Preout from AVR to INUKE not "loud" enough? cables?

[okazar]

Balanced vs Unbalanced on DIY sub and Marantz NR1508

Hey guys I was wondering if anyone could assist me on my current setup. Long story short I made DIY subwoofers with 2 JL 12"W3V3s 4-ohm handmedowns and the results were successful. Since they are passive woofers I needed to get an External AMP and decided to buy the INUKE 1000DSP because of the internal DSP.

Here's my issue .

Before I screwed my cones down I tested the amp with my cellphone (3.5->RCA couple->RCA to XLR ) and the woofers starting thumbing hard, AMP lights were mid way all was good.

POST installation is where my issues arose. When I hooked up my receiver to the amp I didn't see any activity on the amplifier. Receiver did see an LFE/SW connection so I was puzzled. I then decided to crank the Test Tone on the sub to +12db on the receiver and I hear the slightest noise from the cones. Then I proceeded to dial up the input sensitivity on the amp from the front to about 3/4 of the way and I think i'm getting "below normal" sound .

I'm wondering if it's the cables I'm using? The output via my cellphone was significant enough. The other thing could be the pre-out sensitivity? not strong enough? I doubt it coming from a Marantz. Any feedback would be great. As I feel like I'm pushing the AMP unnecessarily.

Behringer Inuke


Connectors Inputs 2 x combo jacks
Input impedance 10 kΩ unbalanced, 20 kΩ balanced
Outputs 2 x locking-style professional speaker connectors
Output circuit type Class D Distortion <0.1% Frequency response 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0 / -1 dB
Damping factor >155 @ 8 Ω Signal-to-noise >98 dB USB Front panel USB connector type B

JL W3V3


Free Air Resonance (Fs)26.72 HzElectrical “Q” (Qes)0.472Mechanical “Q” (Qms)7.572Total Speaker “Q” (Qts)0.444Equivalent Compliance (Vas)2.844 cu ft / 80.54 LOne-Way Linear Excursion (Xmax)*0.510 in / 13.0 mmReference Efficiency (no)0.31%Efficiency (1 W / 1 m)**87.15 dB SPLEffective Piston Area (Sd)80.600 sq in / 0.0520 sq mDC Resistance (Re)3.563 Ω

Cable - Monoprice


3ft Premier Series XLR Male to RCA Male 16AWG Cable (Gold Plated)
An XLR to RCA cable converts a balanced audio signal into an unbalanced signal. This is good for sending audio signals from an XLR source to an RCA input, or vice versa. Regardless of direction, the result will be an unbalanced signal.
This is a premium quality cable with gold plated connectors at each end. The cable is made with two 16 AWG oxygen-free copper conductors, in a twisted-pair arrangement, and is shielded along the full length with copper braid with 97.5% coverage.
This cable uses the standard pinout with pins 1 and 3 of the XLR connector wired to the shield of the RCA plug and pin 2 of the XLR connector wired to the tip of the RCA plug.

[emofrmcgy]

I think you’re using the same xlr-rca connector I use. I have no issues driving the amp with this cable.
Don’t be afraid to turn the gain knobs all the way up on the nuke, I have 2 6000dsp, and a 3000dsp and set my gains to where they provide the correct input levels for what I need.
What does the inuke software say for input and output levels when you play a bass heavy track or scene ??
You DON’T want to turn the trim up to +12 you run a HUGE risk of clipping the output signal and causing damage to your gear.

You very well could need something along the lines of an art cleanbox pro to boost your signal. Think of it as a line driver for pro/home audio use.

[leonski]

The 2 specs you need, don't mention and don't quote are:

First? Amp sensitivity. this will probably be between 1/2volt and maybe 2volts and quote as for 'full output' or an actual watts output.

Second? Voltage output of amp on its RCA output.
If output impedance is listed, keep that in mind, too. It Might be important later.

Also? The amp is stereo, right? So you could have used (you didn't specify) a 3.5mm to 2 male RCA splitter than some kind of RCA to Balanced adapter.
I suspect the Marantz has only a single RCA output, which is 'blended' to mono below maybe 80hz or 90hz.
I see 20k input impedance. For a Balanced connection, that's gonna be 10k per LEG. Which is each hot pin to ground. The spec writers just add 'em, figuring nobody will ask or know, anyway.

do you need some kind of splitter to 'activate' both channels of the amp?

www.rane.com/note110.html

BTW? I think pin #1 of a balanced connection is ground. Usually the rule is 'pin#2 hot'.

www.clarkwire.com/pinoutxlrbalanced.htm
Watch out

[vcautokid]

Aug 23, 2018 20:07:20 GMT -5 okazar said:

Balanced vs Unbalanced on DIY sub and Marantz NR1508

Hey guys I was wondering if anyone could assist me on my current setup. Long story short I made DIY subwoofers with 2 JL 12"W3V3s 4-ohm handmedowns and the results were successful. Since they are passive woofers I needed to get an External AMP and decided to buy the INUKE 1000DSP because of the internal DSP.

Here's my issue .

Before I screwed my cones down I tested the amp with my cellphone (3.5->RCA couple->RCA to XLR ) and the woofers starting thumbing hard, AMP lights were mid way all was good.

POST installation is where my issues arose. When I hooked up my receiver to the amp I didn't see any activity on the amplifier. Receiver did see an LFE/SW connection so I was puzzled. I then decided to crank the Test Tone on the sub to +12db on the receiver and I hear the slightest noise from the cones. Then I proceeded to dial up the input sensitivity on the amp from the front to about 3/4 of the way and I think i'm getting "below normal" sound .

I'm wondering if it's the cables I'm using? The output via my cellphone was significant enough. The other thing could be the pre-out sensitivity? not strong enough? I doubt it coming from a Marantz. Any feedback would be great. As I feel like I'm pushing the AMP unnecessarily.

Behringer Inuke


Connectors Inputs 2 x combo jacks
Input impedance 10 kΩ unbalanced, 20 kΩ balanced
Outputs 2 x locking-style professional speaker connectors
Output circuit type Class D Distortion <0.1% Frequency response 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0 / -1 dB
Damping factor >155 @ 8 Ω Signal-to-noise >98 dB USB Front panel USB connector type B

JL W3V3


Free Air Resonance (Fs)26.72 HzElectrical “Q” (Qes)0.472Mechanical “Q” (Qms)7.572Total Speaker “Q” (Qts)0.444Equivalent Compliance (Vas)2.844 cu ft / 80.54 LOne-Way Linear Excursion (Xmax)*0.510 in / 13.0 mmReference Efficiency (no)0.31%Efficiency (1 W / 1 m)**87.15 dB SPLEffective Piston Area (Sd)80.600 sq in / 0.0520 sq mDC Resistance (Re)3.563 Ω

Cable - Monoprice


3ft Premier Series XLR Male to RCA Male 16AWG Cable (Gold Plated)
An XLR to RCA cable converts a balanced audio signal into an unbalanced signal. This is good for sending audio signals from an XLR source to an RCA input, or vice versa. Regardless of direction, the result will be an unbalanced signal.
This is a premium quality cable with gold plated connectors at each end. The cable is made with two 16 AWG oxygen-free copper conductors, in a twisted-pair arrangement, and is shielded along the full length with copper braid with 97.5% coverage.
This cable uses the standard pinout with pins 1 and 3 of the XLR connector wired to the shield of the RCA plug and pin 2 of the XLR connector wired to the tip of the RCA plug.

Hmmm. Something here is not adding up. Your smartphone output level will never exceed an AVR typically and yet you say the you got good output using your smartphone yet your AVR test tones you barely heard. At +12db you should have been knocked out by all that tone. I read the specs and checked out a few things from Behringer and there isn't anything that should suggest any problems here.

It is possible you don't have enough output gain from your AVR, but why your smartphone works great throws that out the window. We know it is not the cable, we know it is not the inuke. According to Behringer you should be able to "use any sound source".

A long shot though it shouldn't matter. On the Marantz are your speakers crossed over at 80hz or higher, or your speakers set to small?

This is an odd one. And your Smartphone is the smoking gun that says all is good with cabling and the INuke amp.

Yeah the focus would be on the Marantz Subwoofer management or the LFE/Subwoofer output.

[vcautokid]

I just had a thought here too. What happens if you bypass the INuke DSP and let the Marantz do the Subwoofer bass management. Run the receiver's audio auto calibration and see if the subwoofer is picked up eq and level matched to the rest of the speakers and your room.

[leonski]

Vac,
I think the sub is passive and needs the iNuke as amp.

The Marantz is fairly low powered, made for smaller rooms or high sensitivity speakers, so the power of the Beheringer should be more than enough.

Yes, by all means, the OP should check the receiver setup to make sure he's getting a signal out the sub output.