I just purchased a townhome that has home theater prewiring pre-construction done by Vector Security. They have set up a 5.1 surround sound setup with 2 main in-ceiling speakers, 2 rear surround in-ceiling speakers, 1 in-wall center channel speaker and 1 in-wall passive subwoofer speaker (all made by M&S Systems at 8 ohms). They have the 2 main speakers going directly out of the passive subwoofer and only 1 2-conductor speaker cable in from the junction box. How can I have this 1 2-conductor speaker cable play both mains thru the Pioneer VSX-919? Did they forget a 2-conducter speaker cable/ or the previous owner inadvertently pulled the cable out? Is there any way to connect the 2 main speakers without having to somehow pull another 2-conductor cable thru the walls? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

for a passive sub, there should be two 2-conductor wires running from the Left and Right front speaker terminals on the a/v receiver to the passive sub. The sub would use cross-over circuitry to split the lower frequencies off for the sub and send the mid's and high's to the L or the R front speakers that are connected to the sub's output connectors. If there is only "one" 2-conductor cable running to the sub, and both the L and R front speakers are connected to the sub's output terminals the Vector Security installer screwed up.

Do you have access to the cables running from the passive sub to the L and R front speakers (in-ceiling) ?

other than the access point where the front L and R main speakers come out of the wall... I don't have access....

This is why Home Security companies should *not* be installing home theaters. :eek::rolleyes::confused:

I would scrap the whole system, as it's poorly designed anyway. In-ceiling L/R's with an in-wall CC is a highly compromised layout. Also, it's doubtful that any of the speakers have enclosures INCLUDING the subwoofer. To understand why enclosures are important, read this:
http://www.cepro.com/article/how_to_prevent_audio_loss_with_in_wall_speaker_systems/D1/

If you absolutely must use this system, here is the instruction manual for the sub, (it includes a wiring diagram):
http://www.linearcorp.com/pdf/manuals/SAMB_SUM.pdf

Good luck.

Craig

I understand that it is a crappy setup by Vector... but at this point, I would like to set it up (child's audio area/adults have separate area).... is there anyway to set this up for both mains to work with one 2-conductor cable running from the passive sub to a receiver without running another 2-conductor cable?

Thx....

I understand that it is a crappy setup by Vector... but at this point, I would like to set it up (child's audio area/adults have separate area).... is there anyway to set this up for both mains to work with one 2-conductor cable running from the passive sub to a receiver without running another 2-conductor cable?

Thx....

Answer: No. You need the second two-conductor cable.

I echo Craig John's remarks.

do you think the prewiring string would be going thru the same channel as the in-ceiling speakers?

I understand that it is a crappy setup by Vector... but at this point, I would like to set it up (child's audio area/adults have separate area).... is there anyway to set this up for both mains to work with one 2-conductor cable running from the passive sub to a receiver without running another 2-conductor cable?

Thx....
Call Vector and make them fix it.

+1 craig john's comment. The subwoofer manual clearly shows a 4 conductor cable from the amplifier to the "volume control" (which you probably don't have) and 4 conductor cable to the sub. Even without the "volume control" (which they should have installed) there would have been 4 conductor cable in place. Vector should fix it on a new home.

It may be as easy as using the existing 2 conductor cable as a "pull string" for new 4 conductor cable....but Vector should do it.

thanks guys.... it's 5 years after the initial Vector installation... so I'm screwed on that end.... I will take your advice and use the original 2-conductor wire that Vector incorrectly ran and piggyback an additional 2-conductor wire... at first glance... it looks like the Vector installer put the tack downs on the prewiring too firm and I can't even budge the wiring to piggyback... just priceless.... :(

hopefully they ran the prewiring run in the channel were the in-ceiling speakers are and I can run an additional 2-conductor wire thru there.... if you have any other suggestions, I am all ears...

OK, time for some "kludge" engineering....

Disconnect the pair of 2 conductor cables running from the subwoofer to the 2 in-ceiling units. Splice on additional 2 conductor cable to each to make it back to the a/v receiver (you may have to run the wire on the floor...trying to keep it in the wall may be more of an exercise than needed). Now your in-ceiling L and R are connected directly to the L & R outputs of the receiver. Purchase a small "block" amplifier for the subwoofer and install it with the a/v receiver. Feed a RCA audio cable from the subwoofer "out" on the receiver to the RCA "in" on the block amp. Connect the 2 conductor cable for the sub to the output of the amplifier. You now have a "powered" subwoofer remote from it's dedicated amplifier as apposed to a "passive" subwoofer leaching power from the L and R amplifiers in the receiver.

OR - just forget about the in-ceiling units (leave them disconnected from the passive sub) and get a pair of bookshelf speakers on stands or a pair of mid-sized towers as your left and right front speakers. That way they will be more aligned with the in-wall center channel and you will have corrected much of the location compromise of high L&R speakers and a low center.

a "plate" amp usually mounted on the subwoofer enclosure, but could stand alone - don't worry about the inputs and outputs - you are only concerned with the RCA input and connecting the 2 conductor cable from the in-wall sub to the output.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-802

or http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-812 bridged for mono output to the subwoofer.

thanks guys...

I decided to piggbacy another 2-conductor wire onto the 2-conductor wire I do have from the sub to the receiver.... unfortunately, the installer stapled the wires so tightly that I had to punch some holes to piggyback.... an all day job... but finally finished....

thanks again....