Proper way to hook up a REL Sub
 

I have a REL Strata III I was using prior to getting my McIntosh equipment. The new McIntosh sounded so much better than the Krell integrated, I haven't had the urge to hook up the sub. Of course I have to try i,t but Im not sure which outputs to tap into. My Speakers are 6 ohm and the owners manual stated to drop down if in-between outputs. The REL also connects to the amp outputs. The confusion is that the sub is 8 ohm. Do I connect it with my speakers to the 4 ohm or connect to the 8 ohm outputs. My guess is to connect them to the same as the speakers but I don't want to guess on this.

I am pretty sure it won't matter. The input is extremely high impedance and only gets a sample if the signal, not really pulling any power. I'll piggyback your question with another for the experts though. I've thought of getting REL sub(s) and my monitors are actively crossed over at 100 Hz high pass. They won't work lroperly this way, I would assume?

Make sure you check with McIntosh to connect a REL sub with Speakon cables properly. When they connected the REL G1 to my 1.2ks one of the wires was connected to a screw in the chassis and not one of the speaker taps. The learned here can explain why, something to do with the design of certain Mac amps.

Interesting, someone told me that's how they recommend hooking up to a digital amp. I sent an email to tech support.

It depends if your amplifier is truly fully balanced or not.

From the manual:

For differential (i.e. fully balanced) amplifiers using one REL, simply use
the standard connecting scheme with the exception of connecting the black
wire to chassis ground (i.e. a metal bolt or screw, preferably not painted or
anodized, on the chassis of the power amp or receiver), not to a negative
speaker terminal,, and then connecting into the HIGH LEVEL INPUT on the
REL. Please contact your dealer should there be any questions concerning
this or any other hookup procedure.

Is this site full of good information or what? I'm assuming the MC302 is fully balanced right?

If your sub hums after following the suggestions of other members (above posts) you might try connecting the blk/gnd wire to the gnd side of one of the RCA inputs on your Mac amp. Good Luck, it should be easy to choose the correct connection. :yes:

Unfortunately not. The MC452 is fully-balanced.

Yours does have the Autoformer though.

Don't see how balancing would matter however... :scratch2: Balancing in and of itself primarily reduces noise.

No low-level input on that sub? Is it amplified??

The Speakon connectors uses only 3 wires. The common wire can be attached to either channel. Maybe a balanced system will only send signal from the channel the common is utilizing?

That's it! I'm ordering the 452!