What do I need to connect my subwoofer?
John Thompson
Published Apr 15, 2026
What do I need to connect my subwoofer?
You will need either a receiver or a preamplifier and amplifier. Using a subwoofer cable (RCA cable), connect the subwoofer to the AV receiver by running the cable from the receiver’s subwoofer output to the subwoofer’s line input.
What is the best connection for a subwoofer?
The optimal connection is to use the RCA (Phono) “sub” or “woofer” line out found on home theater receivers and pre-amps. Some subwoofers offer High Level inputs (speaker wire connections), they are there for use with a receiver or pre-amp without a sub RCA connection.
Can you connect a subwoofer to any speakers?
If you are using your subwoofer with a stereo receiver that lacks a subwoofer output (and many of them do), you can connect the subwoofer using an extra set of speaker cables, as shown above—provided the subwoofer has speaker-level (speaker wire) connections, as the picks in our Best Budget Subwoofer guide do.
How to connect a subwoofer to a receiver without a speaker?
Example of a powered subwoofer with 2 types of signal inputs (speaker level and RCA jacks) along with sound controls. Note: Not all subwoofers have speaker level inputs, which makes it a problem connecting them to a receiver without a subwoofer output.
How do I connect dual subwoofers in my system?
—Jarrod Agesen AYes, if your receiver lacks dual subwoofer outputs, then using a Y-adapter to split the subwoofer output signal definitely is an option. Depending on your subwoofer’s inputs/outputs, another option would be to daisy-chain the two units by running an RCA output from the first sub to an RCA input on the second.
What kind of Jack does a subwoofer need?
The subwoofer input jack usually connects to a single mono (monaural, meaning both stereo channels are combined into one) output jack on the receiver. Example of the mono RCA subwoofer output jack found on many home receivers. These connect with a single male to male RCA cable to a powered subwoofer.
Can a passive subwoofer be connected to an AV receiver?
It becomes more complicated when you have a passive subwoofer, which may differ from what most people have. Can you connect a passive subwoofer to a receiver? You can connect a passive subwoofer to an AV receiver by treating it as a loudspeaker and linking the subwoofer directly to your AV receiver via the speaker connectors.
How do you hook up a subwoofer to a receiver?
Don’t interface the front via the speaker wires. Connect them using AV cables. Now, connect your subwoofer to the receiver with speaker wires. Interface the subwoofer to the subwoofer port on your receiver. The port is often labeled as ‘sub out’. Plug in the receiver in a power source. Once you’ve plugged the receiver, it will switch on slowly.
It becomes more complicated when you have a passive subwoofer, which may differ from what most people have. Can you connect a passive subwoofer to a receiver? You can connect a passive subwoofer to an AV receiver by treating it as a loudspeaker and linking the subwoofer directly to your AV receiver via the speaker connectors.
What kind of receiver do I need for wireless speakers?
There are many different types of receivers that come with wireless speakers that you can buy, including: cable connectors, A/B, RCA, DVI, USB, and many more. The receiver you choose depends on what you need to connect your speaker system to and how much extra features you want.
The subwoofer input jack usually connects to a single mono (monaural, meaning both stereo channels are combined into one) output jack on the receiver. Example of the mono RCA subwoofer output jack found on many home receivers. These connect with a single male to male RCA cable to a powered subwoofer.