Powered sub hookup?

[DizRotus]

My son has an Onkyo TXSR706.  I'm trying to use it to feed an Anarchy Exodus tapped horn sub powered by a Dayton SA250 plate amp.  

 

I tried connecting to the low-level output marked "subwoofer" on the rear panel (see attached pdf.  The output is directly below the "Center" output, between #23 and #24).  There does not appear to be any output.  I tried a different plate amp with the same result.

 

Connecting the high-level speaker outputs to the corresponding high-level inputs on the SA250 and then connecting the SA250's speaker outputs to the main speakers seems to work.

 

I have 2 questions:

1. Any suggestions as to why the receiver seems to have no low-level output at the "subwoofer" RCA; and
2. Is there a problem or disadvantage using the high-level inputs and outputs on the plate amp?

Any suggestions are welcomed.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

tx-sr706_manual_e.pdf

Edited December 11, 2015 by DizRotus

[CECAA850]

I tried connecting to the low-level output marked "subwoofer" on the rear panel (see attached pdf. The output is directly below the "Center" output, between #23 and #24). There does not appear to be any output. I tried a different plate amp with the same result.

 

Be sure the receiver speaker selector is set to "small" and subwoofer set to "on" or "yes" in the receivers bass management section.

[CECAA850]

High level inputs are fine if needed.

[DizRotus]

Thank you Carl.

 

I'll check out the receiver's settings.

 

Something about using the high-level inputs is counterintuitive, but it sounds OK.

[Paducah Home Theater]

1. Is there a problem or disadvantage using the high-level inputs and outputs on the plate amp?

 

On cheap 2-channel setups it can be more noisy and less dynamic than it could be.  This is usually a last ditch effort in cars and it's never optimal.  

 

On theater setups, you're bypassing your separate LFE channel and forcing your main amp to send that information to your main speakers, which usually is not a good thing on movies, assuming your receiver is smart enough to reroute it, otherwise you're wasting the LFE channel.  

 

On nice 2-channel setups though, lots of audiophiles actually prefer it.  If you're blending to the mains on a 2-channel music oriented system, using high level inputs gives you the exact sonic fingerprint that your mains are getting from the amp.  RCA's bypass this.  

Edited December 10, 2015 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[DizRotus]

Thanks MLO

[CECAA850]

See speaker configuration on page 70 of the owners manual.

[DizRotus]

The difficulty is that my 25 yo son is not eager to invite me to visit the house he shares with a couple of other single males.  I can recall those days.  My parents never saw many of the places I lived in when I was that age,  Setting the sub up in situ is not an option.

 

Therefore, he brought the receiver, sub and amp to my house.  I was able to demonstrate that it works.  I lent him my Audyssey mic and referred him to the owner's manual.  He'll figure it out.

 

At least two of his housemates are in a "jazz" band that plays local bars and restaurants.  I'm still trying to pry out the information needed to go hear them play somewhere.  I must be more of an embarrassment to my son than even I can imagine.  Oh well.

[CECAA850]

Setting the sub up in situ is not an option.

 

Then don't worry about it.  If he wants it up and running bad enough he'll have you over (after he cleans up any and all incriminating evidence).