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rondocap
Avid Contributor I
April 10, 2019
Answered

Sonos Amp and High level input from Subwooder?

  • April 10, 2019
  • 53 replies
  • 6543 views
I have a Sonos Amp, and a Definitive Tech Sub Pro 800 that has both the mono RCA LFE option (What is connected now) and also has the option to connect via high level input. Real Subwoofers have this too.

Can this work with the Sonos Amp? I searched but did not find an answer. So basically I’d connect my Def Tech sub to the left and right speaker channels of the amp, and then I would connect my 2 front speakers to the back of the sub.

Will that work or do I have to keep using the LFE? It’s for music, so I figured using the High Level input may sound better as the sub would get the same signal as the speakers, right? Or am I mistaken?

Thanks!
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      Best answer by jgatie
      You are mistaken. The signal will be the same, the only difference being use of crossover on the Amp vs the crossover on the Sub (and those differences should be inaudible).

      53 replies

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      rondocapAuthor
      Avid Contributor I
      April 10, 2019

      It made sense if lfe was more for home theatre, and the high level for music
      LFE is for movies and is when the Sub is connected to the .1 channel on an AVR. In sound coded for movies, the deep sounding effects are contained in just that channel, which is connected to a Sub for reproducing everything contained therein. If a Sub is not so connected, the channel isn't heard at all - this, from my AVR use back in the day.
      The sub out on the Connect Amp isn't LFE; it is a line level output for a Sub after stripping out frequencies above the cross over selected; note that in recording music in stereo, both channels contain all the content, there is nothing separately dedicated to low frequencies. And if nothing is plugged into the Sub out jack, all content will be passed on to the front speakers, with low frequencies then heard from them to the extent of the capability of front speakers to go low.

      Ok so just to make it clear, should I just keep the sub plugged into the Amp sub port and not worry about the high level? Just wondered if I’d get a better music experience, not that it’s lacking now
      Kumar
      April 10, 2019

      Not sure I want to get 2 Sonos subs in the same room, that’s why I tried something different with the Def Tech 800 and was considering a Rel Sub.
      Even if Sonos Sub gives better results than the Def Tech in both high and low level mode? Because chances are that the REL will not do much better than the Def Tech.
      Of course, the best would be to try everything and then decide!
      Kumar
      April 10, 2019

      Ok so just to make it clear, should I just keep the sub plugged into the Amp sub port and not worry about the high level? Just wondered if I’d get a better music experience, not that it’s lacking now
      Why don't you see what happens if you connect the high end inputs on the Sub to the speaker terminals on the amp? Some experimenting with the Sub cross over may be needed keeping in mind how deep your main speakers go with enough energy, but all it will cost is time.
      By the way, from one of your posts I got an impression that you got better results with the Amp using the Sonos Sub bonded to it. No?
      rondocapAuthor
      Avid Contributor I
      April 10, 2019

      Ok so just to make it clear, should I just keep the sub plugged into the Amp sub port and not worry about the high level? Just wondered if I’d get a better music experience, not that it’s lacking now
      Why don't you see what happens if you connect the high end inputs on the Sub to the speaker terminals on the amp? Some experimenting with the Sub cross over may be needed keeping in mind how deep your main speakers go with enough energy, but all it will cost is time.
      By the way, from one of your posts I got an impression that you got better results with the Amp using the Sonos Sub bonded to it. No?


      I will have to try it out, and test the Sonos sub again as well. Not sure if it was better or similar, just had a brief test and liked it enough to get a separate sub.

      I’m using banana plugs, so I will try to put the sub to the amp first, and the 2 speakers connected to the Sub instead of crossing both at the amp end, wonder if that will work well with the amp
      Kumar
      April 10, 2019

      I’m using banana plugs, so I will try to put the sub to the amp first, and the 2 speakers connected to the Sub instead of crossing both at the amp end, wonder if that will work well with the amp
      No no no. For it to be meaningful the speaker terminals of the amp have to be double wired. To both the main speakers as now, and also to the high level left and right terminals on the Sub.
      Your way will deny the main speakers of the low level content that will be stripped out by the Sub crossover. Unless the Sub, as a few do, allows a full pass through of the signal.
      Kumar
      April 11, 2019
      For your evaluation remember that with the Sonos Sub, you can select the crossover that is most suited for the main speakers in use. If therefore your speakers already do a decent job of bass delivery, set the crossover on the Sub at the lowest - 50/60 hz if the speaker pair goes down adequately till there. This then will be very close to what high level connections are supposed to do, allowing the main speakers to do as much as they are capable of doing, and the Sub only for frequencies lower than that. Unfortunately, this choice is not available for third party subs where the crossover can be set to only 80hz.
      Also, best results are obtained when the Sub is placed between the two main speakers, in the same plane. While centre position is ideal, offsets to either side to an extent do not make an audible difference, if the central position is not available. For movies, Sub placement isn't so important, but I have found it to be so for music. A Sub away to one side of the speaker pair certainly isn't good for stereo imaging and integration with the front speakers, for music sound quality.
      Finally, if you are setting the crossover at the 50-60 hz levels, make sure that the content goes below that with some emphasis on the lower frequencies, else the Sub won't be doing much that is heard/felt.
      rondocapAuthor
      Avid Contributor I
      April 15, 2019
      I got the Rel sub.

      to clarify, I have a Sonos Amp, and a Rel t5i subwoofer that lets me connect either via high level input, low level input, or .1 LFE


      LFE gave me more vas’s, low level I could barely hear the sub. Have not tried high level yet

      Here was my question, rephrased again:

      What is the best way to connect to the amp? For music only

      1. High level input where I connect my main speaker cables together with the Rel sub supplied left/right cables together on the amp

      2. Low level input, Rca mono cable from sub out on amp to Rel low level input

      3. LFE from amp sub out to LFE input on Rel
      Kumar
      April 16, 2019
      REL suggests 1, but it is easy enough for you to decide after trying all. After all, you will be the one listening to it long term.
      rondocapAuthor
      Avid Contributor I
      April 16, 2019
      REL suggests 1, but it is easy enough for you to decide after trying all. After all, you will be the one listening to it long term.

      I connected it via the high level connection, and it seems to work best. The low level I would barely get any bass, and the lfe I'd get bass but not sure how optimized it was for music.

      I connected all wires at the amp side, and the black ground from the Rel on the negative on the amp as well. They recommend to connect the LFE connection just to ground it better and avoid a hum, which I did, and seems to work.

      It's definitely a bit of a complex way to make a connection, but I think it works for the little listening I did today.

      Now what's confusing me is the Sub advanced setting in the sonos app - do I leave it on, or off? I thought the cross over would be taken care of by the sub itself via high level, but I did notice some more bass when the sub is on in the settings. Of course LFE is connected but volume on the sub is set to 0, so it's just a ground.
      Kumar
      April 16, 2019
      If you are using high level, there should be nothing plugged into the Sub out jack on the Sonos Amp; doing that will strip the lower frequencies from the speaker terminals. And if nothing is plugged into that jack, nothing you do in the Sonos controller app to the Sub will make any difference.
      What does REL recommend connecting their LFE jack to?
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