What subwoofer and what connections does it have?

Kal

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Paradigm PDR 10 Subwoofer.

The Paradigm Subwoofer has 2 pair of speaker connections and one RCA connection on the back.

It seems you have very little choice. You cannot use the line-level (RCA) input because your amp lacks such an output. You should simply connect a pair of speaker cables from the two sets of terminals on the sub to the same amp output terminals to which your main speakers are connected.

Kal

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The Paradigm Subwoofer has 2 pair of speaker connections and one RCA connection on the back.

Okay then, what it has is one pair of speaker inputs and one pair of speaker outputs, in addition to the RCA (line level) inputs.

There are two ways you can make the connection. The standard way is to connect the speaker output from your receiver to the speaker inputs on the sub and then connect your speakers to the sub's speaker level output. That way, the sub's crossover rolls off the speaker's low bass info before passing the signal on to the loudspeakers.

Some listeners prefer to run their satellites full-range, so they use one speaker output on the receiver to run the loudspeakers (no crossover in line) and the other to run the sub. Adjusting the sub's slope will still affect the subwoofer, but not the speakers, since they aren't connected now.

Which is better? It depends on what you want to hear, your room, and how you use your subwoofer. Either way, expect to have to work with placement a lot more than the folks who blithely parrot the "deep bass is non-directional" line of thinking would have you believe.

In fact, subwoofer placement can be more important than subwoofer model when it comes to getting great sound. I interviewed Floyd Toole and Todd Welti about this and they had some interesting things to say on the subject.

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The Paradigm Subwoofer has 2 pair of speaker connections and one RCA connection on the back.

Okay then, what it has is one pair of speaker inputs and one pair of speaker outputs, in addition to the RCA (line level) inputs.

Nope. He means that it has 4 speaker connectors, 2 terminals for left and 2 for right, which together serve as a stereo input. There are no outputs on this sub.

Kal

1 picture = 10,000 words.

Any chance we could get you to take a pic of the subwoofer hook-up area?

I bet we could solve it instantaneously if we could see the lay of the land.

I'm not feeling clear enough to chime in yet.

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1 picture = 10,000 words.

Any chance we could get you to take a pic of the subwoofer hook-up area?

I bet we could solve it instantaneously if we could see the lay of the land.

I'm not feeling clear enough to chime in yet.

Do I hafta??? That's what I did before I opened my mouth. Now I gotta search for it all over again. Well, here goes:
http://www.smr-home-theatre.org/Reviews/Paradigm/image_4.html

Kal

Yikes!

Well.

Given the sub's paucity of input/output options, it would seem they intended it thusly:

From your speaker outputs on the receiver, run wire to both the speakers and to the sub. Run both sets from the same speaker output.

You will be running the sub and speakers "in parallel."

The subwoofer should/must have a very high impedance to allow for the choices they give you.

Your speakers will be running "full range" and you will have to dial in the sound of the sub to match your speakers' crossovers and sensitivity.

So, two sets of speaker wires out from your speaker terminals, one set to the speakers and one set to the subs.

After you make the connections, have your computer set to this thread, start with the volume knob at zero on the reciever when you turn everything on, then gradually see how it sounds. You'll have tweaking to do to make it sound right.

Pop online if any questions pop up!

*Note: You will not be able to change any performance characteristics of your main speakers with this subwoofer. You are only trying to augment their low frequency output, but they will still be doing everything they usually do. Therefore, your total "volume" (as in how loud you turn things up) flexibility will not really change.

Best wishes!

Keep us posted!

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From your speaker outputs on the receiver, run wire to both the speakers and to the sub. Run both sets from the same speaker output.

As stated in the 4th post on this thread.

Kal

D'oh!

Pardon me. I'm sorry for simply restating your advice.

On the plus side, if anything gets blowed up, you'll only have to take half the blame!

Seriously, if I'd seen that, I would have just posted, "What Kal said."

I just don't have my "A" game today.

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D'oh!

Pardon me. I'm sorry for simply restating your advice.

On the plus side, if anything gets blowed up, you'll only have to take half the blame!

Seriously, if I'd seen that, I would have just posted, "What Kal said."

I just don't have my "A" game today.

Understood. I seem to get crustier the longer I stay on-line. OTOH, there was 'added value' in your additional comments and in Wes' comments.

Kal