I did the test at the link below. Basically like you said though, take a y connector from my phone and plug it into the RCA inputs on the back of the sub. Then with music playing adjust the sound on the sub to see if there is bass output, which there is and it adjusts when I change the volume levels.
I also tried speaker wire and again, the sub was thumping, but with the LFE nothing.
With my receiver, Pioneer Elite, I need the LFE channel to work with the sub because I don't have another choice.
Thanks for the response though
http://www.klipsch.com/Education/klipsch-subwoofer-faqs