Apex Junior amp?

[cyberspyder]

Heh...I know you're browsing here Steve

OK, so I'm in the process of assembling a 5.1 system for my new house, consisting of 5 Orient Express' and an unknown sub. The only problem I have right now is my receiver (a 1989 era NEC AV-300PRO):





So yeah, there is no subwoofer out...only option I have is to either:

1) Run the 'Front' Pre-out to the sub amp and route it back with the 'line-level' output on the amp to the 'Main in' RCA plugs
2) Run the 'Front' speaker outputs on the receievr to the 'high-level' inputs on the sub amp, and connect the speakers to the sub amp

Problem is that A) Not all budget/cheap sub amps have either dual RCAs (for line level input and output) and B) Not all sub amps have speaker outputs.

I've looked at the Apex Junior: http://www.apexjr.com/ApexJunior.htm but it's discontinued...any other good candidates? Prefer to stay UNDER $100.

Also, if I hooked up the sub in either of the situations above, would only the 'front' portion of my 5.1 speakers be a mid/high frequency speaker? What about the others? Would they be full-range? How can I avoid this (ie, all of them playing either mid/highs)?

Thanks, Brendan

[Moondog55]

G'day Brendan

That amp does have some nice features.
Am I right in thinking that the centre lower speaker output is high level to sub??

The receiver does have a mono output, perhaps you could use that as line level to the sub ( if the sub has a crossover control that you can use for line level control )
As that receiver has pre-outs for front right and left you do have the option in the future to buy a cheap stereo amp, it doesn't have to be a power amp and use it for the front speakers if you decide to make some big 3-ways in the future.
Regards
Ted

[cyberspyder]

I leaning towards the AudioFIle and the M&K 250W ones...see to be good value: http://www.apexjr.com/amps.html

HOLD ON...I feel like an idiot (ie, I believe you're correct about the center thingy...if what I found checks out, then I could effectively build a 4.2 system....sweet ). Look:


See the hookup? The two center channels are to......SUBWOOFERS (the two blocky things without a tweeter...can't read japanese...please confirm)


Look at the pre-out center.....the word for subwoofer (I'm assuming) is there.....OMG WTF how did I not see this. So basically, is this an LFE port for the sub (One cable to the sub, one cable back?)? What's the difference between it and dual RCAs? What's the best way to hook up a sub now that I've discovered all three methods might work best?

...confused as hell, Brendan

[Moondog55]

Brendan
Please post another photo of the speaker binding posts taken from the other side, I think everything you need is there but can't tell for sure
Ted

[cyberspyder]

Cheers, Brendan

[troystg]

You can have DUAL (2) center channels.

Just use "Y" connectors at the back of the rx'er and run a pair of long RCA's to the sub. Sub will filter out the high freq components.

You could also use a GOOD electronic XO and send the high pass back to the rx'er and cascade the crossovers to the woofer.

Active filter board GB

[troystg]

BTW, why do you only have one front speaker hooked up?

And it looks like Bose speaker wire.... Ewww.... At least it's not Bose speakers on the other end right?

[Moondog55]

Others may wish to comment here, but looking at your options on the back of the amp, I'd use one of the MONO outputs to an amp or sub of your choice, using appropriate filters if it is a full range output ( ie: a sub input )
I dont think using the output for you front channel will do it, you will need to try various configurations and use whats best.
Sorry!! I wish I could be of more help.
Regards
Ted

[MJL21193]

A little detective work.

No sub channel, just 2 centres.

[Apex Jr]

Saw your email and did answer you back, and to let everyone here know I just got in some 100 Watt AB subamps and 150W
class D amps and hope to have them on the website soon
( by next week) They both should have all the bells and whistles
as the Apex "Junior"
The reason that amp was discontinued was that they wanted
me to buy 1000 at a time and just didn't have the money or the space in my warehouse to let it sit for so long.

Steve @ Apex Jr.