Home Theatre Sub + PC

[Greg]

The current subwoofer on my cheap PC speakers is really weak and I frequently hear it maxing out. I have access to a standard self-powered home theatre style subwoofer with an RCA input, and on my mobo I have an integrated 8 channel sound card. I was wondering how to hook the sub up to this. My plan is to set my sound card to 5.1 and just use the front left, front right, and LFE channels. Would this work if I got a standard 1/8" stereo to RCA cable, plugged it into the Center/LFE plug, and just used one RCA plug off that cable for the subwoofer?

I see no reason why this wouldn't work, but I am not one for breaking semi-expensive electronics so I would like to double check before I attempt anything.

Thanks for any input,
~Greg

 

[EricB]

add a y adapter to the sub rca. that's my setup

 

[Greg]

A Y adapter? The weak sub I'm using now is part of my computer speakers so it doesn't have an RCA input, just the 2 channel 1/8" input. There's currently no sub-only line to split, and I don't think the sub would be able to separate the bass from the rest of the sound on its own (what's it called when it does that?).

Sorry, I'm confused

 

[EricB]

one those signal in the 1/8 line is center channel. it make no sense to plug it into a subwoofer. so you take the sub signal and split it into 2 channels to the subwoofer

 

[Greg]

Ah, okay. Yeah, I was thinking that I would use an 1/8" to RCA cable so I'd just use either the red or the white RCA jack for plugging into the sub depending in which one is for the center channel and which one is for the sub.

Thanks for the clarification

My current receiver for my home theatre is soon to die and I will probably replace the speakers along with it, so when that happens I will try out this configuration. Any opinions on the brand Onkyo?

 

[EricB]

Ah, okay. Yeah, I was thinking that I would use an 1/8" to RCA cable so I'd just use either the red or the white RCA jack for plugging into the sub depending in which one is for the center channel and which one is for the sub.

Thanks for the clarification

My current receiver for my home theatre is soon to die and I will probably replace the speakers along with it, so when that happens I will try out this configuration. Any opinions on the brand Onkyo?

onkyo make nice stuff, but it has no protection. I fried a four grand receiver once by swapping rca jack with it on.

my kids fried a 1 grand receiver once by pulling the the wire out of the speaker and the wires accidentally touched each other

 

[Crysalis]

that makes me sick

 

[Oreo]

I have a Denon reciever, and its great i would reccomend Denon to anyone. Ive had wires pulled out ect ect and nothings failed so far.

 

[EricB]

one time (about 6 years ago) I came home and my Yamaha receiver will not turn on for the world. I started an inspection.

two wires had got pulled out (probably by my kids) and was touching each other. I put them back into the speaker and the receiver came on.

now this same receiver (which is now my kids because I got a newer yamaha) had got wet this around this Xmas (my kid's friends did this) and it wouldn't come on. I discovered the water in it and took it apart and blow dried it clean. it worked again

I have since sold the receiver to my next door neighbor as I am getting tired of my kids messing up my expensive toys.

but the point was, that most Yamaha receivers run a series of test on startup. if everything doesn't pass, they shut off. if any of the safe settings change during playing, it shuts off

that a great characteristic for nice equipment. onkyo could learn a thing or two from yamaha