subwoofer connection possiblities


This will be a long question…

At present, I have a Levinson 383 integrated running a set of Martin Logan Ascents using bi-wire cables with spades at the amp and banana plugs at the speakers. I also have a ML Depth subwoofer in the mix. Because the 383 does not have a line out, I am running the subwoofer with two sets of speaker cables (non-biwire) that are hooked to the speaker terminals (along with the speaker wire for the Ascents) on the back of the 383.

I am thinking of adding another Depth subwoofer to the system, and wonder if either of the scenarios below would work.

Option 1. A biwire run of speaker wire (spade connections) from the low frequency terminal of the Ascents to each subwoofer…so, the speakers would see a signal from the amp via the banana plug connection, and the subwoofers would get their signals from the spade connection to the low frequency input on the speaker.

Or

Option 2. Single speaker wire connections to the subwoofers from the high and low frequency terminals on the Ascents. So, the speakers would see the signal from the amp from the banana plug connections, and the subwoofers would see their signal from both the high and low frequency terminals on the back of the Ascents (which should not matter to the subwoofers since the signal would be getting to them before the crossover internal to the Ascents)

I am not sure if the main signal to the speakers via the banana plug connections will be “seen” by a connection to the terminals with spades.

I am also not sure, if the signal can be seen by the spade connection(s), whether it would be better to use just the low frequency terminals on the speaker (option 1 above) to get the signal to the subwoofers, or if connection to both the high and low frequency terminals would be better (option 2).

I am also not sure if putting the spade connections on the terminals of the speakers (“downstream” from the main signal connection via the banana plugs) will degrade or reduce the level of the signal eventually making it to the speakers.

Or, maybe I should take my girlfriend’s advice and leave well enough alone—the way I have it hooked up now sounds pretty awesome (I auditioned some Revel Salons and B&W 802s this weekend, and they did not come close to what I already have)…

Thanks,

Mitch
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