Celestion A6S to Denon AVR 2310

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Hi.

I am trying to connect a Celestion A6S subwoofer to a Denon AVR 2310, not actually knowing if the A6S still actually works.

Whereas the Denon has a single RCA output for subwoofer, the Celestion A6S has stereo high level and low level inputs. I've tried an RCA cable to both the R and L channel but with no luck.

The Denon sees the Celestion but won't or can't send any test signal to it (white noise). The A6S's LED is on and amp warms up. Tried both 100 and 125hz settings, gain and frequency are set in a mid setting (not sure what the latter does). Tried settings on the Denon side from 80hz to 120hz. Main speakers set to small.

Seemingly no sound from music or video.

It's a little frustrating because I don't if it's some setting I've missed, or the subwoofer doesn't work. I can't find an onlne manual for it, e.g. to see which port to use (but believe it's normally left).

Is there a way to feed it from the pre-amp channel using high-level stereo?

I was told that Celestion A6S subwoofer amp itself, perhaps not the two drivers, can go down to 5hz. I don't know if it is true.

Thanks in advance. (photo from internet).
 

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For testing...
With high level (speaker) set your mains to full range, sub to off. Crossover on the sub to roughly where mains reach down to.

With low level (RCA) set your speakers to small, sub to on. Crossover on the sub to maximum

You should get audio from both connection types that way, if not try another RCA cable, check the amp isn't faulty, and try the sub on another source (RCA from source into sub, ensure sub volume is to minimum)
 
if not try another RCA cable, check the amp isn't faulty, and try the sub on another source (RCA from source into sub, ensure sub volume is to minimum)
Thanks.

I did try a few different cables, no change there. Ditto, I swopped large and small main speakers in the settings.

Unfortunately, I don't have a second amp to try it out and loathe having to port it about to somewhere I could. It's huge.

How do I test if the amp is faulty?

I guess my first question is specific to the sub, e.g. in the case of only having a single feed, does it uses the left or right hand side input? Unfortunately, I can't find a manual or info on the net. I even try ramping up the low frenquencies using the graphic equaliser. No different.

The Denon does have a selection of 6 pre-amp outputs, I don't know if I can re-assign a couple to do left and right?

Appreciated.
 
Do you have a cd player? Use analogue audio out, reduce volume on the sub, play a cd . Increase volume on sub you should hear something..
 
Do you have a cd player?
Ah. Much appreciated for that. Yes, I get the very bottom of the spectrum coming out. Kind of entertaining trying to "guess that tune" when you've only got 100hz to go on (Voodoo Chile was easy, Silver Machine less so! I had a classic rock CD in the tray).

Must be an amp side setting. Or its subwoofer port.

Of course, I have now discovered another problem, a bad internal speaker rattle that sounds a bit like crumpling paper, or an electrical short ... fairly constant too.

It has two drivers. I believe that the unit had been left standing for years tho.
 
It's probably worth updating the Celestion isn't bad at 2 x 10" but it's only 150w. I wouldn't be surprised a modern single 10" or 12" higher power sub will outclass it
 
I am pretty sure they would but for £29, and living only a breeze block thickness wall away from my neighbours, I think this will do for just now.

They're going to hate me enough.

Actually, I bought it for the sake of the amp, as it allegedly goes as low 5hz, in order to run a single 12" driver off it. I saw someone do an interesting hack of removing the amp out of one and sticking it in a box, then running speakers off of it.

I could even run two separate speakers off it.

The first rattle was easy. No wonder it sounded like crinkling paper ... the dust cap on one driver was almost hanging off. It was crinkling paper!

For the sake of others following this way, I shall persevere and document, but I need to strip it down now to see what's going on inside.

Thanks.

I have not attempted to work out what's going on with the amp settings yet, but - from the CD/DVD player - the internal amplifier can take both a left hand and a right signal on their own to create a signal, with no obvious different between either or both.
 
The amp may be unfiltered, but you do want to have sub sonic filter.

Also just because the amp can doesn't mean the drivers will play that low.

If you have a avr capable of enabling a sub sonic filter I'd recommend you do, generally 20hz or thereabouts
 
Inside it has two 10" Celestion 4ohms drivers, wired in series and facing away from each other. I can't read the code on them. It also has a simple 5" x 9" cardboard port facing down but very little space before the floor. Wires look really skinny, they could have been rattling.

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No padding? Also maybe you could try adding a flared port?

£30 is decent price.

Sub sonic filter will definitely help with headroom, I've got this feature and I have 10hz, then 20-35hz options and I definitely notice the difference even on a much higher end sub (and duals)


I'd upgrade that speaker cable that's really thin
 
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No padding at all. Completely empty.

The port is routed into the MDF on the base though. Is it worth flaring the internal top end?

The MDF is 18mm thick. Approximately H55cm x D45cm x W35cm.
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The control panel. Is the 'Frequency' knob the low pass filter? Ta.

The only specs I can find is that the drivers go down to 29hz (to 90,000).

W x D x H: 13.4" x 16.1" x 23.6"
Weight: 66.1 lbs
Nominal (RMS) output power: 200 watts
Reponse bandwidth: -61.0hz
Output features: bass reflex
Magnetic shield: yes
Audio amplifier: integrated
Subwoofer: 2.0 x subwoofer driver - 10.0in - paper

How can I wire it up via high level?

IMG_0134.JPG
 
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If you have a hifi, then use the speaker level left and right outputs (speaker cable) from your amplifier into the high level input on the Celestion.

Make sure you connect to input, not output.
 
A useful hint for anyone refurbishing one of these units. You can't remove the stretchy fabric without removing the Celestion badge. Initially, it's not at all clear how to do this, and if you try and slip a blade under it to pry it off, you'll end up damaging the fabric, or breaking the plastic. You can't.

The secret is to work from the inside. The badge has an LED to indicate it is powered up. Pull the LED out of the hole in the MDF. Then, using a small screwdriver etc, stick it through the LED hole. This will pop off the sticky, Celestion logo. Underneath it, is another piece of plastic frame that is in a recess. It is screwed into place. Two screws and it's off.

The top of the unit just lifts off, it has plastic stud connectors. This exposes some Velcro holding up the top of the fabric. The bottom of the unit is more tightly held, a second thickness of MDF, screwed into place.

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If you have a hifi, then use the speaker level left and right outputs (speaker cable) from your amplifier into the high level input on the Celestion.

Appreciated, but that's not the answer on its own. The AVR-2310 is a 7.1 and I'm using all 7 on the A channel. I guess I could use the B channel, but then can I, or how do I let the amp know it is the subwoofer? There much be some setting I'm missing to use the pre-amp.

The dedicated subwoofer pre-amp output is just a single RCA connector.

IMG_20220316_163515.jpg.af01d359423d6101e3bcd395d4ab2285.jpg
 
Just use the RCA output. Don't use the high level out.

A single rca-rca cable will be fine
 
See posts above. I couldn't get it to work, hence the bug fixing.

The Celestion also has two RCA inputs, an L and an R. The Denon only one output. I'm kind of flying blind here as it's all old tech, no manual online, and I don't know what works and what does not.

I've worked out the sub works using a pair of RCAs out of a DVD player. Now trying to set up the Denon to make it work.
 
Then either the denon is faulty, incorrect settings or the cable is faulty.

A single RCA RCA is needed you don't have to use both inputs on the sub.

If for some reason the Denon sub out is faulty then you'd have to use high level, setting sub to off, mains to large. But that isn't ideal.

You need to work out why it isn't working, typically once you set speakers to small sub to on, you should get a signal to the sub
 
Yes, that is basically where I am at, only taking a break to refurbish the sub now. Add some wadding, may be upgrade the internal wires.

I reset the Denon to default. It's always a PITA to work how to make everything work again.
 
Work in progress. Decided to ditch the all in one fabric cover for just now as it had a few holes in it, and go for a classic look using some Lidl VHT paint I had in the house! Matt and slightly textured. Need another coat but I think it works OK. Lidl sells some really good spray paints. I'm a big fan of them. The top gloss is one of theirs.

There's two 10" Celestion woofers in it opposing themselves, i.e. one presumably facing the wall behind this one?

What's the consensus on height off the floor or feet for subs?

On the Celestion A6S, it has a 5" downward facing port but only about 5mm of clearance to the floor (hardwood over concrete). The sub has the original thick felt feet. I suppose the engineers know what they were doing but that doesn't seem a lot for me, even just to move the air.


IMG_0149.JPG
 
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Do you have a cd player? Use analogue audio out, reduce volume on the sub, play a cd . Increase volume on sub you should hear something..

Interesting development. I could heard sound playing out when connected directly to the DVD player but still no luck with the Amp.

I did however try the cables in the SL and SR ports of the Pre-Out and, again, I got music out of the Amp but no control over it, obviously. Therefore, basically, the cables and Sub must be good.

Either it's a setting I can't find, the SW port is dead, or are their incompatibilities due to the power outs of the ports, e.g. does the Celestion require a more powerful signal?

Thanks.
 
Nope it's line level typically 2v max.

personal cd and Walkman will be fine I've used iriver MP3 line out to test a sub
 
Then either the denon is faulty, incorrect settings or the cable is faulty.

If for some reason the Denon sub out is faulty then you'd have to use high level, setting sub to off, mains to large. But that isn't ideal.

What's the low down on using the high level speaker connectors?

I've tried that, using the B Zone speaker outs on the Amp to the speaker ins on the Amp and it works. I get the Sub to work. I'm presuming that it's actually operating on a full spectrum of sound rather than just whatever the LPF/LFE settings are?

I'm too untutored to know whether it's a good or bad sound but at least it highlights that I have other problems to bug fix, like crackles in the Sub speaker. Each time the Hulk stomps across the room watching a Marvel movie for effects, it sounds like he's standing on crisp packets too!

I suppose I could use A Zone front speaker outputs, set on large, and then run the speaker cables from the Amp to the two front speakers ... so AVR Amp > Subwoofer Amp > Front Speakers ... and in that way gain some control over their levels? But, presumably, that would tie the levels of the Sub to the level of the Front Speakers?

How were this generation of Sub conceived, was it to turn a 2.0 stereo into a 2.1 but wiring it up that way, Amp > Sub > Speakers?
 
A & B is the same output.
If you do use high level out, then set speakers to large, subwoofer to off. Auto setup on distance and levels will be messed up though, room EQ will EQ mains and sub as single unit.

Using the celestion inbetween the speakers can work but that's typically used in a hifi pass system. I did that a while ago with a SBS SB12+ (sub inbetween amp and speakers)

You need to figure out why the sub isn't working in LFE mode, you need another sub to determine if the Denon is faulty. If it works then you know it's not that.
 

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