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Passive subwoofer...huh???

Ok, I am a dufus. I just bought an RBH VDS-10A passive subwoofer on eBay. I have a decent system; Threshold Forte Model 3A amp (200 wpc into 8 ohms); KEF Reference 103/4 loudspeakers; Parasound PLD-1100 preamp & Arcam Alpha 8SE CD player. Sounds fantastic, with the KEFs just a tad weak in the bass department. Didn't want a powered sub (too much like home theater, I thought), so I saw the RBH passive sub with its nifty 10" aluminum cone driver and said "Eureka." Naturally I bought it. No thinking, just bought it. Then it occurred to me; can I power it directly from my amp, or do I need a dedicated subwoofer amp??? If I drive it directly from my amp, should I run right and left channels into it (it only has one set of 5-way binding posts on the rear), or should I just run one channel?? Have I totally wasted my money?? I'm assuming the sub has an internal "crossover" to limit high frequency input, but I don't know that either. Doh!!! Help guys. -David (should be "KefKing" & not "Klipschking")
klipschking
rwwear
2,846 posts
 
You have to power it from the speaker outputs on your amp. You will probably need to go into the sub and out to the KEFs. It would be best to get an outboard amp though. It will not be as good as a powered sub. At least I don't think so.
honest1
586 posts
 
You may need an outboard sub and an outboard crossover - inother words, all the things that go into making a powered sub. If you need a good outboard crossover cheap, I would recommend the Behringer 2496 line - great sound for under $300, available from Guitar Cneter or online at Musician's friend.
Try disconnecting one fo your main speakers temporarily and connecting the sub in its place to see what kind of sound you get out of it. If it has an internal crossover, you should only get very deep bass notes; vocals should be unintelligible. GOod luck.
jb0194
476 posts
 
I prefer the Reckhorn A-401 from DIY HiFi Supply to the Parts Express unit. I own both.
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