the upper frequencies with its 200hz crossover (where speaker-level would send it full range).

You might want to check the Yamaha owners manual or on-screen display if there is one to see if the Yamaha sub crossover can be adjusted. If it can't, then you'll probably have to set the sub gain pretty low so it doesn't get boomy since it will be doubling the lower bass from your mains. If so, you won't get the full benefit of the sub, but it may still help fill out the bass a bit. If your mains are small, it might be fine, only way is to try -- but definitely use the RCA connection. You only need one RCA cable from the single low-pass RCA out to either left or right on the sub (the sub will sum both left and right, so you don't need a splitter to connect both left and right).

 

[peterp1]

Actually, you should be able to insert a sub passive crossover control between the yamaha and the sub (https://www.amazon.com/Amplifier-Au...ords=subwoofer+control&qid=1587274353&sr=8-12). You'd set the volume level to max (so it isn't decreasing level) and then tune the crossover as needed. I used this exact control on a set of shakers and it worked fine:

 

[opnly bafld]

Get a couple of RCA Y adapters that are one female to two males. Remove the Yamaha’s front preout jumpers. Plug in the Y adapters using the two male ends into the Yamaha to jump the preout to main in and essentially do the same thing the jumper pins do. Now run a pair of RCA cables to you subwoofer’s corresponding left and right RCA inputs. Keep in mind you will be sending a full range signal to the subwoofer so it will only give you good results if the subwoofer has a built in low pass crossover.

Not the way I would suggest as you would lose the ability to adjust the volume of the sub remotely.

Use a y adapter out of the sub preout (low pass) on the receiver and run a cable to the L & R input on the sub.

 

[AudioGMan]

Not the way I would suggest as you would lose the ability to adjust the volume of the sub remotely.

Use a y adapter out of the sub preout (low pass) on the receiver and run a cable to the L & R input on the sub.

How would he lose the ability to adjust the volume of the sub if it’s a preout? A preout is a variable line level output. That’s why there’s jumpers there so the preamp section signal feeds back into the amplifier section input. It’s not a fixed line level output the way a Rec out is.

 

[opnly bafld]

How would he lose the ability to adjust the volume of the sub if it’s a preout? A preout is a variable line level output. That’s why there’s jumpers there so the preamp section signal feeds back into the amplifier section input. It’s not a fixed line level output the way a Rec out is.

Not much experience with home theatre I assume.
With HTRs you can adjust each channel from the remote independent of the main volume control.

Edit: Found an online manual for the Yamaha RX-v850 and according to it there is no way to adjust the subwoofer from the remote.
It only has front, center, and rear level controls.

 

[AudioGMan]

Not much experience with home theatre I assume.
With HTRs you can adjust each channel independent of the main volume control.

Pre Outs can be used whenever you want to use an outboard amplifier and feed the receiver’s preamp output to it. If you pull those jumper pins out on the Yamaha you are disconnecting the preamp’s output from the Yamaha’s built in amplifier input. Doing what I suggested is just enabling one to feed the full range left/right preout line level signal to a powered subwoofer that has a built in low pass crosssover. You’re basically Y-ing the preouts so that you can have two sets of outputs. One set to feed back into the Yamaha and one set to go to the subwoofer. So when you turn up the volume on the receiver it is going to increase the line level signal going to the subwooofer. By the way I’ve been installing audio/video systems for 22 years so I’m very familiar with home theater. I’ve done it this way before as recently as last week on a Denon stereo receiver that had no dedicated subwoofer output but it did have “Pre Out/Main in” jumper pins. Fed the signal to a 10” Polk Audio powered subwoofer, adjusted the crossover frequency and volume on the Polk and it worked great.

 

[AudioGMan]

Not the way I would suggest as you would lose the ability to adjust the volume of the sub remotely.

Use a y adapter out of the sub preout (low pass) on the receiver and run a cable to the L & R input on the sub.

That would also work. The only difference is that output has a fixed crossover point of 200Hz.

 

[peterp1]

That would also work. The only difference is that output has a fixed crossover point of 200Hz.

Which you would want (at least a little bit). The basic problem with this particular sub is that, because it was part of an all-in-one system, it has a fixed crossover of around 140hz, which is likely too high unless the main speakers are tiny. It would be nice if the Yamaha's sub crossover was variable instead of fixed at 200hz so that it could be lowered below to compensate for the lack of crossover control on the sub, and the limiting effects of 200hz reducing levels at 140hz will only be partial at best, but it is still at least slightly preferable to feed it the sub output versus full-range signals from pre-out. Also, the subwoofer output probably does allow sub level to be independently controlled from the preamp outs from the remote control for level-matching. That may or may not be useful, but not bad to keep.

Also, the sub output sums left and right bass from the Yamaha, so the best way is to connect the sub is from the Yamaha's sub output, just a single RCA is needed I believe since the left/right sub inputs are summed anyway (no harm in using a Y cable, of course, but it shouldn't be needed).

If the 140hz fixed crossover does prove to be too high (which is likely but not certain till you try it because crossover limits are not always accurate and I think 140hz was actually expressed as the upper frequency response for the sub rather than specifically saying that is the crossover point -- the crossover might actually be lower, which would still have some rolled off output at 140hz) -- then the inexpensive passive sub control I posted in post #8 can be inserted between the Yamaha sub out and the Tannoy left or right RCA in to reduce the crossover frequency.

 

[opnly bafld]

AudioGMan we are discussing the system above, not some theoretical system.

My first and only HTR was a Yamaha, so I'm familiar with his model.
Edit: Not as familiar as I thought (see edit in post above), but it has been almost 30 years since I stopped using my first and only HTR and went back to a separate stereo for music (and a mono system for TV/movies).

I know how preout /main in works.



peterp1 using a y to feed both inputs sometimes results in useful added gain to the sub.

 

[AudioGMan]

Hello
I need info about how to connect subwoofer, I am using Tannoy Six .0 subwoofer that have :
- high level input
- 1 pair RCA input connector

to my Yamaha RX-V850 AV receiver

so can I connect Speaker B group for instance to high level input of Tannoy subwoofer or there's oher better connection ?

Thank you

I understand that subwoofer was part of a HTIB. Is it a bandpass subwoofer and that’s why there’s no built in crossover?

 

[peterp1]

I understand that subwoofer was part of a HTIB. Is it a bandpass subwoofer and that’s why there’s no built in crossover?

It doesn't have a crossover because it's designed only to work with the 5 satellite speakers that come with HTIB. The fixed crossover is optimized for those exact speakers. Unfortunately, the speakers that come with it have 3" "woofers" (literally -- well, 75mm to be exact) -- so that fixed crossover setting will probably not work with the OP's main speakers unless they are also tiny satellites (I don't think he's specified).

 

[AudioGMan]

Oh it makes sense now. That’s a bandpass with an 8” woofer inside. In that case liemjerry should be able to just connect from the Yamaha’s sub out to the Tannoy sub’s RCA inputs and just use whatever main speakers he wants. It might not be as seamless as if he were to use the original Tannoy satellites but I think any speaker that has a lower limit of at least 140Hz will work fine.

 

[peterp1]

View attachment 1836901

Those are pretty cool looking satellites!

 

[liemjerry]

Get a couple of RCA Y adapters that are one female to two males. Remove the Yamaha’s front preout jumpers. Plug in the Y adapters using the two male ends into the Yamaha to jump the preout to main in and essentially do the same thing the jumper pins do. Now run a pair of RCA cables to you subwoofer’s corresponding left and right RCA inputs. Keep in mind you will be sending a full range signal to the subwoofer so it will only give you good results if the subwoofer has a built in low pass crossover.

sorry, can you draw your suggestion on a paper ? I'll check whether my connection by your suggestion is right or not, thank you