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speakers and cables

this is about me being a loser and problem creator.

I finally got a 2nd subwoofer and I was excited to hook it up. Well, not too excited. I knew it would be a pain to hook it up. I was excited to hear it. I spent over 90 minutes connecting the speaker wires to my power amp. When I turned it on, the left channel was gone. It blew the fuse. I disconnected everything, replaced the fuse, hooked it up again. It worked for 10 seconds, blew the fuse again.

The way I hooked them up was I went from the sub speaker out from both subwoofers, rolled the left and right side wires together so I had 4 wires that I connected to the left and right plus and minus channels - speaker binders on the power amp. What are my options? My preamp has no sub out. Nor my amp.

Stupid question: should I just go from left to left on one sub and right to right on the other sub?

grislybutter
immatthewj
1,864 posts
 

I would have been inclined to live in the camp that wouldn’t try to integrate subs with good full range speakers that were capable of getting down into the low frequencies.

I understand. I guess the long story short, if I never tried, I would always wonder, what if....

Well, despite which camp I would choose to live in, I’ve read posts (it seems like several posts) by members who are using subs with full range speakers and seem to be very happy with the SQ that they are achieving. I assume that they are able to find a place on their sub’s low pass filter that integrates their sub with the woofers of their full range speakers, and I would THINK that the setting would be well below 80 hZ, but I am just surmising on that.

And from looking at the picture you posted underneath the diagram, you are using two way speakers, and I would think that would be doable.

. . . and on edit:  there is just absolutely no way, even once you get the HP filter and connect with RCAs, that you would be able to experiment with placing the subs behind your chair?

 

grislybutter OP
2,950 posts
 

@immathewj

I would have a hard time placing it behind the listening position. I would have to rearrange the room and get long cables. And I guess it wouldn't solve the main limitations.

Next time (there won't be a next time, my wife would stop me any way should would find feasible) I would need to have one or more of the following

  • a bigger room
  • subs with more options
  • pre or integrated amp with crossover controls
  • a brain.....

It's not over though, just yet, the high pass filters are a few days away, according to Amazon. 

My lazy excuse to give up may be that it's just as much of an art than science smiley 

jkf011
290 posts
 

Straightwire.com all day long  

mswale
70 posts
 

Think the subs are wired up correctly for what you have. The filters will help.

You can try to move the subs out next to the mains, or even (gasp) stack them. In your room, stacking might help.

Can you use your turntable with the sub right there? It looks like a very crowded room. We are here to help you spend thousands of dollars. Might be time for a better rack/cabinet setup to get more room.

BTW, you NEED way more vinyl. smiley

grislybutter OP
2,950 posts
 

@mswale

We are here to help you spend thousands of dollars

that made my day!

It looks tight but there is some room like 10 inches to the left, 5 inches to the left. I can rearrange it whichever way I want, move the subs, these pieces are like LEGO. Stacking sounds a bit brave without vibration control? (But you are right, stacking is what I am trying to get close to, placement-wise. 

Most of my vinyl is not in the picture, I feel I have enough. (Not a lot, but maybe 200 or so)

I bought materials to build a rack. That’s my next project.

If I had money, I would buy a new cartridge . And then a new power amp. A rack is definitely in the plans when it rains 100 bills :)

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