How to connect passive subwoofer to Sony STRDN1080

[lolke]

I have a Sony 5.1 speaker set with a passive subwoofer that I would like to connect to a Sony STRDN1080 AV receiver. I have all the speakers connected and get sound through those but there is no connection for the wires of the subwoofer, only 2 female RCA connections, one of which is to be used according to the receiver instructions. To achieve this, I bought a speaker wire to male RCA connector but the subwoofer does not appear to work. When I run Easy Speaker Set Up on the receiver all the speakers produce sound, but only a very faint sound is coming out of the subwoofer and as a consequence the set up fails. I may be wrong but I think this is because it is a passive subwoofer and the connection I'm using is intended for an active subwoofer with its own amplifier. As I don't really want to buy a different subwoofer, what are my options? I have heard you can buy an external amplifier but I have no idea how to connect this? Could someone please help me, bearing in mind I know little about audio equipment? Is the idea to buy an amplifier with its own power supply, connect the wires of the passive speaker to this and then connect the amplifier with a male to male RCA cable? What amplifier and cable would be recommended?

 

[jsmithepa]

U answered your own question, u need an amplifier. Such amp will have RCA-IN, SpeakerWires-OUT, Simple.

HERE is one.

 

[americanaudiophile]

https://www.amazon.com/WONDOM-30Watt-Class-Audio-Amplifier/dp/B00V7RHCI8
plus a power supply
or
https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sa25-25w-subwoofer-plate-amplifier--300-782
or a low powered mono car amp and power supply.

 

[lolke]

U answered your own question, u need an amplifier. Such amp will have RCA-IN, SpeakerWires-OUT, Simple.

HERE is one.

 

[lolke]

Thanks for the quick response. I bought a nobsound amplifier https://www.amazon.com/Subwoofer-Amplifier-Receiver-Integrated-Audio/dp/B07942M4MC/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540217589&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=nobsound+subwoofer+amplifier&dpPl=1&dpID=415bpTrR-JL&ref=plSrch. However not sure how to connect this to the AV receiver. The connection on the AV receiver is a single female RCA and I thought this would be on the amplifier too but this appears
To be an audio jack (3.5 mm?). Will this still work and what cabling will I need to connect the receiver and amplifier? I don’t think there are any audio jack to single male RCA, they all appear to be audio jack to 2 male RCAs?

 

[jsmithepa]

The Amazon picture shows RCA input but then description says 3.5mm. No matter though, that shouldn't stop you at the least, they sell RCA to 3.5mm cables. Do u have the item in front of you, the cable may be included?

 

[lolke]

No cable included. Also all the 3.5 mm jack to RCA have 2 Male RCA plugs at the other end. Does that matter? I’m only supposed to connect 1 Of the 2 RCA subwoofer connections on the receiver. Will it work if I only connect one of the 2 RCA connectors and which one should I connect? Red or white? (Sometimes they come as red an black). Don’t have the cable yet. Someone on Amazon told me that using this set up blew up the amp so I’m a bit nervous about this!

 

[jsmithepa]

Use a Y RCA to 3.5" cable, as you already been told, use one channel of that cable, if no work, use the other channel. Blow up amp? as long as amp is rate for sub ohm-age ur fine.

 

[lolke]

Thanks! I will order 3.5 mm jack to Male RCA cable from Amazon and will let you know how I get on.

 

[lolke]

Thanks for your help. This worked. Connecting both male RCAs to the AV receiver. Then ran the Easy Set Up Callibration and the subwoofer is working as expected! Thanks again.