Harman Kardon HK 595 sub not working as separate

[quis]

I recently picked up the subwoofer component of a Harman Kardon 2.1 computer speaker system, to bolster the sound of my ageing Aiwa stero. Everything fine so far, except for the volume/bass/treble controls for the sub are built into one of the satellite speakers (which I do not have). I think it is because of this that no sound comes out of the sub.

The satellites seem to connect through something that looks like an XLR jack. It has four pins, only two of which are used on the left speaker (I believe the right speaker is the one with the controls). Does anyone have any idea how I might get this working, anyone with any experience with this or a similar piece of kit? Thanks...

[Sargegd1]

i'm working on a solution

[k1134]

any updates on this? i'm in the same situation with having only the sub and no satellites.

[Sargegd1]

I can't get it to work at present.

[Bobken]

Hi,

Regrettably I have no experience whatsoever of this sub, but I do know how speakers need to be connected-up to operate.

My comments only apply if this sub is all passive, i.e. that there is no other power supply going to the sub, and there is no amplification in the sub, either. I mention this, as it is only necessary to have 2 connections for normal passive speaker units, so I have no idea what the other connections are for, or even if they are used, but it is just possible that they carry some power-supply DC voltage (for an internal amp) from elswhere in the system. You say that for the left speaker, 2 connections out of 4 on an XLR type connector are not used, but you don't make it clear if the sub also has a 4 pin connector, too. If this is not the case, then some of what I say below is irrelevant, but you do need to establish which are the 2 live connections to this sub if you are to get it working.

Somewhere (and hopefully at this 4 pin connector) there will need to be 2 terminals which will connect to the drive unit, and which are plus and minus leads to the driver. If you can get at the insides, it might be possible either with a meter, or a bulb and single-cell battery, to establish where the two tags on the drive unit go to on this XLR type connector. However it is also possible that there is capacitor or some other circuitry in series with the driver which will prevent this trial from proving anything.

Another possible way of establishing something worthwhile is to use this same low-voltage battery and connect it to the various terminals in the XLR type connector (assuming that is what is on the sub), and listen to and watch the driver's cone. If you do this, there is no risk to the driver with only approx 1.5 V, and by trying all possible sequences, you might be able to establish which are the 2 live connections here.
For example, put the battery for a second or two across terminals 1&2, 1&3, 1&4, and then 2&3, 2&4 etc., and see what happens. The 2 live terminals which you are attempting to establish will be those which should make some noise like a 'pop' and the driver cone should move in or out, possibly ony temporarily, when you connect up the battery. If the sub's connector is only 2-way, then merely try across these 2 terminals.

If nothing happens at all when doing these battery tests, there might be some other things to try, but in any case you will not be able to simply hook up this sub in the normal way without some other circuitry which presumably resides somewhere in the other speakers.

Good luck, but don't try this if there is an amplifier inside this sub-woofer as this could cause some damage to the amp and then you will never get it working.

Regards,