Pulled this off easily recently. Thank you for posting this video. My Hisense 5.1.2 sound bar came with an 8" subwoofer lacking in the lower volume region. I ended up using your method exactly and was able to add a Klipsch 8" down firing subwoofer to the system. It sounds absolutely balanced in my living room with vaulted ceilings.
I just did this with my old sony powered subwoofer. Wow big difference!!! Very simple mod that took about 10 minutes. Ran the wire right to line level input.
I already have to worry about the neighbours with what I get from the Q990 sub, but it's cool to know I can do this if I wanted to. Do the usual volume controls still apply?
Yeah the volume level for the soundbar will adjust the subwoofer output/volume as well. There’s also an additional gain knob on the back of the sub to set the relative output (0-11). I typically keep mine at 3-4. Above that and it feels too loud compared to the rest of the system.
Just curious if prior to you doing this,did you consider using the tv optical out connected to a digital decoder ($30 on Amazon). Then connect the output to the LFE \ L&R of your old sub. You can then use the old sub gain & crossover ( if applicable) to fine tune the sub. I currently have the Q990d (with the rears & sub) connected to a ML Dynamo 1000.
@@tonymireles7413 No I didnt. I had seen other videos use my method but without a line level converter (which seemed rather risky). Wasnt aware you could get this working using the optical out. Seeing both methods how would you compare them? Sounds like it should give the same end result for similar cost? Any noticeable differences between the two? I’m curious
@thejuice33 So, I also viewed two other videos that added a second sub; however, both of those (along with yours) probably voided the Samsung warranty. Of the three videos yours did take a sensible approach to not damaging the new sub. Using the optical out does not void the warranty; although, I did lose the q-symphony feature. I started out just trying to replace the Samsung sub via Bluetooth. However, I noticed that the TV (QN-900D) digital output was available while using only the TV speakers.
The level and crossover on the ML need adjustment because they are on the outside of the Samsung app. This is especially true when using the TV apps versus using my Nvidia Shield or my PC.
@@tonymireles7413 do you have a link to the Amazon product you purchased? Could you attach it? I’m not sure what the part is but would like to try it. I use a Samsung tv with my q990c and sub and would like to add my spare outlaw LFM 1 sub to strengthen the bass. I have both speaker and line level inputs on the sub. Thanks!
I tried using the optical output and it was sometimes played and sometimes it didn’t so it wasn’t consistent too much trouble. This is much better way.
Hi! I have Q990d and klipsch rp1400sw, Do you know if Samsung amp cuts low lows like it does for regular sub or does it play down to klipsch lower limit at about 15hz like AVR ?
@@thejuice33 Hi I have now tested it with my rp1400 for couple of days and it definately rolls out lowest lows but gives a lot more grunt to upper low bass. I will do measurements next week to confirm. I used to have flat response down to 13hz with AVR and this with samsung sounds like its rolling off at 22hz because samsung amp signal is heavily filtered for safe operation st high volumes. Not a critical issue though. Still shakes the sofa.
@@arikononen4022 interesting. I’m not sure I noticed exactly what you’re talking about, but I did feel like the bass was a little too noticeable at higher hz levels (140hz+). I reduced my crossover just slightly and stopped sending those higher ranges to the Klipsch Sub which smoothed it out well for me. I assumed it to be because there’s no bass from my mid (soundbar) and once it hits a specific hz range the 14” sub suddenly kicks in and is too much at the higher ranges. Traditional centers and sides should provide some higher range bass to smooth out the transition - or at least that was my assumption of what my ears were hearing. Could be wrong on that. Definitely not an audio engineer or anything close, and haven’t done detailed testing like you’re getting into…but with adding the new sub through the Samsung Sub/amp and lightly reducing the crossover made a massive improvement to my movie experience. I wouldn’t doubt a dedicated AVR setup may sound better, but for my needs this is amazing. Curious to hear more as you continue to test. Still learning over here myself.
@@thejuice33 Hi! I use Dspeaker antimode 8033 sII separate sub EQ to EQ klipsch. It makes it a lot better for higher crossovers. I’m impressed how well klipsch integrates with open crossover. Without antimode its a mess in my room.
I will share my results after a bit of testing. This setup kicks ass and simply causes less ”setup autism” than regular multi ch setup. I’m going to try to put samsung sub at the opposite back corner after a weekend and see how it goes
This is very interesting and it got me thinking. Instead of grabbing the amplified signal off the Samsung sub and feeding it to a line level adapter, is there a way to tap into the Samsung board and grab the line level (pre-amplified) signal and then just use an rca cable on that? Also curious, I'm planning on ditching the existing Samsung sub in favor of a singluar SVS 2000 sub or even possibly two Klipsch subs (not sure if I should do dual 10's or 12's). If I decide to run dual subs, I assume I would just split the singluar pair of speaker wires coming off the Samsung amp into 4 wires(2 red and 2 black). The line level adapter looks like it has 2 sets of speaker wire inputs and two rca outputs. So I assume you could just split it like that to run two self powered subs? Or would it be easier to just use an rca cable splitter (1 input to 2 outputs) after it comes out of the line-level adapter? I'm not sure if the line level signal would be too low on each rca at that point?
I was wondering the same thing on the pre-amplified signal from the Samsung board. I didn't feel comfortable testing out tapping into different connection points out of fear of destroying it -- so I opted for the safer route converting it back down. Routing to two subs - you could do either approach, but my plan was to split at the very end after it's back down to line level and route that to two subs. Just out of simplicity and less wires. I wouldn't expect any issues with the signal strength by splitting there. I'm actually waiting for the 14" Klipsch 1400SW to go back on sale to grab another myself. I just missed it the last time...maybe that's a good thing for my wallet.
@@thejuice33I was doing a little more research and it looks like if you're going to split the signal into two (or more), it's best to do the split at line level vs speaker level. Apparently line-level signals are meant to be split and are near lossless whereas splitting the speaker level wires makes the amp work harder apparently. I'm curious if you've noticed the sound bar overheating at all since you're effectively splitting the speaker wire to go to the Samsung sub and the Klipsch sub?
@ Interesting find. I haven’t noticed any overheating or issues at all with the soundbar, or existing Samsung sub with the amp in it. Going on close to a year now with this setup and it’s still working great. I did feel like the Samsung sub might have gotten less powerful after making this change…but I assumed it was because I was now comparing it to a gigantic 14” subwoofer side by side. Definitely no expert on amps but curious if this setup could overwork the amp, or dilute the power across connections? Which might explain why my Samsung sub feels even more underwhelming than before. Have a link to what you found? Would be interested to educate myself more on it.
@@thejuice33 I don't have a link per say, I just typed this into google, "is it better to use a splitter at the speaker level or line level", and the AI genereated responses indicated it's better at the line level. A few other articles and forums alluded to the same thing too but it wasn't as direct as the AI generated response. The reason I'm finding this so facinating is because I have the Klipsch Cinema 600 soundbar which comes with a 10" sub. I loved this setup for what it was, but inevitibly, the power supply died just like every other Cinema 400,600, 800,1200 setup. I grabbed a new power supply off Amazon and got the soundbar working again, however the sub would not connect to the soundbar no matter what I tried. Someone had suggested updating the firmware on it, so I tried that and while in the middle of the update, my soundbar turned off and has never come back to life after that. I used a volt meter on the new power supply and verified that the new power supply was working properly. So I think problem is in the bios chip now and I think it's bricked at this point. Which is horrible, because it also means my 10" sub is now useless because it can only be used wirelessly with the Cinema Sound Bars. What I'm thinking of doing though is using this hack to A) grab the speaker wire from the Samsung sub and bypass it completely B) Open up the Klipsch sub to disconnect it's amp from the speaker C) Feed the Samsung speaker wire to the Klipsch sub speaker directly. Or I guess I could parallel them too and use them both, but I'm afraid of burning out the samsung soundbar amp since both would be powered directly from the soundbar then so I think I'd just use the Klipsch 10" sub instead. I ordered the Samsung 990C through their EPP site and got a great deal on it! It won't be here till Dec 2nd. I'm just worried that the default 8" sub that comes with it is going to be horrible which is how I found your post. I really wish all soundbar manufacturers would just put a sub-out on their soundbars! It would be so much easier than having to work on these hacks. Yes, it wouldn't directly be wireless, but it would allow you to add a better quality sub to the mix than the pre-packed one. This was the main reason I picked up the 990C vs the 990D. I figured I'd save a few hundred dollars in the short term going with the C and with 2025 upon us, I'm really hoping that they release the new 990E or some new line that has a sub-output. I got such a good deal on the 990C I know I can sell it for more than I paid for it and use that money towards the 990E when it goes on sale during black friday next year 2025!
I am new to audio system setup and my question may be dumb but can we connect it directly to a passive subwoofer ? Will it work and are there any risks ? Also what is the impedance of Q990 series subwoofer ?
Not a dumb question…teaching myself as part of this project. I don’t think there’s any risk using a passive subwoofer assuming it has a higher wattage requirement it would just be underpowered and probably wouldn’t be a big improvement, but could always give it a try and see how it sounds. Not sure on the impedance of the q990 sub.
@@DROIDRAZR16 Partially. You don’t need to use the woofer & enclosure from the Samsung but you do need to connect the bigger sub to the output of the wifi/amplifier board inside the enclosure. If you want to reduce the footprint you could take that board out and mount it somewhere hidden.
@@bcheo890 for sure it would. Good suggestion. This was just step one to get it working and tested for me though. I’ve since removed the Samsung sub entirely and moved the amp to a smaller 3D printed enclosure. Added a Y splitter after the line level converter and now running two of these subs in opposite sides of the room. The bass is unreal. It’s surprising the soundbar can hold its own alongside them honestly, but it does well.
Have never opened up a speaker before . Its both intimidating and tempting at the same time . I haven’t bought a subwoofer yet . Is it better to get one with speaker level input ?to avoid the conversion step etc ? Also is it easier if I just reroute the signal to the new sub ? To avoid the splicing step etc
@@av1743 it was my first time too. It’s fairly simple once you get a look in there though. For me I’d rather convert the signal down and into the line level of a powered subwoofer. I really doubt the Samsung amp could power a much larger sub well. I’ve also since added a second 14” subwoofer and no chance it could power both. Yes I would just reroute it direct to the new sub honestly and avoid splicing to both. Once I added the bigger sub I couldn’t even notice the smaller one on at all.
In the video I have the Samsung subwoofer powered, and a second set of speaker wire going to a line level converter and then to a new powered subwoofer (both are then connected). You could also unplug the Samsung subwoofer completely and only run the speaker wire to the line level converter and new sub. It depends what you want to do. I have since removed the Samsung subwoofer and am running to two Klipsch 14” subwoofers, which come after the line level converter.
@@thejuice33 does the level converter serve to remove the high level and create a sound like the one that passes through the RCA (bass)? Do you think that in the JBL 800 it can work in the same way by taking the signal from the woofer, lowering it with the converter and sending it to the klipsh.. by the way for a nice full cinema bass that descends and is soft, which klipsh do you recommend? I wouldn't want to end up with the dry jbl800 with little pressure and it doesn't descend
@@Daniele-md6sm yes the line level converter takes the amplified subwoofer signal and reduces it down to “pre-amplified” levels (LFE). Essentially sending the data the external powered subwoofer needs without the amplification. The external subwoofer has its own amp so no amplification is needed and can be dangerous to send amplified signal into an LFE input. I have a Klipsch RP-1400SW (x2) and can only speak for that one. It is very large but puts out clean deep bass and very happy with it. Can be often found on sale for $700 USD through Adorama.
Will 2 12 klipsch subwoofers with the adapter work you use? I have a 990b was going to pull out amp and just use the 2 12s klipsch with line input for bass if it will work. If so would i pigtail a total of 4 speaker wires off 990b amp wires and set each pair into each side of crutchfield adapter and then run seperate LFE cables on opposite side of adapter to each sub?
@@matthewklein2582 you could do that exactly, yes. I did it with two 14” Klipsch for 6 months until literally 30 minutes ago (just upgraded to 5.2.4). I did wire it differently though than you detailed. Instead of running 4 wires to the adapter, two to each input and two RCA/LFE out…I ran two wires to one side of the adapter and then simply used an RCA splitter cable to support two subs. There probably isn’t a difference between the two but was a cleaner install for me, and in theory seemed safer to me with not having to split one powered signal into two from the Samsung amp. That risk seems close to zero though so I’d pick whatever your preference is.
@@matthewklein2582 no loss in power or overheating of the amp at all. I disconnected the Samsung sub entirely once I added the second Klipsch subwoofer. Just had the regular amplified signal going into the line level converter which brings it down to LFE levels. So there really shouldn’t be any risk to the Samsung amp or either subwoofer after that in the chain
Just got it all hooked up and I am blown away how much better this is then just the samsung sub. One thing I noticed is when I turn off samsung soundbar both 12sw klipsch subs stay on or green LED light stays don't go in standby and they both have a slight hum when no signal but when I turn on soundbar it goes away, not sure if it's a problem or not? Thank you for the info to set this up sounds awesome and shakes my house. 3 clicks is the sweetspot anything higher it starts to drown out samsung soundbar.
Hi you can do it , I am still using 2 subwoofers with my old HW Q90R sound bar , I did ID set with both the subs and the rear speakers and it works pretty well, just make sure keep 3/4 meters distance between the subs when you do ID set once both subs connects you can put the subs any where you want. Give a go I am sure it will work out as it works over frequency range. Cheers
Not sure about sending the wireless signal to two subs (@bimalbk4u seems to be suggesting that is possible) - but you could also route the amplified signal out of the first sub directly to the speaker itself in a second sub (bypassing the wireless panel) if you wanted matching subs.
If I'm not mistaken, the factory data is for a 200w rms subwoofer. I think this huge thing would fill even a villa room. For example, it could shake the couch while watching a movie. What difference did you make with the method you used? By the way, I think the subwoofer cabinet was designed incorrectly. If we just change the design of the subwoofer cabinet and place it in a cabinet like the SVS PB16 Ultra, what would the performance be? Or would this process be unnecessary and not worth it?
@@hakansalihoglu for 95% of consumers I think the included subwoofer would be adequate. I was fairly impressed with the performance for it being part of a subwoofer bundle…but knowing the capabilities of larger more powerful subwoofers I always wished for more performance. Moving from a 200RMS 8” woofer to a 500 RMS/1000 max and a 14” woofer makes a drastic difference. I can “feel” movies now, not just hear bigger, deeper sound. It made me love watching movies with the new subwoofer. It’s not just action movies either, it adds a new dimension of sound to many types of scenes. A dramatic transition during a surprise moment in a movie can be physically felt and the impact of it is much greater. Hard to describe, but this change for me is well worth it.
@@thejuice33 Thank you for your long and detailed article. So instead of messing around with changing the cabinet on the original speaker, you suggest I go straight to a new subwoofer, right?
@@hakansalihoglu it depends. I know changing the cabinet out could make some improvements but it will never come close to the 14” subwoofer I added. If you only want marginal improvements and you’re experienced with what enclosure type might work better I’d say give it a try. For me I knew I wanted a large step up in performance so I opted for a new subwoofer entirely.
I have the line level converter between the sound bar subwoofer and the subwoofer i added. When i turn the soundbar off the new added subwoofer starts playing this loud bass sound!!! So then i have to go over and turn the subwoofer off! What could be causing this?
Check the connections. That happened to me when my RCA cable wasn’t all the way in. Are you using the same line level converter as me? If so make sure you’re only using one side for both inputs and the same side for the output where the RCA cable plugs in.
Yes you could. Assuming the second sub is bigger and can handle the voltage output to it from the Samsung amp it should work fine and can avoid the line level converter.
Probably not wirelessly. Assuming it works the same way as the Samsung Sub with a wifi controller + amp, you could try running the amplified signal (speaker level) from the Samsung Sub to the subwoofer directly in the JBL speaker completely bypassing the amplifier. Sounds a little risky though, not knowing the JBL speaker specs or if the Samsung amp can power both well enough. Ideally you just get another active subwoofer with LFE inputs.
@@thejuice33 Thanks for taking the time to revert back i have a question do you happen to know the technology these subwoofers uses, how do they connect to their respective soundbar wirelessly and send signals to subwoofer i just got mine q990d i like the bass though but in some situations i feel like having some extra bass, is there any way to add on additional subwoofer wirelessly. I would appreciate your response
@@gill02ful I don’t know how you would add an additional subwoofer wirelessly, that’s why I opted the wired route as I knew it would work. You could replace the subwoofer wirelessly though with some extra effort. If you see my video there is that wireless board and amp within the Samsung subwoofer. In theory you could remove that entirely and put it into its own small enclosure right next to a new subwoofer (or inside depending on space) and hook it up like I did this in video. Only difference is you no longer have the Samsung sub and new sub working together - although after months of testing mine I don’t think you’d be missing out on much just getting rid of the original smaller Samsung sub and replacing with a larger sub. I can’t even notice mine anymore with the 14” Klipsch hooked up.
@@thejuice33 i know it will sound stupid but I can’t figure out myself need your help. So if i take off the circuit board completely out of samsung sub and put it on let’s say a svs pb 1000 pro then do i have to have two power cords plugged into wall socket one for samsung and another for svs???? Question 2 is there a chance of getting the samsung board getting blown i mean does it heat-up a lot when connected to additional sub, i am planning to completely ditch the samsung sub i will only be using the svs sub.
@@gill02ful not a stupid question, this was fairly complicated for me to figure out as well and wanted to share with others. First question: yes you would need to plug the Samsung board pulled out of the sub into the wall and the SVS Sub also plugged into the wall. Samsung board because you need that WiFi (or Bluetooth) connectivity between the main soundbar and the Samsung sub, and the SVS obviously for the amplifier. If you have an SVS subwoofer with LFE input you can set it up almost exactly like I do in the video except just pull out that Samsung board and route the two output wires from the board (speaker level) into a line level converter (bringing it back down to LFE) and then connect to LFE input of SVS subwoofer. Mine was more complicated with splicing to two subwoofers yours would be simpler than mine and more direct. You could avoid the line level converter with an SVS sub potentially since I recall SVS subs have speaker level inputs, but the amp on the Samsung is probably underpowered for the SVS sub so I’d follow what I did and allow the amplifier on the SVS sub to do its job. This approach might carry risk with damaging the Samsung amp so I’d avoid running to SVS speaker level inputs directly. To your second question, no there shouldn’t be any additional strain or power draw on the Samsung amplifier (using LFE) since you’d just be allowing it to output it’s normal wattage into the line level converter, which then brings the power down to line level, and then the SVS amplifier “upscales” it back up to speaker level for its own power needs. I’m mobile so hopefully I explained that clearly. If you need a diagram later to illustrate I may be able to get that together for you.
@@akashchoudhary24d assuming the Sony subwoofer is built in the same way as the Samsung sub, with a WiFi controller and amplifier routing to a speaker…you’d follow my video in the same for the Sony. Make sure the additional sub has its own amplifier. Assuming it does you want to use a line level converter like I do in this video (just follow the whole video exactly). If it isn’t a powered sub you could skip the line level converter and run the wire direct…I just doubt the Sony subwoofer amplifier could power your additional subwoofer without first using also a separate amplifier.
@@akashchoudhary24d that should still be fine. Only mentioned if you were following the video 100%. Still shouldn’t change anything for you. See 2:56 timestamp. You’ll need to disconnect the two speaker wires going to your subwoofer speaker here and route to the line level converter instead.
But sir can i use RCA cable directly Like i cut i end of RCA cable and tie it with the subwoofer wiring and connect the other end of RCA cable to the other subwoofer input??
Shouldn’t be, no. The whole job of the line level converter is to remove the risk of sending amplified signal to a pre-amplified input on the external speaker (LFE). Assuming the line level converter is operating correctly the normal amplified signal is coming out of the Samsung amp, and the pre-amp/LFE signal is going into the external subwoofer as expected. Also why I paid more for the Crutchfield line level converter over lower wattage ones from Amazon.
Anyone know if I can simply tap into and run some speaker wire from the standard Samsung Sub into a non powered sub? I have a 10” JL Audio sub in a box, would I be able to use this?
@@Olifer1031 yes you could, it just might be underpowered if the JL sub uses higher wattage. Samsung amp puts out 200 watts I believe. So disconnect the Samsung sub and extend those speaker wires to the JL sub directly without a line level converter.
Pulled this off easily recently. Thank you for posting this video. My Hisense 5.1.2 sound bar came with an 8" subwoofer lacking in the lower volume region. I ended up using your method exactly and was able to add a Klipsch 8" down firing subwoofer to the system. It sounds absolutely balanced in my living room with vaulted ceilings.
@@baxterbrown3 awesome - nice work! It really is such a big improvement.
Such an informative discussion. Thanks to The Juice and everybody else!
I just did this with my old sony powered subwoofer. Wow big difference!!! Very simple mod that took about 10 minutes. Ran the wire right to line level input.
I already have to worry about the neighbours with what I get from the Q990 sub, but it's cool to know I can do this if I wanted to. Do the usual volume controls still apply?
Yeah the volume level for the soundbar will adjust the subwoofer output/volume as well. There’s also an additional gain knob on the back of the sub to set the relative output (0-11). I typically keep mine at 3-4. Above that and it feels too loud compared to the rest of the system.
Just curious if prior to you doing this,did you consider using the tv optical out connected to a digital decoder ($30 on Amazon). Then connect the output to the LFE \ L&R of your old sub. You can then use the old sub gain & crossover ( if applicable) to fine tune the sub.
I currently have the Q990d (with the rears & sub) connected to a ML Dynamo 1000.
@@tonymireles7413 No I didnt. I had seen other videos use my method but without a line level converter (which seemed rather risky). Wasnt aware you could get this working using the optical out.
Seeing both methods how would you compare them? Sounds like it should give the same end result for similar cost? Any noticeable differences between the two? I’m curious
@thejuice33 So, I also viewed two other videos that added a second sub; however, both of those (along with yours) probably voided the Samsung warranty. Of the three videos yours did take a sensible approach to not damaging the new sub. Using the optical out does not void the warranty; although, I did lose the q-symphony feature.
I started out just trying to replace the Samsung sub via Bluetooth. However, I noticed that the TV (QN-900D) digital output was available while using only the TV speakers.
The level and crossover on the ML need adjustment because they are on the outside of the Samsung app. This is especially true when using the TV apps versus using my Nvidia Shield or my PC.
@@tonymireles7413 do you have a link to the Amazon product you purchased? Could you attach it? I’m not sure what the part is but would like to try it.
I use a Samsung tv with my q990c and sub and would like to add my spare outlaw LFM 1 sub to strengthen the bass. I have both speaker and line level inputs on the sub. Thanks!
I tried using the optical output and it was sometimes played and sometimes it didn’t so it wasn’t consistent too much trouble. This is much better way.
Hi! I have Q990d and klipsch rp1400sw, Do you know if Samsung amp cuts low lows like it does for regular sub or does it play down to klipsch lower limit at about 15hz like AVR ?
It doesn’t filter out any lower hz signal to the bigger Klipsch sub.
It can hit those lower thresholds for sure with the new sub.
@@thejuice33 Hi I have now tested it with my rp1400 for couple of days and it definately rolls out lowest lows but gives a lot more grunt to upper low bass. I will do measurements next week to confirm. I used to have flat response down to 13hz with AVR and this with samsung sounds like its rolling off at 22hz because samsung amp signal is heavily filtered for safe operation st high volumes. Not a critical issue though. Still shakes the sofa.
@@arikononen4022 interesting. I’m not sure I noticed exactly what you’re talking about, but I did feel like the bass was a little too noticeable at higher hz levels (140hz+).
I reduced my crossover just slightly and stopped sending those higher ranges to the Klipsch Sub which smoothed it out well for me. I assumed it to be because there’s no bass from my mid (soundbar) and once it hits a specific hz range the 14” sub suddenly kicks in and is too much at the higher ranges. Traditional centers and sides should provide some higher range bass to smooth out the transition - or at least that was my assumption of what my ears were hearing. Could be wrong on that.
Definitely not an audio engineer or anything close, and haven’t done detailed testing like you’re getting into…but with adding the new sub through the Samsung Sub/amp and lightly reducing the crossover made a massive improvement to my movie experience. I wouldn’t doubt a dedicated AVR setup may sound better, but for my needs this is amazing.
Curious to hear more as you continue to test. Still learning over here myself.
@@thejuice33 Hi! I use Dspeaker antimode 8033 sII separate sub EQ to EQ klipsch. It makes it a lot better for higher crossovers. I’m impressed how well klipsch integrates with open crossover. Without antimode its a mess in my room.
I will share my results after a bit of testing. This setup kicks ass and simply causes less ”setup autism” than regular multi ch setup. I’m going to try to put samsung sub at the opposite back corner after a weekend and see how it goes
This is very interesting and it got me thinking. Instead of grabbing the amplified signal off the Samsung sub and feeding it to a line level adapter, is there a way to tap into the Samsung board and grab the line level (pre-amplified) signal and then just use an rca cable on that?
Also curious, I'm planning on ditching the existing Samsung sub in favor of a singluar SVS 2000 sub or even possibly two Klipsch subs (not sure if I should do dual 10's or 12's). If I decide to run dual subs, I assume I would just split the singluar pair of speaker wires coming off the Samsung amp into 4 wires(2 red and 2 black). The line level adapter looks like it has 2 sets of speaker wire inputs and two rca outputs. So I assume you could just split it like that to run two self powered subs? Or would it be easier to just use an rca cable splitter (1 input to 2 outputs) after it comes out of the line-level adapter? I'm not sure if the line level signal would be too low on each rca at that point?
I was wondering the same thing on the pre-amplified signal from the Samsung board. I didn't feel comfortable testing out tapping into different connection points out of fear of destroying it -- so I opted for the safer route converting it back down.
Routing to two subs - you could do either approach, but my plan was to split at the very end after it's back down to line level and route that to two subs. Just out of simplicity and less wires. I wouldn't expect any issues with the signal strength by splitting there. I'm actually waiting for the 14" Klipsch 1400SW to go back on sale to grab another myself. I just missed it the last time...maybe that's a good thing for my wallet.
@@thejuice33I was doing a little more research and it looks like if you're going to split the signal into two (or more), it's best to do the split at line level vs speaker level. Apparently line-level signals are meant to be split and are near lossless whereas splitting the speaker level wires makes the amp work harder apparently.
I'm curious if you've noticed the sound bar overheating at all since you're effectively splitting the speaker wire to go to the Samsung sub and the Klipsch sub?
@ Interesting find. I haven’t noticed any overheating or issues at all with the soundbar, or existing Samsung sub with the amp in it. Going on close to a year now with this setup and it’s still working great. I did feel like the Samsung sub might have gotten less powerful after making this change…but I assumed it was because I was now comparing it to a gigantic 14” subwoofer side by side. Definitely no expert on amps but curious if this setup could overwork the amp, or dilute the power across connections? Which might explain why my Samsung sub feels even more underwhelming than before. Have a link to what you found? Would be interested to educate myself more on it.
@@thejuice33 I don't have a link per say, I just typed this into google, "is it better to use a splitter at the speaker level or line level", and the AI genereated responses indicated it's better at the line level. A few other articles and forums alluded to the same thing too but it wasn't as direct as the AI generated response.
The reason I'm finding this so facinating is because I have the Klipsch Cinema 600 soundbar which comes with a 10" sub. I loved this setup for what it was, but inevitibly, the power supply died just like every other Cinema 400,600, 800,1200 setup. I grabbed a new power supply off Amazon and got the soundbar working again, however the sub would not connect to the soundbar no matter what I tried. Someone had suggested updating the firmware on it, so I tried that and while in the middle of the update, my soundbar turned off and has never come back to life after that. I used a volt meter on the new power supply and verified that the new power supply was working properly. So I think problem is in the bios chip now and I think it's bricked at this point. Which is horrible, because it also means my 10" sub is now useless because it can only be used wirelessly with the Cinema Sound Bars. What I'm thinking of doing though is using this hack to A) grab the speaker wire from the Samsung sub and bypass it completely B) Open up the Klipsch sub to disconnect it's amp from the speaker C) Feed the Samsung speaker wire to the Klipsch sub speaker directly. Or I guess I could parallel them too and use them both, but I'm afraid of burning out the samsung soundbar amp since both would be powered directly from the soundbar then so I think I'd just use the Klipsch 10" sub instead.
I ordered the Samsung 990C through their EPP site and got a great deal on it! It won't be here till Dec 2nd. I'm just worried that the default 8" sub that comes with it is going to be horrible which is how I found your post. I really wish all soundbar manufacturers would just put a sub-out on their soundbars! It would be so much easier than having to work on these hacks. Yes, it wouldn't directly be wireless, but it would allow you to add a better quality sub to the mix than the pre-packed one. This was the main reason I picked up the 990C vs the 990D. I figured I'd save a few hundred dollars in the short term going with the C and with 2025 upon us, I'm really hoping that they release the new 990E or some new line that has a sub-output. I got such a good deal on the 990C I know I can sell it for more than I paid for it and use that money towards the 990E when it goes on sale during black friday next year 2025!
It makes the amp work slightly harder because it’s like putting a kink in a hose. Less amperage can flow through a lesser gauge wire.
Just wondering before starting a project like this.
I am new to audio system setup and my question may be dumb but can we connect it directly to a passive subwoofer ? Will it work and are there any risks ? Also what is the impedance of Q990 series subwoofer ?
Not a dumb question…teaching myself as part of this project.
I don’t think there’s any risk using a passive subwoofer assuming it has a higher wattage requirement it would just be underpowered and probably wouldn’t be a big improvement, but could always give it a try and see how it sounds.
Not sure on the impedance of the q990 sub.
@@thejuice33 Thanks for answering brother 🙂
Is it possible just to use the bigger sub without using the Samsung?
@@DROIDRAZR16 Partially. You don’t need to use the woofer & enclosure from the Samsung but you do need to connect the bigger sub to the output of the wifi/amplifier board inside the enclosure. If you want to reduce the footprint you could take that board out and mount it somewhere hidden.
@@thejuice33 thank you I’ll try it out
Hey man this is awesome! Routing the wires through a terminal cup is simple and looks better just a thought
@@bcheo890 for sure it would. Good suggestion. This was just step one to get it working and tested for me though. I’ve since removed the Samsung sub entirely and moved the amp to a smaller 3D printed enclosure. Added a Y splitter after the line level converter and now running two of these subs in opposite sides of the room. The bass is unreal. It’s surprising the soundbar can hold its own alongside them honestly, but it does well.
What wire or gage is that between the the Samsung subwoofer and the a line reducer
@@belvitaliy720 It’s 16 gauge stranded speaker wire.
Would this work with 12" Klipsch High-Performance Wireless Subwoofer R-120SWI ( 2023 model )?
It looks like there are LFE inputs on the back, so yes it would assuming you bypass the wireless feature and hardwire in with an RCA/LFE cable
What is that blue box you put the adapter in? I just ordered the adapter to do the same modification.
It's a 3D printed box I roughly designed to go around it.
Have never opened up a speaker before . Its both intimidating and tempting at the same time . I haven’t bought a subwoofer yet . Is it better to get one with speaker level input ?to avoid the conversion step etc ? Also is it easier if I just reroute the signal to the new sub ? To avoid the splicing step etc
@@av1743 it was my first time too. It’s fairly simple once you get a look in there though. For me I’d rather convert the signal down and into the line level of a powered subwoofer. I really doubt the Samsung amp could power a much larger sub well. I’ve also since added a second 14” subwoofer and no chance it could power both.
Yes I would just reroute it direct to the new sub honestly and avoid splicing to both. Once I added the bigger sub I couldn’t even notice the smaller one on at all.
@ did you have to change the converter for the bigger subwoofer ?
ma il subwoofer samsung deve essere senza alimentazione? cioè staccato?
In the video I have the Samsung subwoofer powered, and a second set of speaker wire going to a line level converter and then to a new powered subwoofer (both are then connected).
You could also unplug the Samsung subwoofer completely and only run the speaker wire to the line level converter and new sub. It depends what you want to do.
I have since removed the Samsung subwoofer and am running to two Klipsch 14” subwoofers, which come after the line level converter.
@@thejuice33 does the level converter serve to remove the high level and create a sound like the one that passes through the RCA (bass)? Do you think that in the JBL 800 it can work in the same way by taking the signal from the woofer, lowering it with the converter and sending it to the klipsh.. by the way for a nice full cinema bass that descends and is soft, which klipsh do you recommend? I wouldn't want to end up with the dry jbl800 with little pressure and it doesn't descend
@@Daniele-md6sm yes the line level converter takes the amplified subwoofer signal and reduces it down to “pre-amplified” levels (LFE). Essentially sending the data the external powered subwoofer needs without the amplification. The external subwoofer has its own amp so no amplification is needed and can be dangerous to send amplified signal into an LFE input.
I have a Klipsch RP-1400SW (x2) and can only speak for that one. It is very large but puts out clean deep bass and very happy with it. Can be often found on sale for $700 USD through Adorama.
Did you ever notice when you have a Klipsch sub off and just running the small sub if there was any amplified rattling coming from the Samsung sub?
@@feraudinsanally1926 No I never noticed that over the last year I had both connected.
Will 2 12 klipsch subwoofers with the adapter work you use? I have a 990b was going to pull out amp and just use the 2 12s klipsch with line input for bass if it will work. If so would i pigtail a total of 4 speaker wires off 990b amp wires and set each pair into each side of crutchfield adapter and then run seperate LFE cables on opposite side of adapter to each sub?
@@matthewklein2582 you could do that exactly, yes. I did it with two 14” Klipsch for 6 months until literally 30 minutes ago (just upgraded to 5.2.4).
I did wire it differently though than you detailed. Instead of running 4 wires to the adapter, two to each input and two RCA/LFE out…I ran two wires to one side of the adapter and then simply used an RCA splitter cable to support two subs.
There probably isn’t a difference between the two but was a cleaner install for me, and in theory seemed safer to me with not having to split one powered signal into two from the Samsung amp. That risk seems close to zero though so I’d pick whatever your preference is.
Awesome I will order the y splitter cable and run one side of adapter. thank you
When you powered both subs did it seem to cut power down from the 1st one and any overheating problems with samsung amp?
@@matthewklein2582 no loss in power or overheating of the amp at all.
I disconnected the Samsung sub entirely once I added the second Klipsch subwoofer. Just had the regular amplified signal going into the line level converter which brings it down to LFE levels. So there really shouldn’t be any risk to the Samsung amp or either subwoofer after that in the chain
Just got it all hooked up and I am blown away how much better this is then just the samsung sub.
One thing I noticed is when I turn off samsung soundbar both 12sw klipsch subs stay on or green LED light stays don't go in standby and they both have a slight hum when no signal but when I turn on soundbar it goes away, not sure if it's a problem or not?
Thank you for the info to set this up sounds awesome and shakes my house. 3 clicks is the sweetspot anything higher it starts to drown out samsung soundbar.
Can I add a second samsung q990 sub ?
Hi you can do it , I am still using 2 subwoofers with my old HW Q90R sound bar , I did ID set with both the subs and the rear speakers and it works pretty well, just make sure keep 3/4 meters distance between the subs when you do ID set once both subs connects you can put the subs any where you want. Give a go I am sure it will work out as it works over frequency range. Cheers
@@bimalbk4u could you explain plz how to do it proper :) many many thanx
@@umm2012Hi just do the ID set that’s all, just make sure keep the subs at least 3 meter apart from each others that’s all. Hope it helps
Not sure about sending the wireless signal to two subs (@bimalbk4u seems to be suggesting that is possible) - but you could also route the amplified signal out of the first sub directly to the speaker itself in a second sub (bypassing the wireless panel) if you wanted matching subs.
If I'm not mistaken, the factory data is for a 200w rms subwoofer. I think this huge thing would fill even a villa room. For example, it could shake the couch while watching a movie. What difference did you make with the method you used? By the way, I think the subwoofer cabinet was designed incorrectly. If we just change the design of the subwoofer cabinet and place it in a cabinet like the SVS PB16 Ultra, what would the performance be? Or would this process be unnecessary and not worth it?
@@hakansalihoglu for 95% of consumers I think the included subwoofer would be adequate. I was fairly impressed with the performance for it being part of a subwoofer bundle…but knowing the capabilities of larger more powerful subwoofers I always wished for more performance. Moving from a 200RMS 8” woofer to a 500 RMS/1000 max and a 14” woofer makes a drastic difference. I can “feel” movies now, not just hear bigger, deeper sound. It made me love watching movies with the new subwoofer. It’s not just action movies either, it adds a new dimension of sound to many types of scenes. A dramatic transition during a surprise moment in a movie can be physically felt and the impact of it is much greater. Hard to describe, but this change for me is well worth it.
@@thejuice33 Thank you for your long and detailed article. So instead of messing around with changing the cabinet on the original speaker, you suggest I go straight to a new subwoofer, right?
@@hakansalihoglu it depends. I know changing the cabinet out could make some improvements but it will never come close to the 14” subwoofer I added. If you only want marginal improvements and you’re experienced with what enclosure type might work better I’d say give it a try. For me I knew I wanted a large step up in performance so I opted for a new subwoofer entirely.
I have the line level converter between the sound bar subwoofer and the subwoofer i added. When i turn the soundbar off the new added subwoofer starts playing this loud bass sound!!! So then i have to go over and turn the subwoofer off! What could be causing this?
Check the connections. That happened to me when my RCA cable wasn’t all the way in. Are you using the same line level converter as me? If so make sure you’re only using one side for both inputs and the same side for the output where the RCA cable plugs in.
My subwoofer has left and right speaker inputs. Can I just connect the wire straight to one of those and skip the adapter?
Yes you could. Assuming the second sub is bigger and can handle the voltage output to it from the Samsung amp it should work fine and can avoid the line level converter.
@@thejuice33 I hooked it up and it works!
@@xSlickNick5xNice!!
Why to reset the speaker's
Hi , i have a jbl bar 5.1 active wireless subwoofer do you know if i can connect that to my samsung q990d?
Probably not wirelessly. Assuming it works the same way as the Samsung Sub with a wifi controller + amp, you could try running the amplified signal (speaker level) from the Samsung Sub to the subwoofer directly in the JBL speaker completely bypassing the amplifier. Sounds a little risky though, not knowing the JBL speaker specs or if the Samsung amp can power both well enough. Ideally you just get another active subwoofer with LFE inputs.
@@thejuice33 Thanks for taking the time to revert back i have a question do you happen to know the technology these subwoofers uses, how do they connect to their respective soundbar wirelessly and send signals to subwoofer i just got mine q990d i like the bass though but in some situations i feel like having some extra bass, is there any way to add on additional subwoofer wirelessly. I would appreciate your response
@@gill02ful I don’t know how you would add an additional subwoofer wirelessly, that’s why I opted the wired route as I knew it would work.
You could replace the subwoofer wirelessly though with some extra effort. If you see my video there is that wireless board and amp within the Samsung subwoofer. In theory you could remove that entirely and put it into its own small enclosure right next to a new subwoofer (or inside depending on space) and hook it up like I did this in video. Only difference is you no longer have the Samsung sub and new sub working together - although after months of testing mine I don’t think you’d be missing out on much just getting rid of the original smaller Samsung sub and replacing with a larger sub. I can’t even notice mine anymore with the 14” Klipsch hooked up.
@@thejuice33 i know it will sound stupid but I can’t figure out myself need your help. So if i take off the circuit board completely out of samsung sub and put it on let’s say a svs pb 1000 pro then do i have to have two power cords plugged into wall socket one for samsung and another for svs???? Question 2 is there a chance of getting the samsung board getting blown i mean does it heat-up a lot when connected to additional sub, i am planning to completely ditch the samsung sub i will only be using the svs sub.
@@gill02ful not a stupid question, this was fairly complicated for me to figure out as well and wanted to share with others.
First question: yes you would need to plug the Samsung board pulled out of the sub into the wall and the SVS Sub also plugged into the wall. Samsung board because you need that WiFi (or Bluetooth) connectivity between the main soundbar and the Samsung sub, and the SVS obviously for the amplifier.
If you have an SVS subwoofer with LFE input you can set it up almost exactly like I do in the video except just pull out that Samsung board and route the two output wires from the board (speaker level) into a line level converter (bringing it back down to LFE) and then connect to LFE input of SVS subwoofer. Mine was more complicated with splicing to two subwoofers yours would be simpler than mine and more direct.
You could avoid the line level converter with an SVS sub potentially since I recall SVS subs have speaker level inputs, but the amp on the Samsung is probably underpowered for the SVS sub so I’d follow what I did and allow the amplifier on the SVS sub to do its job. This approach might carry risk with damaging the Samsung amp so I’d avoid running to SVS speaker level inputs directly.
To your second question, no there shouldn’t be any additional strain or power draw on the Samsung amplifier (using LFE) since you’d just be allowing it to output it’s normal wattage into the line level converter, which then brings the power down to line level, and then the SVS amplifier “upscales” it back up to speaker level for its own power needs.
I’m mobile so hopefully I explained that clearly. If you need a diagram later to illustrate I may be able to get that together for you.
Sir i have Sony HT S40r and i want to connect an additional subwoofer can you please guide me to the same??
@@akashchoudhary24d assuming the Sony subwoofer is built in the same way as the Samsung sub, with a WiFi controller and amplifier routing to a speaker…you’d follow my video in the same for the Sony.
Make sure the additional sub has its own amplifier. Assuming it does you want to use a line level converter like I do in this video (just follow the whole video exactly).
If it isn’t a powered sub you could skip the line level converter and run the wire direct…I just doubt the Sony subwoofer amplifier could power your additional subwoofer without first using also a separate amplifier.
Actually my sony subwoofer doesn’t has a wifi controller it gets signals with a HDMI cable
@@akashchoudhary24d that should still be fine. Only mentioned if you were following the video 100%. Still shouldn’t change anything for you. See 2:56 timestamp. You’ll need to disconnect the two speaker wires going to your subwoofer speaker here and route to the line level converter instead.
But sir can i use RCA cable directly
Like i cut i end of RCA cable and tie it with the subwoofer wiring and connect the other end of RCA cable to the other subwoofer input??
Isn't this dangerous? Won't the original or the added subwoofer burn out?
Shouldn’t be, no. The whole job of the line level converter is to remove the risk of sending amplified signal to a pre-amplified input on the external speaker (LFE). Assuming the line level converter is operating correctly the normal amplified signal is coming out of the Samsung amp, and the pre-amp/LFE signal is going into the external subwoofer as expected. Also why I paid more for the Crutchfield line level converter over lower wattage ones from Amazon.
Can I not just add another sub via Bluetooth ?
Unfortunately not
Anyone know if I can simply tap into and run some speaker wire from the standard Samsung Sub into a non powered sub? I have a 10” JL Audio sub in a box, would I be able to use this?
@@Olifer1031 yes you could, it just might be underpowered if the JL sub uses higher wattage. Samsung amp puts out 200 watts I believe. So disconnect the Samsung sub and extend those speaker wires to the JL sub directly without a line level converter.
thanks bro
I would not try this..Not safe and there's a risk of damaging the more expensive traditional hifi active subwoofer
@@rovd4433can you explain whats unsafe and what the risk is of doing this when using a line level converter?
I did this a year ago and the system is working good also its an Samsung q900t