Kenwood receiver /w sub

[Crepusray]

So I recently got this kenwood receiver someone was giving away + some speakers so I set it up, but it didn't come with a sub which is fine because I already had one from a few years back, but when I tried to connect it I saw the sub has 4 connections, 2 red speaker plugs and 2 black, and they're not labeled, but the harder thing is that my receiver doesn't have something like that for subs, all it has is a sub pre put. If anyone knows what's going on please let me know.

 

P.s I believe the receiver is from like 2008, and the sub is a old Samsung one from I don't know when 

[johnt]

Can you provide a photo inputs or a model number of the subwoofer?

[Crepusray]

Yes but I will have to wait until 5 to do so because I will be busy until then 

[johnt]

Sounds good. I'll pin your thread to help.

 

I wouldn't get your hopes up though. Samsung is hardly behind Apple in terms of proprietary devices or "connection methods." Even if the connectors are standard, the subwoofer could be expecting a certain signal that is not common. There is a possibility that your subwoofer is not compatible or ideal with your receiver.

 

The subwoofer pre-out from your receiver is the most common way to connect a subwoofer.

 

My "shot in the dark" guess is that your subwoofer is passive and requires your receiver to power it. There might be a slim chance your receiver can handle it if it has a bi-amp option.

 

But let's start with the picture.

[Crepusray]

1 hour ago, johnt said:

Sounds good. I'll pin your thread to help.

 

I wouldn't get your hopes up though. Samsung is hardly behind Apple in terms of proprietary devices or "connection methods." Even if the connectors are standard, the subwoofer could be expecting a certain signal that is not common. There is a possibility that your subwoofer is not compatible or ideal with your receiver.

 

The subwoofer pre-out from your receiver is the most common way to connect a subwoofer.

 

My "shot in the dark" guess is that your subwoofer is passive and requires your receiver to power it. There might be a slim chance your receiver can handle it if it has a bi-amp option.

 

But let's start with the picture.

That's what I was thinking that it was possibly proprietary I just hoped it wasn't, I doubt it has a bi amp option because I think I looked for it, but I'll look when I'm able to 

[Omon_Ra]

3 hours ago, Crepusray said:

That's what I was thinking that it was possibly proprietary I just hoped it wasn't, I doubt it has a bi amp option because I think I looked for it, but I'll look when I'm able to 

 

Does your subwoofer have a power cord? If no power cord, then yes, it relies on the amplifier to power the sub. But not is all a loss.

 

4 hours ago, johnt said:

My "shot in the dark" guess is that your subwoofer is passive and requires your receiver to power it. There might be a slim chance your receiver can handle it if it has a bi-amp option.

 

But let's start with the picture.

It's likely this subwoofer only has 'high-level' subwoofer inputs. These were typically found before the RCA pre-out became commonplace. The way you'll wire this sub is amp front left/right > subwoofer 'input' red/black terminals (you'll need to test to figure out which is in/out; but likely the top set is the input). Then subwoofer 'output' red/black terminals > front left/right speakers.

[Crepusray]

1 minute ago, Omon_Ra said:

 

Does your subwoofer have a power cord? If no power cord, then yes, it relies on the amplifier to power the sub. But not is all a loss.

 

It's likely this subwoofer only has 'high-level' subwoofer inputs. These were typically found before the RCA pre-out became commonplace. The way you'll wire this sub is amp front left/right > subwoofer 'input' red/black terminals (you'll need to test to figure out which is in/out; but likely the top set is the input). Then subwoofer 'output' red/black terminals > front left/right speakers.

Okay it doesn't have a power cord, so it's the high level thing, so does it just take out the lower end of the signal and puts that out, and sends the rest of the signal to whatever speakers are plugged into the bottom of the sub? (Still can't get a picture but I'll be home in an hour)

[johnt]

41 minutes ago, Omon_Ra said:

It's likely this subwoofer only has 'high-level' subwoofer inputs. These were typically found before the RCA pre-out became commonplace. The way you'll wire this sub is amp front left/right > subwoofer 'input' red/black terminals (you'll need to test to figure out which is in/out; but likely the top set is the input). Then subwoofer 'output' red/black terminals > front left/right speakers.

Yes and no. There are not enough ports to be high level inputs and outputs. If there are only two sets of each (2 red and 2 black), then it is likely just inputs from the left and right channels. The original setup this subwoofer came from must have been either a 2.1 or a proprietary wire for the subwoofer. The reason I point to a proprietary connection is because I had a Samsung home theater in a box setup and the connections at the receiver were not standard at all, even though they were at the speakers.

 

I still think the only way this subwoofer will play nicely is with a receiver than can bi-amp. I would try to find a model number on the subwoofer and trace it back to a manual and determine what these ports are. While I wouldn't personally connect the receiver to the subwoofer and then to the speakers without knowing for sure, you technically won't hurt anything by trying (and at low volumes).

[Omon_Ra]

54 minutes ago, johnt said:

Yes and no. There are not enough ports to be high level inputs and outputs. If there are only two sets of each (2 red and 2 black), then it is likely just inputs from the left and right channels. The original setup this subwoofer came from must have been either a 2.1 or a proprietary wire for the subwoofer. The reason I point to a proprietary connection is because I had a Samsung home theater in a box setup and the connections at the receiver were not standard at all, even though they were at the speakers.

I mis-read OP's post and I was picturing the typical high-level input. But yeah, you're right, that wouldn't be enough terminals. Once we get a pic it'll be easier to distinguish

[Crepusray]

2 hours ago, Omon_Ra said:

 

Does your subwoofer have a power cord? If no power cord, then yes, it relies on the amplifier to power the sub. But not is all a loss.

 

It's likely this subwoofer only has 'high-level' subwoofer inputs. These were typically found before the RCA pre-out became commonplace. The way you'll wire this sub is amp front left/right > subwoofer 'input' red/black terminals (you'll need to test to figure out which is in/out; but likely the top set is the input). Then subwoofer 'output' red/black terminals > front left/right speakers.

 

[Crepusray]

I forgot to add this one but this the back of the sub, and I also just realized under both it says Input, I just couldn't see it until I cleaned it up mb

[vf1000ride]

From the photo's the subwoofer is not an internally amplified style. Your Kenwood amp doesn't have a speaker level subwoofer output, it only has an rca output.  The sub normally would have been paired with a Samsung HT-WX70 home theater package that had an amp designed specifically to power that speaker.  It would probably be best not to try and hook your two pieces of gear together.

[Omon_Ra]

@johnt is right that this is a weird proprietary system. It has the standard terminals, but a 3 ohm dual input subwoofer is a bit weird. This is pure speculation, but I know some of those 'all-in-one' surround solutions would use oddball ohm rated speakers, like 5 or 6ohm's. It's just a very strange implementation, as subwoofers should be a mono signal; so having two inputs (not counting what I had posted earlier about high-level input subwoofers) is a weird choice. Not sure if the impedance rating refers to 3ohm per input on sub, or for both?

 

You could use the center channel terminals for this sub going to one of the inputs. But the impedance will not match up and could cause damage to your receiver or sub. I'd just ditch that subwoofer and find a sub with a normal RCA subwoofer input or at least high level inputs/outputs. Typically the subs from those all-in-one systems were not that great anyways.

[johnt]

Yeahhhh I had a funny feeling about this one. Sorry @Crepusray!

 

If you really wanted to make the subwoofer work, you could find a separate amplifier like an Emotiva BasX (2 channel is sufficient, usually cheaper than mono amps) that can accept a line level input, split it to two channels, and then use speaker cable out to the subwoofer. It's going to be more money than it is worth. That subwoofer is going to show its problems as soon as you give it some power. You might be able to find some older amplifiers online. I've had great luck purchasing used Emotiva amps for my theater if you're looking to make this into a hobby.

[Crepusray]

3 hours ago, johnt said:

Yeahhhh I had a funny feeling about this one. Sorry @Crepusray!

 

If you really wanted to make the subwoofer work, you could find a separate amplifier like an Emotiva BasX (2 channel is sufficient, usually cheaper than mono amps) that can accept a line level input, split it to two channels, and then use speaker cable out to the subwoofer. It's going to be more money than it is worth. That subwoofer is going to show its problems as soon as you give it some power. You might be able to find some older amplifiers online. I've had great luck purchasing used Emotiva amps for my theater if you're looking to make this into a hobby.

Sad to hear but not that surprising, thanks for the suggestion but I looked some up and most of them are more expensive then a brand new sub, which would do a lot better for me so I will probably do that eventually, but thank you so much for helping me with this!

[Crepusray]

3 hours ago, Omon_Ra said:

@johnt is right that this is a weird proprietary system. It has the standard terminals, but a 3 ohm dual input subwoofer is a bit weird. This is pure speculation, but I know some of those 'all-in-one' surround solutions would use oddball ohm rated speakers, like 5 or 6ohm's. It's just a very strange implementation, as subwoofers should be a mono signal; so having two inputs (not counting what I had posted earlier about high-level input subwoofers) is a weird choice. Not sure if the impedance rating refers to 3ohm per input on sub, or for both?

 

You could use the center channel terminals for this sub going to one of the inputs. But the impedance will not match up and could cause damage to your receiver or sub. I'd just ditch that subwoofer and find a sub with a normal RCA subwoofer input or at least high level inputs/outputs. Typically the subs from those all-in-one systems were not that great anyways.

Alright that makes sense why it didn't make any sense for those inputs, so I think I'll just by a new sub, I looked into some and I think I might buy one of the entry level klipsch ones

[johnt]

9 hours ago, Crepusray said:

Alright that makes sense why it didn't make any sense for those inputs, so I think I'll just by a new sub, I looked into some and I think I might buy one of the entry level klipsch ones

Look for a used or refurbished model from SVS

[Crepusray]

5 hours ago, johnt said:

Look for a used or refurbished model from SVS

I'll give that a look later today, I know svs is good I just haven't seen any besides a few LTT videos (I'm really not a huge audio person)

[Omon_Ra]

6 hours ago, johnt said:

Look for a used or refurbished model from SVS

If you can find a used/refurb'ed SVS you'll be very happy.

15 hours ago, Crepusray said:

Alright that makes sense why it didn't make any sense for those inputs, so I think I'll just by a new sub, I looked into some and I think I might buy one of the entry level klipsch ones

If you can't find an SVS, I have a Klipsch R12SW I got from work (I used to be an AV tech) and I like it a lot. A little 'boomy' sometimes, but dialing back the gain a little can help tame it.

[johnt]

10 minutes ago, Omon_Ra said:

If you can find a used/refurb'ed SVS you'll be very happy.

If you can't find an SVS, I have a Klipsch R12SW I got from work (I used to be an AV tech) and I like it a lot. A little 'boomy' sometimes, but dialing back the gain a little can help tame it.

hahaha I tried buying the 15-inch model and it just wouldn't fit in my Camry no matter what I did.. trunk, back seat, front seat, back with the front seat moved up all the way. I had to return it right away and settled for the R12SW because it would fit!

 

I've since realized UPS delivers things on a pallet