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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

128x128raydecraene
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

yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,805 posts
 

You will need a pair of Y-Adapters plugged into the preamp out. Two pairs of RCA cables will be needed. One pair from left preamp out to left amp in and subwoofer in, same thing for the right channel. Something like this will be needed!!

 

knotscott's avatar
knotscott
1,065 posts
 

My preferred method for subwoofer hookup (and best integration) is to run the sub parallel to the main speakers off the speaker outputs of the amp, or from the speaker inputs themselves to the high level inputs of the sub, as opposed to from a preamp output to the low level inputs.  Allow the main speakers to run full range (avoiding running the subs high pass filters through your main speakers), and only use the sub to augment what the mains do. 

The theme here is to feature the speakers, not the sub.  Set the low pass frequency of the sub at a very low setting (40-50hz if possible), then set the gain very low so that you only hear the sub in very bass heavy passages.  You'll need to experiment with sub placement and the phase setting.  If done well, you'll barely hear the sub, except on passages where there's a lot of bass content, and even then it should be more felt at the lowest frequencies than heard.  YMMV, but this is what's worked best for me.  

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