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Do I need a receiver to power my subwoofer?

Do I need a 5.1 receiver in order to power a subwoofer?

  • I know that I need a receiver or amplifier of some sort, if I want to power bookshelf speakers as well as a subwoofer. However, I'm not sure if I need a 5.1 receiver or could I just get an 2 channel amplifier? Do the amplifiers normally have a sub pre out for the subwoofer? The subwoofer I want to power is 100 watts RMS. While the bookshelf speakers (a pair) are 120 watts RMS. And is a 100 watt/channel receiver enough to power the bookshelf speakers, since they have 20 more watts? Thanks in advance!

  • Answer:

    There are 2.1 receivers available that will take a powered subwoofer and play in stereo; the Cambridge Audio AR30 the Sherwood RX 4503 and the Onkyo TX 8050 to name a few you can also get a powered subwoofer that has pass through, this enables you to connect the sub to the right and left channels of a stereo receiver, it then will filter out the low bass sending it to the powered subwoofer while the rest of the signal is passed on to the regular speakers, not all powered subs have this capability and some are better at it than others but this is a possibility....

AlexBensonAllen T at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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Surround sound receivers does not power the subwoofer. The subwoofer will normally have a power amplifier built in to power it. Receiver today range from around 40 watts to 150 watts max. Look at Pioneer and Onkyo for the best entry level receiver in the market. Those bargain price receivers are not very reliable at all. Hope this will help you out.

bbt91945

Only a surround sound unit--be it 5.1, 7.1, or whatever--will have the pre-amp level subwoofer output that a powered subwoofer requires. The unit will have adjustments that allow you to match the levels of all your speakers, including the sub.

James

The wattage of speakers and receivers is a myth and does not matter whatsoever, unless you want to go def. Although you do need to make sure it has a sub-woofer out. Just get a 2.1 receiver.

Dukewes

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