Satellite speakers to power a subwoofer

[Psychobert]

Maybe a longshot, but here goes.. I've just acquired a subwoofer which requires an amplified signal from a pair of satellite speakers to power it. Current speakers are amplified, but no bass output so have failed to hook everything together. I guess I'm looking either for some speakers with an output to power it, or some speakers that are not amplified and a cheap stereo amp to power the lot.

Failed to find anythng to help on google, anyone got any ideas?

[slinksport]

if you've got a cash converters nearby, pop in there and grab a cheap amp..

I picked up an antique technics amp in there a while back (super cheap!) and it's fantastic..

Other than that, maybe ebay or local rags..??

[davidd]

How cheap? I expect Richersounds will have something.

D.

[arcturus]

Not sure that you need a separate bass output. I have a sub and it doesn't use a separate bass output to drive itself. A picture would explain this instantly, but i'll try and do it in words - here goes:

I take the speaker outputs from my power amp and feed this to the inputs of the sub (it has stereo inputs).

I then go from the outputs on the sub to the left and right main speakers.

The sub effectively sits on the speaker line and diverts all the low frequency signals to itself whilst passing on the mid and high range stuff to the normal speakers. The sub itself contains a low freq power amp to drive its own speaker.

Is this anything like your setup or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[Psychobert]

I should have explained a little more in my original post.. This is merely for the sound from my PC; the stereo in the lounge works rather well with its existing setup as it is..

Basically, I have the usual phono output from a soundcard, (might be time to upgrade this anyway soon but that wasn't my original intention), I've a subwoofer that requires an amplified signal, and a pair of satellite speakers which do their own amplification, but do not have an output for the sub. Can't plug the sub into the back of the PC, no amplification therefore has to go through something.

Many moons ago I had an old PC that I did hook up with a stereo amp and speakers, but I'm not really hoping to go there.. I could just turn the stereo up in the lounge..

What I'm after, is a way to power the sub, which I think will mean new satellite speakers that have an amplified sub output. For a laugh I tried asking in PC World, didn't really get anywhere. Since the sub is designed for a PC set up, someone somewhere must have made a way of powering it, but I can't fathom out who..

I could just bin the whole set up and buy a new complete set from PCWorld or somewhere, but thought I'd try to do something with what I've already got, (the sub is a good one so worth keeping that and binning the current speakers I think).

That any clearer?

[simpo two]

Psychobert said:

Current speakers are amplified, but no bass output so have failed to hook everything together.

OK, back to first principles: how is your bass handled at the moment? Do your speakers receive the whole sound spectrum from your current amp? If so, can you run a feed to a subwoofer from there? (You can put full spectrum amplified signals into a woofer, but not a tweeter as it will go pop).

[Psychobert]

simpo two said:

Do your speakers receive the whole sound spectrum from your current amp? If so, can you run a feed to a subwoofer from there? (You can put full spectrum amplified signals into a woofer, but not a tweeter as it will go pop).

Yup.. Thats the bit I needed to know. I wasn't sure if I fed the output to the sub then the others the sub would try to do both and I'd end up with the sub trying to do everything.

Now, all I need to do is connect the sub before the others and I think I'll have it sussed.

Thanks

Edited to add: Result! This may upset my neighbours somewhat..

>> Edited by Psychobert on Sunday 15th February 23:54

[simpo two]

Psychobert said:

Now, all I need to do is connect the sub before the others and I think I'll have it sussed.

I can't quite envisage the set-up but it sounds like there may be a small risk that low frequencies will get through to the satellites. Are these designed for low frequencies or are they just tweeters? If I were you I'd proceed very carefully, starting with very low volume and listening for any sign of distortion as you gradually increase it - if there is, stop immediately!

[Psychobert]

Speakers are full range, but get a signal from one of these bass booster thingies that they frequently put on such PC speakers. I've basically taken the output of this and diverted it away from the satellites by cutting the wires and sending them off to the sub.

Taken a bit of fiddling around to get the balance right, (sub's got a gain dial and I can control the bass on the satellites via another which now works the sub).

Anyway, through more luck I think than judgement, plus the valuable PH advice, (less my electronic ineptitude), I've got it sussed.

[simpo two]

Excellent - speakers are one of the few things that still obey common sense!