# How to connect a subwoofer to computer?



## lemon2

Hi guys, I know next to nothing about speakers and I am a bit stuck.
   
  I bought the LTC SW100 subwoofer to complement my Edifier R1600Ts, but I have no idea how to connect it to my pc, there are so many sockets everywhere!
   
  Here is a picture of the outputs on my PC:

  And here are the inputs on the sub:

   
  Any help would really be appriciated


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## Pixel Eater

Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure you need a single 3.5mm from the orange to a single RCA to the white in.


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## Joe Bloggs

Two ways of doing this:
   
  1. Get a 3.5mm Y-splitter, connect it to the green output.  After the Y-split plug one 3.5mm to dual RCA cable goes to the Edifier as before, the other goes to the sub's left and right line in.  Adjust the crossover frequency on the subwoofer.
   
  2. Plug a 3.5mm to dual RCA cable into the yellow output.  This is a center / subwoofer dual output, so either the white or the red RCA is now the subwoofer out.  Set the computer up to output 2.1 sound, plug the white and red RCA plug in one at a time and see which one makes the sub put out sound.  I suppose you then leave the other input channel empty since you're feeding a mono signal to a sub that takes stereo inputs.
   
  There may then be bass managment options on your PC's sound driver, allowing you to set the crossover frequency on the PC.  In that case, in order to take advantage of this, turn the frequency knob on the subwoofer to 150Hz.


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## lemon2

Thanks guys, I have ordered a 3.5mm to dual RCA cable. The sub only came with a single white RCA male-to-male. I suppose they assume I will be using an amp rather than a motherboard or soundcard. BTW, am I stifling the sub massively by not amplifying it, or would it be ok?
   
  How do I know what level to set the crossover frequency? (I assume via the knob labelled "FREQ" in the photo.)  Is it an exact value based on my bookshelf model, or should I be judging it by ear? And if so, what am I listening for?


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## Joe Bloggs

So do you plan to do the first or second method? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Judge by ear... the best way would be to get Sinegen
  http://rbytes.net/software/sinegen-review/
   
  and play some test tones through your computer, first with the sub off to get a feel for where the satellites fade out, then with the sub on and tuning the crossover frequency until you hear neither a hump nor a null around the crossover frequency.
   
  (cool but very techy stuff follows)
  ----------------
  Another cool addition to the PC sound experience would be VAC
  http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.htm
  routing all system sound to VSTHost
  http://www.hermannseib.com/english/vsthost.htm
   
  allowing you to equalize all system sounds.  This lets you use an advanced parametric equalizer like Electri-Q
  http://www.aixcoustic.com/index.php/posihfopit_edition/30/0/
   
  to equalize out room modes.  The advantage of running Electri-Q on VSTHost rather than on a player like foobar2000 is that you get to equalize the sound coming out of Sinegen too so you can adjust the EQ very effectively.
   
  I run two EQs in series when tuning the EQ on Sinegen
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/413900/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-a-tutorial/690#post_7978860
   
  One the draft of the final EQ settings to apply, another a replica of the equal loudness curve of human hearing.  This is especially useful to compensate for the steeply decreasing sensitivity of the human ear to deeper bass frequencies while testing (i.e. when playing with Sinegen without equalization you'll hear bass frequencies fading out quickly, it's hard to tell whether this is because of your ear's decreasing sensitivity or because the speakers are really quitting out at those frequencies.)


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## patsyleung

I'm pretty sure the orange/yellow output on the motherboard is only for LFE output, ie. the ".1" channel from multi-channel sources (eg. movies, games). There would be no signal from that jack from stereo material. However, you can still hookup to this port if you configure it to just output the LR stereo signal.
  
 IMO, the best way to go about it is to connect the soundcard (green jack) with stereo mini-to-RCA to the "line in" on the sub, then stereo RCA from sub "line out" to "line in" on your Edifiers. This will allow the sub to passthrough the signal to your speakers - but you would need to fix your levels on the sub/speaker and use software volume control to attenuate. I think this would be the most hassle-free/logical method to hookup.


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## PurpleAngel

Quote: 





patsyleung said:


> I'm pretty sure the orange/yellow output on the motherboard is only for LFE output, ie. the ".1" channel from multi-channel sources (eg. movies, games). There would be no signal from that jack from stereo material. However, you can still hookup to this port if you configure it to just output the LR stereo signal.
> IMO, the best way to go about it is to connect the soundcard (green jack) with stereo mini-to-RCA to the "line in" on the sub, then stereo RCA from sub "line out" to "line in" on your Edifiers. This will allow the sub to passthrough the signal to your speakers - but you would need to fix your levels on the sub/speaker and use software volume control to attenuate. I think this would be the most hassle-free/logical method to hookup.


 
  I agree with Patsyleung.
  Also you will need to in windows, to set the audio control panel to "2 Speaker" or "Stereo Speaker".


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## Joe Bloggs

I agree with Patsyleung too, I'd overlooked the line out on the subwoofer 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Question though, the line out on the subwoofer is with the low frequencies crossed out according to the crossover frequency?  Or just passing the input signal straight through?  Depends on the subwoofer in question doesn't it?
   
  But as for the issue of sub / center output, I'm pretty sure they're combined in one output port, there's no option for me to choose subwoofer and center channel output separately when I plug in something for example.  But of course you don't have to mess with that if you go with Pat's suggestion, and yeah just configure the PC to stereo.
   
  And you don't need to amp your sub, your sub is an active one, with its own amp.


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## davidzvi

Quote: 





patsyleung said:


> I'm pretty sure the orange/yellow output on the motherboard is only for LFE output, ie. the ".1" channel from multi-channel sources (eg. movies, games). There would be no signal from that jack from stereo material. However, you can still hookup to this port if you configure it to just output the LR stereo signal.
> 
> IMO, the best way to go about it is to connect the soundcard (green jack) with stereo mini-to-RCA to the "line in" on the sub, then stereo RCA from sub "line out" to "line in" on your Edifiers. This will allow the sub to passthrough the signal to your speakers - but you would need to fix your levels on the sub/speaker and use software volume control to attenuate. I think this would be the most hassle-free/logical method to hookup.


 

 Exactly what I was going to type.  LFE should not have a signal in stereo, only movies and games.  Though it would not surprise me to find that there is a signal being sent on the LFE by something in the computer to compensate for some setting option.
   
  And yes I would/have mine setup the same way AudioEngine displays in their manual for A2 and S8 hookup.
   
  Computer --> RCA line in to Sub --> line out from Sub to powered Sats.  In my case it's computer to DAC to Sub, but same principle.


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## trog

According to the specs the 1600T can go down to 55hz so long story short set the crossover freq to 80hz and it's all good hehe And yes the peeps at Parts Express also confirmed to my mate w.r.t the solution patsyleung suggested


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## Banu roxx

Pleasae say me whether the wire will be the same both sides


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## teckel

davidzvi said:


> Exactly what I was going to type.  LFE should not have a signal in stereo, only movies and games.  Though it would not surprise me to find that there is a signal being sent on the LFE by something in the computer to compensate for some setting option.
> 
> And yes I would/have mine setup the same way AudioEngine displays in their manual for A2 and S8 hookup.
> 
> Computer --> RCA line in to Sub --> line out from Sub to powered Sats.  In my case it's computer to DAC to Sub, but same principle.


 
  
 You can get low frequencies to go to the subwoofer by selecting "Enable Bass Management" which forces low frequencies to the subwoofer output (orange port, right or red signal).  This works even with stereo output.  This uses some crossover frequency built into the motherboard's sound logic.  As there's also "Full-range speakers" options, I would guess this would change the crossover frequency depending on the bass of your right and left speakers (best to leave this to full-range if you can so the subwoofer can't be localized).
  
 I tried connecting a subwoofer this way and it worked like a champ.  You just have to use the computer's volume control once everything is set.  But, that's better anyway as I have volume/mute controls on all of my keyboards anyway.
  
 Tim


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