How To Connect A Powered Subwoofer To Passive Speakers

Trying to figure out electronics is really an intimidating task, particularly, when you don’t know what the components mean. But don’t worry here we are to assist you in handling them with care. Instead of playing with the electronics and their components, let us look the other way around and find out the alternatives to the issues.

If you are confused about how to connect a powered subwoofer to passive speakers, then you are presumably at the right spot, this is because we are here to help you understand, what are passive speakers and what makes them able to connect with powered subwoofers.

Let us first begin with the types of speakers.

Types Of Speakers

No matter what great specs your speakers have and how much bass they can produce, the broad classification of the speakers divides all speakers into two categories that are active speakers and passive speakers.

Now the question arises, what is so different between these two types of speakers. So, let’s dig deep into these speaker types and enlighten yourself with some physics.

What Are The Active Speakers?

Active speakers are those types of speakers that come with a preinstalled amplifier, crossover, and a built-in power supply. They make use of the low pitch audio signals and give the best quality sound output. The active speakers are very easy to connect since they rely on the RCA cable connections to connect with external media devices quickly.

What Are The Passive Speakers?

The passive speakers are those that don’t have the preinstalled amplifier or the built-in power supply. They need standard speaker wires to connect them with an external amplifier. The plus side of these speakers is in their bass attachment, which gives them an edge over active speakers in terms of bass quality.

This bass attachment needs to be connected with the speakers’ console or an external crossover (since there is no built-in crossover in passive speakers).  Passive speakers are rare in the market and are occasionally used.

Moving towards our query is Howto connect a powered subwoofer to passive speakers? We further need to know what powered subwoofers are. So, let’s knock out that hurdle as well.

What Are Powered Subwoofers?

Powered Subwoofers or more commonly known to the masses as active subwoofers are the subs that have the specs of both a speaker and an amplifier. Remember that the passive speakers lack a preinstalled amplifier therefore, they need to rely on an external amp. These powered subs have built-in speakers and thus, can fill the void left by the passive speakers.

Powered subs use the speaker and amplifier components to improve the sound level and quality and give out as quality output as an active speaker.

How To Connect A Powered Subwoofer To Passive Speakers

Now, without wasting any additional seconds, let us move toward our main focus of the review article, which is to help you connect your powered subwoofer with a passive speaker.

There are two common methods of connecting a passive speaker with a powered subwoofer.

The two methods of connecting speakers and subs are:

1. Using Stereo RCA

2. Using LFE wire

Without any additional ado, let’s proceed with the first method.

1. Connection Of Passive Speakers With Powered Subwoofer Using Stereo RCA:

Most passive speakers have an LFE connector that allows them to be connected with external amplifiers and audio circuits. This LFE connection can also be used to channel the passive speaker audio to a subwoofer, powered or passive. But many of the passive speakers lack the LFE connection and you would have to buy an additional component to mediate the connection.

Although LFE connection is a good way to connect your devices, it requires some additional purchases that we will talk about in a minute. Therefore the most effortless way to connect your powered subwoofer with your passive speaker is to use an RCA stereo.

RCA Cables are the most well-known audio component after AUX cables which are the 3.5mm headphone jack cables. RCA wires are extensively used to connect with speakers and sound systems. These wires can also be used here to connect your speaker’s RCA console with the amplifier that is located inside the powered subwoofer.

To make a connection with an RCA cable, you need to ensure two points.

First, the RCA speakers’ console has an OUT on it, and the second one is that the subwoofers have a Line In, on them.

You would also have to use a two-line cable that is known as the “Y” cable designed specifically for the subwoofers. If you don’t have this two-line cable or the subwoofers’ “Y” cable, you can use two single terminal cables for connecting individually in two ports.

If you decide to go with “Y” cable. Make sure to insert its two terminals in the “L” and “R” sockets that are located on the subwoofers. Connect the other end of the two-line (Y) cable to the passive speakers.

In place of this “Y” cable, spring clips can also be used, but you would have to buy them the Y cable can be easily found in your home and therefore, is a better option for you in terms of financial concerns.

Once you have plugged in spring clips or the two-line cable (one terminal in the passive speakers and the other terminal in the powered subwoofers). Your connection is complete and you can easily start playing your media through your speakers and that will be routed through your subs.

2. Connection Of Passive Speakers With Powered Subwoofer USING LFE Output

If your subwoofer has the LFE out or the Sub Out port you can use it to connect with passive speakers. LFE stands for Low-Frequency Effects and is designed to receive audio outputs from all systems and stereos.

You can use this 5.1 LFE output port to connect using a cable with your passive speakers. The cable used here is the standard Line In wire which is a typical audio cable with RCA connectors on both sides.

Final Words:

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