I currently have a Monitor Audio PL215W subwoofer connected to the pre-out RCA jacks of my stereo integrated amplifier. Mated with the PL500 left and right speakers, it makes an awesome combination.
As a result of house move, I will be relocating my BHK Pre and 300 Monoblocks to replace the integrated amp. As the sub does not appear to have high level inputs, I at a loss to understand where the RCA sub cables connect to the BHK pre. I am also looking at getting a 2nd matching sub as the conventional wisdom seems to be that if 1 sub is good, 2 are much better. I know that I can daisy chain the subs but canI connect them both directly to the BHK?
Any advice welcome.
Shouldn’t have to, just run the left RCA to one sub and the right to the other and you have stereo subs. Note the RCA is 3 or 6 db lower output than balanced (I forget which) so you’ll have to set your subs accordingly
Driving one or two high-level with the Jensen transformer above is a much better option in my experience. I was never happy with the integration while feeding my subs with low-level. Moving to high-level direct from the BHK250 is/was a revelation.
It was vastly easier/trivial to blend them with the mains and they completely disappear. Of course, they’re noticed when they are absent.
There are many ways to do it. I would run the RCA’s off to start without daisy chaining. The Jenson transformers are an option. I use a separate crossover made by JL Audio. Try the easiest most affordable for now. Then change it up if it’s not sound right to you! Enjoy
Thanks for the link. As I am completely clueless about this subject, I can’t understand how the transformer connection would work. I will have an RCA connection out from the BHK Pre so looking at the Jensen, the in ports are Neutrik connectors. Are you able to spell out the cable and connection sequence? Or are we connecting the monoblocks to the sub?
The sub has RCA inputs and outputs plus LFE inputs in both RCA and XLR
Jensen’s speaker level to line level XLR transformers work great if your subs have XLR inputs. Their RCA version transformer is well liked too. You can find Jensen online instruction manuals to walk you through the process.
Hey Paul, just doing some research prior to installing the JL Audio CR-1, which I assume you’re still using?
I’m actually integrating a 2ch/AV set up using this device so I can share the subs and front L/R speakers in my room.
Wondering if you have any advice or feedback on your experience using the CR-1?
I can’t say enough about how big a part the CR-1 works with a 2ch/home theater. It is a true game changer imo. I bought it specifically for theater integration what it gives in return is so much more! I have balanced out going out of my BHK pre into the CR1 out to my amps. I have the two LFE channels going out of a Denon Receiver into the CR1 and RCAs going to the subs from the CR1. I also have balanced cables going from CR1 to subs. Once properly set up and dialed in it is quite the unit!
Good luck and Enjoy!
I use a pair of ARX RS-1 12v relay actuated stereo XLR switch boxes to share both my front L & R ATC active monitors and a quartet of Seaton Submersive HP subs between stereo and multi-channel use. A JL-Audio CR-1 looks after the 80Hz crossover for 2 channel while the onboard bass management in my Anthem HT pre-pro looks after crossover duties for multi-channel.
I’m getting a pretty nasty buzz in the L/R speakers when in bypass mode. Perfectly quiet in active 2ch mode and it’s sounds great.
I’m using scenario 3 in the set up,as I’m pretty sure you are as well. Wondering if you came across this issue when setting up your system? And if so, how did you deal with it?
One thing that may be different for my system is that my av preamp processor only has Balanced audio outputs, so I need to use XLR-RCA connectors to connect the av pre to the CR-1 audio inputs.
So you are using balanced out of your processor and preamp? Sound like the problem is the XLR to RCA cable. You can run balanced in from two sources and use only one balanced out to subs.
I’m running balanced XLR cables from my 2ch preamp/DAC to the balanced inputs of the CR-1. I’m also running cheater plug XLR to RCA cables from the AV Preamp to the CR-1. These connections are for the front L/R speakers. The sub connection via RCA from the CR-1 is working just fine.
The buzz happens when I hit the bypass button to send the LR signal directly to the amp for AV purposes.
I have a feeling this wouldn’t be an issue if my AV preamp processor had native RCA outputs. I don’t think the CR-1 likes the converted balanced signal being fed via the processors outputs.
Are you running the AV preamp into the managed bass inputs and the preamp into main stereo inputs? RCA out to subs or xlr? I’m not sure where the buzz is. I do know from experience if you email or call JL Audio service they will respond usually same day and will troubleshoot this issue you have. I have talked with them several times. You should make sure there’s nothing wrong with your CR-1. Good luck!
Why are you running both? You only need one set. Then I think the CR-1 will allow to run either xlr or rca to sub.
I totally agree with @paul172 the CR-1 is a game changer. I use it for music and bypass. No buzz. But I am 100% XLR between all pieces.
I will say after setting up Roon with DSP the sub just melts into the fronts super smooth. I set it to 33hz to cross over. So only the real low goes to the sub and I let the sopras do what they can do and not stress about that low bass.
When you mix and match balanced and SE cables in the same setup you are more than likely to get hum somewhere. Sometimes you can find the offending component with a cheater plug and sometimes not. Try putting a cheater plug on both the preamp and the CR-1 one at a time and see if it will go away with lifting the ground to one of them. If they are plugged into a grounded conditioner won’t cause in issues.
I need to run both balanced and unbalanced because I’m using the CR-1 For HT passthrough for the subs and the front LR speakers. (Scenario 3 in the CR-1 set up guide).