i got a new receiver that has the "class 2 wiring" rca out for the subwoofer. however my subwoofer only has the old school (+/-) wiring scheme where you just place the end of the wires in the slots. i bought a subwoofer wire, cut off one end, and tried to use the red and white wires to fill those slots, but it hasn't worked. does anybody have any ideas how to get around this problem i got?

Does the sub have a built-in amp? From your description, it sounds like your sub is a passive sub which need a separate amp to power it.

no built in amp. it's a sub that came with a home theater in-a-box