Connecting sub to rega mira preouts

 

Silver Member
Username: Mrtomasulo

St. Louis, MO USA

Post Number: 121
Registered: Mar-05
Just scored a small Boston Acoustics sub (PV400) off a co-employee who is moving for virtually nothing, and need to figure how to connect it to the preouts on my Rega Mira. The sub has a single line-in input. The preouts are RCA.

So do I basically just need some kind of Y-cable with RCA connections? Will that work? Thanks.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 10112
Registered: May-04
.

You can use a single "Y" splitter to run off one channel of the Rega. It doesn't much matter which channel you use since the majority of bass information is mixed to mono or near mono anyway. If you have high levels speaker inputs on the sub, you might want to use those instead.

.
 

Silver Member
Username: Mrtomasulo

St. Louis, MO USA

Post Number: 122
Registered: Mar-05
Thanks Jan.

The sub does have speaker inputs. I don't know if I can fit any more wire into the speaker inputs on the Rega, though. The 'holes' are small. :-)
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 10113
Registered: May-04
.


Does the subwoofer have speaker in/out?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Leonski

Post Number: 60
Registered: Jan-07
if speaker outs=yes, don't they 'daisy chain'?
 

Silver Member
Username: Mrtomasulo

St. Louis, MO USA

Post Number: 123
Registered: Mar-05
The sub has speaker level ins and line line level in.
 

Silver Member
Username: Mrtomasulo

St. Louis, MO USA

Post Number: 124
Registered: Mar-05
So to answer your question I don't think it has outs, unless ins and outs are the same thing.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 4429
Registered: Feb-05
You'll want to use the Y from the L/R pre outs on the mira to the line level in on the sub. Ixos makes a very nice an inexpensive Y.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 4430
Registered: Feb-05
BTW that means use both channels of the Mira not one.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 10114
Registered: May-04
.

You should split outputs but not combine inputs. Even with common ground equipment, placing both channels together is not the best route for this purpose. Is this the arrangement you use, Art?
 

Silver Member
Username: Mrtomasulo

St. Louis, MO USA

Post Number: 125
Registered: Mar-05
I'm not sure if I got the ideal thing, but I stopped at radio shack and got a y-splitter plus a standard rca interconnect. (so splitter into sub and rca from splitter to l/r Mira preouts).

When I plug the RCAs into the l/r preouts (even without plugging other end into the sub) it seemed to rob the Mira of power. Or am I imagining things? It seemed to rob it of a little of its magic.

Do I just need to turn the Mira louder? I'm not sure if this is going to work out, because so far it sounds better w/o the sub. Aside from the quality of the sub which may or may not be hte best, the mains didn't sound as good.

If I want to go the speaker wire route I'll have to do it through some kind of banana plug that can accept two speaker wires at a time. Two speaker cables won't fit in the Mira speaker outs.
 

Gold Member
Username: Arande2

Extreme SQ FTW

Post Number: 2115
Registered: Dec-06
Isn't that their cheapest sub?
 

Silver Member
Username: Mrtomasulo

St. Louis, MO USA

Post Number: 126
Registered: Mar-05
It's cheap. But I got it for basically free, so it's worth a shot.

I tried plugging into just one of the preouts and I think that actually helped. The mains sound better.
 

Gold Member
Username: Arande2

Extreme SQ FTW

Post Number: 2118
Registered: Dec-06
Wow we live REALLY close to each other...
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 4436
Registered: Feb-05
Jan, I have a REL and use the speaker level with the neutrik speakon connection. In the past I usually use the L/R preouts to L/R line in.

Speaker level is more ideal MT as it's the connection of choice for some great subs like REL and Vandersteen. My Era also sounded better that way.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 4437
Registered: Feb-05
I was mixed up Jan and went and looked at my adaptor and it was a homemade adaptor with a summing circuit...oops.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 10115
Registered: May-04
.

I would advise against summing L and R channels through a simple "Y" connector. As I said, they are fine for splitting a single signal into two outputs but not for combining two outputs into one input. If you want to put two channel outputs into one channel input, you'll need a summing circuit of some kind. Typically you would use a stereo to mono transformer. You can call these folks, http://www.hlabs.com/technical/crossovers/ , they have units with stereo in to mono out that are quite reasonable.


If the amplifier can take standard banana plugs, you can buy stackable bananas that allow a single cable to be used in each plug and one plug piggy backs into the open end of the other.


You'll have to experiment with the sub to find the best placement and crossover for the front speakers. Make certain the sub is in phase with the front speakers.

.
 

Silver Member
Username: Mrtomasulo

St. Louis, MO USA

Post Number: 127
Registered: Mar-05
Thanks Jan.

I see no reason standard bananas wouldn't fit the Mira, do you Art? So far I've just been using bare wire.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 4440
Registered: Feb-05
I'm using standard bananas on mine for my van den Hul speaker cable.
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