Re-using subwoofer of a 5.1 computer speaker with Denon AVR 1500h

[MusicMadness]

hi,

I used to use creative sbs A520 model 5.1 computer speakers along with my TV.
pic attached.

I have recently upgraded to Denon AVR 1500 receiver with Q acoustic bookshelf speakers.
Since I have planned to add subwoofer later on, I thought of reusing the subwoofer from Creative speakers in meanwhile.

The creative speakers only have 3.5mm audio jack as input.
So I configured Denon AVR with Front Speaker configuration as A+B. That means it shall output extra stereo output (left + right) on 2 channels.
using a 3.5mm jack to bare wire connector, I have connected the 2 channels of AVR to Creative speakers.

and Voila, IT WORKS...
It may not be as good as a stand alone subwoofer, but it works seemlessly.

I am only worried if it can cause any issues to avr, since I am driving full-level audio output (instead of pre-amp outputs) from avr to active speakers directly.
Any suggestions or critics are most welcome.

 

[efernand1]

Sometimes things will work in your favour as a temp solution.....dont expect it to last!

Can you post a pic of connections made to B to this 3.5mm jack?

 

[MaSh]

hi,

I used to use creative sbs A520 model 5.1 computer speakers along with my TV.
pic attached.

I have recently upgraded to Denon AVR 1500 receiver with Q acoustic bookshelf speakers.
Since I have planned to add subwoofer later on, I thought of reusing the subwoofer from Creative speakers in meanwhile.

The creative speakers only have 3.5mm audio jack as input.
So I configured Denon AVR with Front Speaker configuration as A+B. That means it shall output extra stereo output (left + right) on 2 channels.
using a 3.5mm jack to bare wire connector, I have connected the 2 channels of AVR to Creative speakers.

and Voila, IT WORKS...
It may not be as good as a stand alone subwoofer, but it works seemlessly.

I am only worried if it can cause any issues to avr, since I am driving full-level audio output (instead of pre-amp outputs) from avr to active speakers directly.
Any suggestions or critics are most welcome.

Hmm so if I understand this right, you are feeding amplified signal to your Sub's 3.5mm input? This input is designed to take signal from a device's Pre Amplified output. I understand you did not connect the wired volume control which is its Pre Amp. So by bypassing the volume control unit, the Speaker level signal is going straight to the power amp of the Sub. Which means an amplifier feeding another amplifier. I would be concerned if this the setup you are running.

Why did you not connect the Sub Pre out from your receiver to the Sub Input? A simple RCA to 3.5mm cable should do the job right? This way you would not be overloading the Amp on the Sub and also, be able to set the gains correctly on the receiver.

I have dont a similar thing with my Creative Sub. Integrated it with a pair of Bose Companion speakers. I got rid of the wired volume control of the creative and connected the 3.5mm output from a Bluetooth receiver directly to the Sub input. A splitter is used to split signal to Sub and Bose unit. The volume was matched using the volume on the Bose and left as is. Hence, the volume on the Mobile or any other device streaming the content becomes the master volume and governs the overall volume of the system.

MaSh

 

[spirovious]

Sending speaker 'B' output of Denon to creative will damage both.Demon is designed to drive speaker and not other amp.
instead you can use Denon preout of Subwoofer and feed creative to get its SW working.

 

[MusicMadness]

So by bypassing the volume control unit, the Speaker level signal is going straight to the power amp of the Sub. Which means an amplifier feeding anoth

Hmm so if I understand this right, you are feeding amplified signal to your Sub's 3.5mm input? This input is designed to take signal from a device's Pre Amplified output. I understand you did not connect the wired volume control which is its Pre Amp. So by bypassing the volume control unit, the Speaker level signal is going straight to the power amp of the Sub. Which means an amplifier feeding another amplifier. I would be concerned if this the setup you are running.

Why did you not connect the Sub Pre out from your receiver to the Sub Input? A simple RCA to 3.5mm cable should do the job right? This way you would not be overloading the Amp on the Sub and also, be able to set the gains correctly on the receiver.

I have dont a similar thing with my Creative Sub. Integrated it with a pair of Bose Companion speakers. I got rid of the wired volume control of the creative and connected the 3.5mm output from a Bluetooth receiver directly to the Sub input. A splitter is used to split signal to Sub and Bose unit. The volume was matched using the volume on the Bose and left as is. Hence, the volume on the Mobile or any other device streaming the content becomes the master volume and governs the overall volume of the system.

MaSh

hi,
As you rightly said, i am driving an amplified speaker level signal directly to my creative speakers. Creative speakers had a wired volume control and i kept it to minimal setting. But i am not sure if it controls the input signal to amplifier or the ouput signal from amplifier inside creative speakers. If the volume control is controlling the input signal, then its fine as the amplifier inside creative speaker will not see speaker level signal but attenuated version of it.

I tried connecting the avr pre-outs to creative speakers and it works as well.
But the issue is the pre-outs are part of zone2 and i have to enable zone2 manually every time i start the avr and enable a setting called "All Zone Stereo ON". This is tedious and I couldnt find how to enable if all time by default.

 

[MusicMadness]

Sending speaker 'B' output of Denon to creative will damage both.Demon is designed to drive speaker and not other amp.
instead you can use Denon preout of Subwoofer and feed creative to get its SW working.

I tried connecting the avr pre-outs to creative speakers and it works as well.
But the issue is the pre-outs are part of zone2 and i have to enable zone2 manually every time i start the avr and enable a setting called "All Zone Stereo ON". This is tedious and I couldnt find how to enable if all time by default.

 

[spirovious]

I tried connecting the avr pre-outs to creative speakers and it works as well.
But the issue is the pre-outs are part of zone2 and i have to enable zone2 manually every time i start the avr and enable a setting called "All Zone Stereo ON". This is tedious and I couldnt find how to enable if all time by default.

In marantz , speaker setup,one can set " 5.1+zone 2 "
Demon must be having that option.

 

[MusicMadness]

hmm my current setting is 5.1 + zone2.
But the issue is every time i switch on the avr, i have to tell the avr to play music on zone2 as well.
By default it doesnt do this.