Quick Home Theater Subwoofer Question

[BillyBatson]

My friend just bought a new yamaha receiver and pioneer dvd player to use with his existing speaker set and subwoofer. So far everything is working fine however we noticed the subwoofer was not working. In the back of the subwoofer there is a power cable that gets plugged into the wall. Then there is a subwoofer cable that is a standard rca composite. Then there is a 3rd input called System Connecter. If we plug in the old all-in-one dvd/receiver to the wall and then connect that system connecter cable from the sub to the unit the subwoofer turns on and works fine. There is no system conencter input/output on the yahama receiver.
How do we get the sub to work without having to connect that system conencter to anything at all?

Appreciate all the help in advance

 

[buck]

Wrong forum.

 

[OVERKILL]

I also have a Yamaha Receiver (HTR-5960) and an SVS 20-39 PC-Plus.
The cable is hooked from the sub (low level right IN) to the Receiver (Subwoofer connector).

Try every possible connection, through process of elimination, you've got to be able to find what works.

 

[vi edit]

The RCA cable goes into the "LFE"(subwoofer) port on the back of the Receiver. If you wire it in this manner, you may only hear it "fire" on surround capable content that has data going to the LFE channel.

 

[BillyBatson]

but it does have some sort of signal because if that audio jack looking "system connecter" is plugged into the old receiver which has a special port for it the sub turns on and plays along with the dvd or tv movie we are watching. I don't understand what that audio jack is for since it does not plug into anything on the back of the normal receiver.

 

[vi edit]

Can you snap a pic of the back of the sub?

 

[BillyBatson]

I unfortunately can't we don't have a digital camera here. There are 3 things coming out of the back of the sub. 1) power cord 2) subwoofer cable for IN input 3) standard audio jack like used for ipod headphones cable called System Connecter which is a male on both ends
the receiver model is a Yamaha DVR-S200 that the subwoofer came with. The new receiver is a yamaha 361

 

[Krazy4Real]

I've had a couple of receivers that use the composite cable connector to plug into the back of the receiver. I remember on an old aiwa unit that I had, I needed to actually turn that port on. It was in the menu. You may want to check if there is something similar on that receiver.

 

[vi edit]

The second option should plug into the LFE/Subwoofer port on the back of the new receiver.

But that is an LFE channel on the new receiver. It will only fire on surround sound(5.1) tracks. If you pop in a DVD and play a Dolby Digital soundtrack does it kick in?

It might not light up when playing a DVD or regular TV.

 

[BillyBatson]

we are listening to a depeche mode DVD using a digital coax cable output to the new receiver. We also watched several HD channels through an HD cable box/DVR using optical output to the new receiver. I also went through the SUB options and turns up every sub level to the max and there is still no sound coming out of the sub unless we connect the system conencter cable to the old receiver.
the Subwoofer cable is plugged into the output for the sub on the new receiver and comes out and connects to the sub IN on the subwoofer.

 

[OVERKILL]

Back of Yamaha V361

 

[BillyBatson]

Back of the OLD receiver you can see the system connecter port on the bottom right of the unit in the triangle area.

The model of the sub is NX-SW200 but i am unable to find a pic of the back

 

[BillyBatson]

no one else has an idea what that system conencter is doing and how to get passed it?

 

[ChefJoe]

Are you sure it's not just the "turn on" wire ? Sometimes subwoofers require a line with some voltage on it that's designed to tell the sub to power on. I can't tell you what the turn-on voltage is but maybe you can use a voltmeter and get it off the old unit ?

http://www.4electronicwarehous...aha/yst-fsw150-050.pdf See top left of pg 8.

My best guess would be 12 V ... like a car amp's turn-on signal.

http://www.avforums.com/forums...ystem+connector+yamaha

 

[nakedfrog]

So the subwoofer is part of the old system, which was a HTIB?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: ChefJoe
Are you sure it's not just the "turn on" wire ? Sometimes subwoofers require a line with some voltage on it that's designed to tell the sub to power on. I can't tell you what the turn-on voltage is but maybe you can use a voltmeter and get it off the old unit ?

http://www.4electronicwarehous...aha/yst-fsw150-050.pdf See top left of pg 8.

Yeah, I was thinking that the only thing that sounded familiar would be a 12V trigger (if Yamaha was so kind as to actually use a standard "turn on" voltage).

If that is indeed a 12V trigger, then for cases where receivers didn't have a trigger, I've known people to use DC power adapters with a 12V output and connect that to their units that needed that signal to turn on (amps, projector screen, etc. usually). Since your new receiver doesn't have a 12V trigger, if it is the case that it's a 12V trigger then I guess the power adapter would be something to try. It would be convenient if you have a switched power outlet on the back of the receiver to use for it though

On the other hand you could just keep using the old receiver to turn the subwoofer on... or you could take this opportunity to get a new subwoofer :evil:

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

That identical sub (NX-SW200) comes with other Yamaha receivers that don't use the system connector so it should work solely by using the LFE channel.

http://www.4electronicwarehous...aha/yht-860-hookup.pdf

I would guess that you don't have the new receiver properly configured to output throught the LFE channel. Do you have the front speakers set to "Large" or is there another setting that is cutting the LFE output?

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
That identical sub (NX-SW200) comes with other Yamaha receivers that don't use the system connector so it should work solely by using the LFE channel.

http://www.4electronicwarehous...aha/yht-860-hookup.pdf

I would guess that you don't have the new receiver properly configured to output throught the LFE channel. Do you have the front speakers set to "Large" or is there another setting that is cutting the LFE output?

If he has receiver sub woofer out to subwoofer in plugged in correctly, then I agree, the set up doesn't have LFE / Sub turned on.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
That identical sub (NX-SW200) comes with other Yamaha receivers that don't use the system connector so it should work solely by using the LFE channel.

http://www.4electronicwarehous...aha/yht-860-hookup.pdf

I would guess that you don't have the new receiver properly configured to output throught the LFE channel. Do you have the front speakers set to "Large" or is there another setting that is cutting the LFE output?

It sounded like he had the subwoofer signal cable connected from the new receiver to the subwoofer and it didn't work. When he kept the subwoofer signal connected to the new receiver but connected the "system" connection to the old receiver, it did work.

 

[ChefJoe]

Yoyo is thinking about this : http://www.mainstreet-audio.co...0&Category_Code=INSACC

For car audio they call it a "remote" wire.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: ChefJoe
Yoyo is thinking about this : http://www.mainstreet-audio.co...0&Category_Code=INSACC

For car audio they call it a "remote" wire.

I know nothing about car audio, so if that can plug into a wall outlet and send a 12V signal to a mono 1/8" male type connection, then we're thinking the same thing

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
That identical sub (NX-SW200) comes with other Yamaha receivers that don't use the system connector so it should work solely by using the LFE channel.

http://www.4electronicwarehous...aha/yht-860-hookup.pdf

I would guess that you don't have the new receiver properly configured to output throught the LFE channel. Do you have the front speakers set to "Large" or is there another setting that is cutting the LFE output?

It sounded like he had the subwoofer signal cable connected from the new receiver to the subwoofer and it didn't work. When he kept the subwoofer signal connected to the new receiver but connected the "system" connection to the old receiver, it did work.

I understand what you're saying Yoyo, but the Yamaha diagram for the identical subwoofer connected to a different Yamaha receiver doesn't show a System Connector on that receiver, though you can see the System Connector port on the back of the sub in that diagram.

Seems it should work without it but who knows. If anything else he should give Yamaha tech support a call and ask them.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
That identical sub (NX-SW200) comes with other Yamaha receivers that don't use the system connector so it should work solely by using the LFE channel.

http://www.4electronicwarehous...aha/yht-860-hookup.pdf

I would guess that you don't have the new receiver properly configured to output throught the LFE channel. Do you have the front speakers set to "Large" or is there another setting that is cutting the LFE output?

It sounded like he had the subwoofer signal cable connected from the new receiver to the subwoofer and it didn't work. When he kept the subwoofer signal connected to the new receiver but connected the "system" connection to the old receiver, it did work.

I understand what you're saying Yoyo, but the Yamaha diagram for the identical subwoofer connected to a different Yamaha receiver doesn't show a System Connector on that receiver, though you can see the System Connector port on the back of the sub in that diagram.

Seems it should work without it but who knows. If anything else he should give Yamaha tech support a call and ask them.

hmmmm

"but it does have some sort of signal because if that audio jack looking "system connecter" is plugged into the old receiver which has a special port for it the sub turns on and plays along with the dvd or tv movie we are watching."

I took that to mean that if they're watching something on the new receiver with the sub connected to it while they have the old receiver hooked up to just the system connector that it's working... so from that I gathered that the new receiver is indeed sending out a subwoofer signal but the sub just isn't working unless the system connector is connected to the old unit.

 

[Hyperlite]

I'm going to have to assume that the subwoofer output is disabled from the reciever...but i don't think having the fronts set to large would do that. Dig through the menus on the receiver, there has to be a setting there for SUB: ON/OFF.

OR

That "system connector" has to be a remote on line, so you may in fact have to trigger that somehow...which seems a bit archaic, but i guess that is an old sub...

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken
That identical sub (NX-SW200) comes with other Yamaha receivers that don't use the system connector so it should work solely by using the LFE channel.

http://www.4electronicwarehous...aha/yht-860-hookup.pdf

I would guess that you don't have the new receiver properly configured to output throught the LFE channel. Do you have the front speakers set to "Large" or is there another setting that is cutting the LFE output?

It sounded like he had the subwoofer signal cable connected from the new receiver to the subwoofer and it didn't work. When he kept the subwoofer signal connected to the new receiver but connected the "system" connection to the old receiver, it did work.

I understand what you're saying Yoyo, but the Yamaha diagram for the identical subwoofer connected to a different Yamaha receiver doesn't show a System Connector on that receiver, though you can see the System Connector port on the back of the sub in that diagram.

Seems it should work without it but who knows. If anything else he should give Yamaha tech support a call and ask them.

hmmmm

"but it does have some sort of signal because if that audio jack looking "system connecter" is plugged into the old receiver which has a special port for it the sub turns on and plays along with the dvd or tv movie we are watching."

I took that to mean that if they're watching something on the new receiver with the sub connected to it while they have the old receiver hooked up to just the system connector that it's working... so from that I gathered that the new receiver is indeed sending out a subwoofer signal but the sub just isn't working unless the system connector is connected to the old unit.

It's possible that somehow Yamaha defeats the requirement for a remote power on when the sub is bundled with that other package. That's why I suggested calling tech support. Maybe they can tell him how to do that?