Here's an easy one from a HT newbie.

What's the best way to wire a single powered sub into a HT receiver and be able to use it both plain old stereo ( and Dolby Pro Logic II ) and for movies?

The sub amp has 2 line-level (pre out) RCA ports that are summed to mono and 2 speaker-level binding posts. The low-pass xover is variable from 40 to 125Hz and I plan to set it around 40Hz to use with my M60s.

Also any thoughts on the best under $1000 HT receiver???

Thanks
peter

Hello,
I presume by "ports" you mean line-level inputs rather than outputs. There may be two (summed to mono) inputs but one is usually marked "mono" (the left or the right) so only one cable need be run from the "Sub Out" jack on the rear of the A/V receiver.

That's the easiest and the "best" way to connect a sub. The processor in the receiver usually inserts a low-pass filter (it may be adjustable) when you set up the Bass Management from the Setup menu.The receiver's line-level "Sub Output" jack will deliver a signal to your sub whether you listen in Stereo or DPLII or Dolby Digital/dts. You may be able to set the M60's to "Large" and run your sub but some receivers may not enable that arrangement.

To avoid cascading two low-pass filters, start by setting the sub crossover control to its highest setting and the receiver's low-pass filter to 80 Hz. Then gradually lower the sub's crossover frequency if necessary to get a seamless blend between the sub and the M60's. A test DVD or CD and the Radio Shack Sound Level meter (analog) can be a big help.

Regards,