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Connecting Sub to my preamp

Hello and Happy New Year!

Thank you for the many suggestions and advice regarding my Bookshelf speaker quest. I am currently evaluating two sets of speakers:

Kef 101 Reference Book Shelf
LSA Signature 50

I have found both to be pleasing in similar and also different ways. I have another system at home with Kef 104.2, McCormack DNA 0.5 and Manley Jumbo Shrimp pre. I find the Kef 101 to have a similar warm sound as my 104.2 setup and want to see if adding a sub to both the 101 and LSA 50 setup will make a defining difference for me. 

Question: Can and how should I best implement a sub into this system:
McCormack DNA 0.5 Amp
McCormack ALD 1 Preamp
The ALD 1 connections are pictured below.
 

I have three different Subs I can try:
Klipsch KSW10 - has speaker terminals
JBL CSS11 - no speaker terminals
Vintage MK V-1B - allows both speaker terminal or pre-in connection

Thank you for any advice and or suggestions.

Ray

raydecraene

Showing 3 responses by grislybutter

grislybutter
3,627 posts
 

I tried the Klipsch KSW10 and it did not work at all for me.

I used the Pre Amp out as my only option on my amplifier. Maybe you’d need to use the Passive Out on your preamp?

Since these subs have their own amp, I would not use the speaker terminals.

If you have no crossover control on the amp and then on the sub (aside from the Klipsch), it could be a mess. I tried 4 different subs and I am still not happy. Unless you go with a high end sub for your higher end speakers, like the KEF, it will be boomy, noisy and crush the speakers’ bass. I am very ignorant in all things hifi and hopefully it will work out for you against what I experienced. The good thing about using one with an app such as ELAC or SVS is that you can adjust it in 3 seconds from your chair and get a decent compromise for any given music

grislybutter
3,627 posts
 

@knotscott  I definitely want to follow what you are saying. What is your sub? What are low and high level inputs on the sub? On my current sub I don't even have speaker inputs. 

grislybutter
3,627 posts
 

@knotscott thank you, that's perfect, I am learning a lot

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