The easiest method to hook up a subwoofer to a surround receiver is to connect the "sub out" or LFE output of the receiver to the "LFE" input on your subwoofer using a single audio patch cord interconnect cable with RCA type connectors on both ends; it does not have to be specifically labeled as a “subwoofer cable.”

Next you must configure the receiver to send a signal to the subwoofer output jack. Read the receiver’s owner’s manual to see how to access its Speaker Set-Up menu. Once in the menu, set it to Subwoofer = Yes.

While in that menu you should also set the configuration of the other speakers in your system. If you have small satellite type speakers or bookshelf speakers you should set them as “Small.” Floor-standing speakers should be set to “Large.” Most center channel and surround channel speakers should be set to “Small.” We strongly recommend that you check your speakers’ instruction manual for further Small vs. Large guidance.

Next adjust the receiver's crossover frequency. The kind of speakers you have will determine the appropriate crossover frequency: small satellite style speakers should use 100-150 Hz, bookshelf speakers 80-120 Hz and tower speakers (without built-in powered subwoofers) 60-80 Hz. Some receivers allow you to set the crossover of each channel independently but many do not in which case use the highest crossover setting called for among the speakers in your system. If you have Definitive speakers, consult the crossover chart for specific recommendations.

There may be some tradeoffs with small speakers; they won't play as loud as large speakers (although plenty loud enough for most people and rooms). Those little satellites cannot reproduce bass of their own, making it tough to achieve a seamless blend between satellite and sub. There is often a "hole" or weak response in the lower midrange area (bottom range of a male voice) where the satellite's response leaves off and the subwoofer takes over. When evaluating sub/sat systems listen closely to male voices, if they sound "thin" the system suffers from this midrange suck-out problem. Definitive’s ProCinema/ProMonitor models employ a bass radiator on the top of the enclosure to extend their lower midrange response and avoid this problem.

The other issue is bass response. Some of the so-called "subwoofers" in these systems should really be called "woofers" because they don't reproduce the truly deep bass with authority. If the system is to be used for only music, that may not be a problem. But if the primary use is home theater, you may later find the need for an additional powered subwoofer. Definitive ProCinema systems employ powered woofers that reproduce deep bass with authority and are worthy of the name sub-woofer. As always, listen before you buy and trust your ears.

Each ProMonitor has a single ¼-20 threaded insert (1/4-inch diameter with 20 threads per inch) on the bottom that secures the tripod table stand. To mount the speaker to an optional floor stand remove the tripod stand by unscrewing the screw. Another ¼-20 thread is on the back of the speaker to accommodate an optional ProMount articulating wall bracket.

Each ProCenter model has two ¼ -20 threaded inserts and requires two optional articulating brackets such as the Definitive ProMount80 (for use with ProCenter 600 and ProCenter 1000) and the Definitive ProMount 90 (coming soon, for use with the ProCenter 2000).

There are other good reasons to register your Definitive speaker purchase on this website. Should we ever need to contact you regarding a product serviced or safety alert (it hasn’t happened yet but you never know…) we will be able to do so. When you register, your name is automatically entered into a monthly drawing for a free Definitive powered subwoofer. You will not be spammed by registering with us. We will only contact you in the event of an important service alert or if you opt in to our monthly newsletter.

If the subwoofer is hooked up to the LFE (subwoofer) output jack of a surround receiver, you must configure the receiver to send a signal to that output jack. Look at the receiver’s owner’s manual to see how to access its Speaker Set Up menu. Once in the menu, set it to Subwoofer = Yes. In order to make sure that the subwoofer output jack level is high enough to trigger the Auto On function of the subwoofer access the Speaker Level menu and turn up the subwoofer level. You may need to lower the subwoofer’s volume control to avoid having too much bass.

If the subwoofer is hooked up to speaker outputs with speaker wire, make sure you have it connected to the same Front Left & Right outputs that your front L&R speakers are connected to. Access the receiver’s Speaker Set Up menu and set Front Speakers = Large and Subwoofer = No. For more information on how to properly configure the Speaker Set Up settings on a surround receiver click here.

If you have a ProSub model subwoofer you may have overlooked the fact that the volume control is not on the back panel but on the side. Turn that knob up (clockwise) and you should hear great bass. If not, refer to the steps above.

If you still don’t have any output, unplug the subwoofer from the AC mains socket and remove the fuse from the area near the AC cord. Inspect the fuse to make sure the internal wire is intact. If in doubt replace the fuse (commonly available at Radio Shack or other electronics stores).

Finally, if all else fails contact Definitive Customer Service and a technician will walk you through other diagnostic steps to determine the cause of the problem.

The first thing to do is to contact the authorized Definitive Technology retailer who sold it to you. Your dealer can help you diagnose the source of the problem. In many cases problems that appear to be speaker defects turn out to be set-up or electronics problems. If your retailer cannot help you diagnose the problem call (800-228-7148) or email Definitive Customer Service. (info@definitivetech.com)

If it is indeed a speaker problem, as long as you purchased from an authorized dealer, you have four options. But your first step is always to FIND YOUR RECEIPT. Without proof of purchase it may be impossible to get a repair done under warranty. If you purchased from a retailer who is not an authorized Definitive retailer your product is not covered by our warranty.

1. Bring (or ship) the product back to the dealer that sold it to you.
This is usually the best and fastest method for getting warranty service. It is always a good idea to call the dealer first to confirm where the product should be taken or shipped. The original authorized dealer is always the service agent for the life of the products warranty.

2. Find a Definitive Technology dealer in your area and ask them if they would be willing to provide warranty service on your item.
Definitive dealers are not obligated to perform warranty service on products that they did not sell, but many will especially if you are new to the area. Definitive will provide the dealer with parts at no charge. Be sure to call or visit the dealer before bringing the item in for service. Bring your proof of purchase (sales receipt).

3. Repair it yourself
Most speaker repairs are very easy to perform if you have minimal skills with common household tools. We will provide you with simple to follow instructions and replacement parts. For in warranty service we would need a copy of a receipt from an authorized dealer.

4. Ship it to Definitive Technology in Maryland
Please do not ship any product to us without first speaking with us by phone or email and getting a return authorization. Products that arrive without prior authorization are more likely to get lost and will not be repaired. For in warranty service we need a copy of a receipt from an authorized dealer.

It is best if you ship the product back in its original carton. If you do not have your original carton, contact us about packing alternatives.
Phone: (800) 228-7148(hours: M-F 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM EST) Email: info@DefinitiveTech.com

Freight charges to Maryland are your responsibility; we will pay for freight back to you. Please note: Products weighing more than 75 lbs. must be shipped on a pallet by a common carrier freight line such as Roadway or ABF in order to ensure that no damage is incurred in transit. Carriers such as UPS and FedEx will not provide pallet service and are generally averse to shipping large, heavy packages. Products weighing over 75 pounds will be refused unless properly shipped on pallet via freight carrier.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD LOUDSPEAKERS BE SHIPPED TO OUR OFFICE WITHOUT PRIOR CONTACT AND A “RETURN AUTHORIZATION” CODE.

The Short Answer:
Most Definitive loudspeakers are compatible with 8 Ohm outputs. That means that receivers and amplifiers of good build quality will have no problems driving Definitive Technology speakers. Some receivers or amplifiers may have an impedance switch or allow you to select the impedance of the speakers in an on-screen menu; these should be set to 4 or 6 Ohms for Definitive speakers.

Definitive speakers are also efficient. It doesn’t take much power for them to sound excellent and play loud, thereby reducing the stress on the receiver or amplifier. Together with a smooth Impedance curve, this makes Definitive’s a safe choice with any good to excellent quality electronics. We do not recommend the use of bargain, entry level electronics with any Definitive loudspeaker.

The Long Technical Answer Some manufacturers quote a single “Nominal” Impedance number. This is over-simplistic and misleading. The impedance of a loudspeaker is actually a bit more complex than a single number. The impedance of a loudspeaker varies with the frequency it is trying to reproduce. At one frequency, a loudspeaker may present an impedance of 4 ohms to the receiver and at another frequency, it may present an impedance of 18 ohms. Take a look at the graph below and you’ll see what we mean. The numbers on the Y axis go from 0.0 ohms at the bottom to 20.0 ohms at the top. The numbers on the x axis start at the left at 10Hz and go to the right up to 50,000Hz. Clearly no single number will suffice in describing the Impedance of a loudspeaker.

Impedance vs. Frequency

When looking at an impedance curve, one may be tempted to look for “average” impedance, but this would be misleading. In fact this curve tells us very little, aside from the fact that this loudspeaker's Impedance lands mostly between 4 and 8 ohms.

Further complicating the issue is the “Phase Angle” measurement that also contributes to the “drivability” of the loudspeaker. The bottom line is that even experienced engineers would have a hard time interpreting the impedance and phase angle graphs to gauge the drivability of a loudspeaker from the graphs alone. Suffice it to say that Definitive engineers have optimized the Impedance and Phase Angle curves to make Definitive loudspeakers easy for amplifiers and receivers to play loud, clean and safely.

If your receiver or amplifier has an Impedance switch of any kind, set it to 8 Ohms when driving one Definitive speaker per channel. If more than one Definitive speaker is connected to a given channel (as in the case of main speakers and remote speakers being used at the same time) select 4 Ohms. If the 8 Ohm setting causes the receiver or amplifier to overheat and go into protection shut off, wait until the unit cools off and change the impedance to 4 Ohms.

Definitive Technology loudspeakers are built to exacting designs and quality tested every step of the way. They are constructed of high quality materials engineered for a long life of high performance sound. We strive to build the best products possible. And we stand behind them.

Please read your instruction manual for the exact terms of your warranty agreement. All Definitive loudspeakers have a limited warranty that covers repairs, including parts and labor as specifically described in the detailed warranty statement that accompanies each loudspeaker.

• Loudspeaker Drivers, Crossovers & Cabinets: Five Years
• Amplifiers & Electronics: Three Years
• AW100 All-Weather Loudspeakers: Three Years
• AW6500 & AW5500 All-Weather Loudspeakers: Five Years

If you are unsure about these terms or about the warranty of any Definitive Technology component, please consult your Authorized Definitive Technology Dealer, or contact Definitive.

The following brands are by no means the only high current amplifiers or receivers on the market, but they generally work well with Definitive Technology loudspeakers. Models from Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, B&K, NAD, Rotel and Pioneer Elite should provide a good starting point. Your Definitive Technology retailer can help you select a receiver or amp that is suitable for your speakers.

There are speakers on the market which are billed as "designed for home theater" which are brassy, boomy and "shouty", designed more for quantity of sound than quality. Listen to a wide variety of music, as well as movies, before you buy any speaker. If a speaker doesn't sound good on all kinds of program material, it isn't a good buy.

If you are using the ProMonitor 1000s as left and right main speakers the ProCenter 1000 will provide a solid timbre match; however, the ProCenter 2000 takes the matching a step farther by using the same drivers to be a perfect tonal match. Ideally the three front stage speakers (Left, Center and Right) should sound as identical as possible so your ear does not discern a difference when a sound effect or voice pans from one speaker to another. So for ProMonitor 800s the perfect match would be the ProCenter 1000; for the ProCinema 1000 system the perfect center channel would be the ProCenter 2000.

If you are hooking up the SuperTowers to a stereo amplifier or receiver, all you have to do is connect speaker wire in the normal way and you’re done.

If you are hooking up the SuperTowers to a multi-channel surround receiver, connect speaker wire in the normal way them access your receiver’s Speaker Set-Up menu (consult your receiver’s manual) and select Front Left & Right speakers as “Large” and Subwoofer as “No” or “None” or “Off.” This may sound counter-intuitive to you but trust us; this is the right way to do it. With this setting, all of the LFE “.1” channel bass, front channels bass and bass from any channels set as “Small” will be sent to the subwoofer section of your SuperTower speakers. You will hear all the bass there is to hear on every stereo or multi-channel music and movie source.

So why do we bother to put the “LFE” low-level input jack on the speakers? One reason is we know you don’t believe what we wrote in the previous paragraph about getting all the bass and you will be driven crazy with doubt that there might be a smidgen of bass information that you are not getting. As we value your business we wouldn’t want to drive you to insanity. The only other reason is that by connecting both speaker wire and low-level LFE cables you can get a smidgen more control – specifically you will be able to adjust the relative volume between the LFE “.1” channel and the rest of the channels. In most cases that means you will be able to turn up just the LFE channel TOO LOUD. Hey, it’s your system; you can do whatever you want.

So here’s the right way to use that LFE input jack. Connect the speakers to the receiver in normal fashion with speaker wire; connect the LFE (subwoofer) output of the receiver to the LFE inputs of the SuperTower speakers. Some receivers/processors have two LFE (subwoofer) outputs making this easy, but most do not. In that case use a “Y” connector to split the single subwoofer output to two cables. In the receiver’s speaker set up menu select Front Left & Right speakers as “Large” and Subwoofer as “Yes” or “On.” Now you can go into the Speaker Level or Channel Volume menu and turn up the Subwoofer level higher than the level of the other channels. Now the LFE channel bass will be higher in volume relative to the bass of the other channels. This concept is one that confuses many audio professionals never mind consumers so we illustrated what we mean in the charts below. If you still don’t get it don’t feel bad.