Digital to analog (for sub)

[tricky]

I have two Altec Lansing speakers with 15" woofers and Horn loaded tweeters.

I also have a good Technics receiver.

My object if possible is to take the subwoofer output on a new (not yet purchased) AV receiver and port it to the input of the Technics amplifier then out to the 15" pair L+R.

One problem is that the output from the new amplifier is digital coax and the input on the Technics is Analog.

Any suggestions? other than buy a 15" subwoofer

[57]

The sub out from the new AVR should be a low level signal, which you can connect to any analogue input on the Technics AVR, switch it to mono and send that to the 2 speakers, or get a Y-connector and connect it to L & R inputs on the Technics if there is no "mono" option.

What's the make/model of the new AVR under consideration?

[cfraser]

The LFE (subwoofer) output from an AVR is analog, not digital, so a regular audio cable will work (though lots of people do use coax).

The other thing is to not compare a full-range speaker system, no matter how large the woofer may seem, with a subwoofer. They are not really the same things, regardless that the term woofer is used, or the comparable size of the drivers. If you took a typical 15" woofer and treated it the way a sub amp does, you'd probably destroy it with the first burst of low LFE. Those things get pounded. Now, if you're mostly concerned with redirected bass to the "sub", not LFE, then this would be fine. Bottom line is sub drivers are made more rugged than regular audio drivers, tend to be rather stiff to move, have very rugged voice coils, and they typically wouldn't sound as good with musical tones as your 15" woofers. LFE is effects, not music, so the reproduction criteria is different and less critical, though some subs are pretty good for that "musical" bass below 80Hz say too.

[tricky]

57

The AVR is either Denon 1610 or the new Pioneer VSX 820

cfraser

The LFE (subwoofer) output from an AVR is analog, not digital"

so much for the Info I get from the sales rep then just this morning when I put the proposal to the rep he said it was a digitil signal to the sub, myself I wouldnt know.

Is the SUB signal from the AVR run through a sort of crossover reducing the high end prior to output.

My speakers are capable up for bi-amplifation using one amp to the top end and another to the low end.

This is why I was thinking along these lines.

[57]

Yes, you set the crossover in the AVR settings. Default is usually around 80Hz for the LFE out and you must turn the setting to "on" or "sub" in the AVR.

[tricky]

Thanks for the info.
Just something else to rattle around in the brain till it drops out

I just have to rewire my crossover in the Altec's to use the bi-amplification method.