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Make My Own Wireless Subwoofer?

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Make My Own Wireless Subwoofer?

Old 06-17-08, 08:25 AM
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Make My Own Wireless Subwoofer?

Ok, I'm aware of the consensus that wireless speakers in general suck. However, desperate times call for desperate measures.

I recently moved in to a new home and would like a basic sound system for watching movies. I plan to (one day) convert the basement to a theater/media room, so I'm not concerned about having a true 5.1 (or higher) set up for the living room. But I'd like to have something.

As I'm sure is the case w/ many of you, the wife does not want to see wires, or even speakers if possible. I was considering a Polk Audio Surroundbar that can be used in conjunction w/ the Pioneer VSX 1015TX receiver and Def Tech subwoofer I already have.

SO onto the question. In the interest of minimizing wires and hiding speakers, can I use a wireless transmitter with my subwoofer? I already have one; it’s an older Radio Shack model. The transmitter has left/right RCA inputs as well as speaker wire inputs for left & right. The receiver only has speaker wire outputs for left & right.

Here is a link to the .pdf instruction manual, which includes diagrams of the inputs/outputs:

http://www.radioshack.com/graphics/u...1974_PM_EN.pdf

Here's a link to the surroundbar manual, which actually recommends connecting the sub to the front speakers rather than the LFE output of the receiver:

http://www.polkaudio.com/downloads/manuals/home/SurroundBarUser's%20Guide_singlepage.pdf

Will this work? Will the quality of the sub performance be greatly affected?

Last edited by JackBurton; 06-23-08 at 12:34 PM.
Old 06-20-08, 07:40 AM
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Anyone? Maybe I'll just try it out. One concern is if the signal were to drop out and cause damage to the sub.
Old 06-20-08, 08:00 AM
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Well I guess trying it could not hurt but frankly I am not a fan of wireless for home theater.
Old 06-20-08, 04:30 PM
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OT, but man I hate it when they show a little of each section of info in different languages. It makes the manual a LOT harder to read. So what if they would have to duplicate the pictures? Just have a section with the complete manual in English, then do it for Spanish, then French, and so on and so forth. It would be much easier for everybody.
Old 06-21-08, 04:31 PM
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In the living room I keep the sub next to my cabinet where the TV sits on. Receiver is in the cabinet, where solid doors can shut (I use an RF remote to control regular TV without opening).

The sub is not in the best location in the room for sound, but works well and the cabinet hides the wires. Even when I mount the tv to the all, cabinet will stay for all the components and again hide all the wires.

As for hiding the speakers, hold on a sec and let me show you what I did;

See the wicker earns? I flipped them upside down and put my speakers in them. The cabinet is a fake antique. So I plan on drilling a small hole in the top of the cabinet and feeding the wire thru so that you won't see it at all. I will also mount the TV a 6-8" above the cabinet on the wall and run the wires in the wall and exit behind the cabinet where you will not be able to see.

Again the sub sits next to the cabinet and no one even notices it there. Right now I'm not using surround speakers. I will mount flush mounted ceiling speakers for surround. For the center channel, I have a fake antique "keep sake" box that I will cut the front out of and use grill cloth to cover and it will sit on the cabinet.

Again, none of this is "idea" for sound, but it works well and keeps wife happy. I have a dedicated theater room (see sig) so that is where we have our fun.

I would recommend against a "sound bar" or wireless. I think you are much better off getting creative and hiding things.

Old 06-23-08, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by JackBurton
Here is a link to the .pdf instruction manual, which includes diagrams of the inputs/outputs:

http://www.radioshack.com/graphics/...01974_PM_EN.pdf
Your link to the Radioshack user manual isn't complete. I assume you meant to post this link:

http://www.radioshack.com/graphics/u...1974_PM_EN.pdf

Last edited by Jay G.; 06-23-08 at 12:36 PM.
Old 06-23-08, 12:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Jay G.
Your link to the Radioshack user manual isn't complete. I assume you meant to post this link:

http://www.radioshack.com/graphics/u...1974_PM_EN.pdf
Yes, thats it. Thanks Jay G. Thanks to everyone else for their input too.
Old 06-23-08, 12:37 PM
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Originally Posted by JackBurton
Here's a link to the surroundbar manual, which actually recommends connecting the sub to the front speakers rather than the LFE output of the receiver:

http://www.polkaudio.com/downloads/m...singlepage.pdf

Will this work? Will the quality of the sub performance be greatly affected?
That surroundbar manual is odd. It seems to be assuming that the receiver doesn't have an LFE output, or at least not to use it. I think the left/right front speaker inputs on the subwoofer are for a stereo-only output situation from the receiver; the subwoofer would then extract the base signal from the stereo track. I don't know how well it would work on a 5.1 output configuration though, since the front right/left signals shouldn't have much base in them, since it's assumed the base is going to the subwoofer instead.

Does your subwoofer have the same inputs that the example one in the surroundbar manual have? If it doesn't have speaker inputs, that config might not even kinda work for you.

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