EricR wrote:

Hi all,

First time poster here! When I set out to upgrade my computer/desktop system from my Focal XS (A very good system) I never imagined it to be this tricky. I want a system that works on my desktop but can also be rearranged to a regular music setup with proper speaker placement. There are very few computer 2.1 systems on the market above the Focals. Therefore I switched focus over to "regular" active speakers, but then I realised very few of them supported subwoofer out because that was apparently not the "audiophile way".

-Eric

All you need to do to add a subwoofer to ANY active speakers is use a RCA Y-connector in one or both of the signal lines going to the speakers, and run the same signal to the subwoofer that is also going to the speaker or speakers.

The subwoofer has a gain control and a low-pass filter to limit the frequencies it actually amplifies and puts out, and that can be set to the low-frequency limit of the active speakers to provide the appropriate crossover.

Most people only use one channel to go to the subwoofer, but if your subwoofer has both left and right line-level inputs, both signal channels can be Y-connected and fed to the subwoofer.

See Monoprice Part #663 for a RCA splitter that costs less than $1 each (you may want two).

Just plug it into your signal source's output jack and then run one cable to the active speaker and one to the subwoofr.

I used this method with my Audioengine 2 speakers and now, with my recently purchased PSB Alpha PS1 speakers I don't even need the external splitters because the left speaker has a sub out jack (in effect, a splitter built into the speaker connectors).

All you need to do to add a subwoofer to ANY active speakers is use a RCA Y-connector in one or both of the signal lines going to the speakers, and run the same signal to the subwoofer that is also going to the speaker or speakers.

The subwoofer has a gain control and a low-pass filter to limit the frequencies it actually amplifies and puts out, and that can be set to the low-frequency limit of the active speakers to provide the appropriate crossover.

Most people only use one channel to go to the subwoofer, but if your subwoofer has both left and right line-level inputs, both signal channels can be Y-connected and fed to the subwoofer.

See Monoprice Part #663 for a RCA splitter that costs less than $1 each (you may want two).

Just plug it into your signal source's output jack and then run one cable to the active speaker and one to the subwoofr.[/quote]

I used this method with my Audioengine 2 speakers and now, with my recently purchased PSB Alpha PS1 speakers I don't even need the external splitters because the left speaker has a sub out jack (in effect, a splitter built into the speaker connectors).

All you need to do to add a subwoofer to ANY active speakers is use a RCA Y-connector in one or both of the signal lines going to the speakers, and run the same signal to the subwoofer that is also going to the speaker or speakers.

The subwoofer has a gain control and a low-pass filter to limit the frequencies it actually amplifies and puts out, and that can be set to the low-frequency limit of the active speakers to provide the appropriate crossover.

Most people only use one channel to go to the subwoofer, but if your subwoofer has both left and right line-level inputs, both signal channels can be Y-connected and fed to the subwoofer.

See Monoprice Part #663 for a RCA splitter that costs less than $1 each (you may want two).

Just plug it into your signal source's output jack and then run one cable to the active speaker and one to the subwoofr.[/quote]

Most integrated amplifiers have preamp out jacks that can be used to feed a signal to a subwoofer.

[quote=commsysman]I used this method with my Audioengine 2 speakers and now, with my recently purchased PSB Alpha PS1 speakers I don't even need the external splitters because the left speaker has a sub out jack (in effect, a splitter built into the speaker connectors).