sub hook-up question

If you want to run speaker cable from the receiver to the subwoofer, and then have the subwoofer do a high-pass of the freq above the crossover point (which is set at 80 hz in many subs instead of being adjustable), that would require you to have the speakers set as "large" in the receiver setup so a full range signal is sent. I believe this will make your receiver work harder to amplify a more dynamic range, especially if its bass freq. Not sure. Then, after your receiver has wastefully amplified the freq from 80hz and below, the subwoofer will have to do a high-low conversion to get the signal back to a line level (which will still include whatever distortion that the receiver added) so that the sub can amplify it. It sounds inefficient to me. And a hotter, harder working receiver might not do as well in the mids and highs.

I would just run speaker cables to speaker. And line level by RCA or XLR to the subwoofer.

Maybe there is a situation where it is better to do a high pass from the sub. I just don't know what it is. I do it with a couple of my subs. But only because I had 2 extra subs, and a very very large room. So I told the preamp that my rear towers were large so that I could get some signal to those far away subs.

Welcome to the forum! This decsion really depends on your receiver and you don't specify what receiver you have. Is it a stereo receiver, or a multi-channel receiver? Some receivers can output 2.1 "stereo" and some can only output 2.0 "stereo." If your receiver is capable of 2.1 stereo, connect the sub to the subwoofer/LFE output and the speakers to the speaker terminals. Set your speakers to "small" and your receiver will redirect the lowest bass to the sub. The Paradigm Ataoms have an LF extension to 70 Hz, so an 80 Hz crossover should work pretty well.

If your receiver is a stereo receiver and is not capable of 2.1 channel stereo, you have no choice but to connect the sub at speaker level. In this case, connect the L/R speakers to the sub and set the crossover as close to 80 Hz as you can. Play around with the volume control to try to achieve an appropriate balance between the sub and speakers. It's difficult to "calibrate" a stereo sub/speakar system because you can't isolate the test tones to either speaker vs. the sub. This inability to calibrate the system is why so many 2-channel die hards dislike sub/speaker systems -- it's too hard to integrate them properly.

You can also try any phase controls to see if they improve the sound. The phase control will only impact the sound through a narrow band of frequencies, so it may not have a significant impact; however, the range of frequencies might be very important in your room and system, so play around with the control.

Finally, the most important aspect of setting up your sub/speaker system is placement -- of the speakers/sub -- and of you, the listener. Move the sub around within the room. Then move yourself around within the room. Note how the sound chnges as you and the sub change positions. Try to find the position(s) that best integrate the sound. You can also do the "crawl test", where you place the sub at you listening position and move around the room until you find the place that sounds best; then place the sub there.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

Craig