I have mono sub output from my Onkyo 797 THX receiver, an ICBM-1 between the Onkyo receiver and a Toshiba SD9200 DVD Audio player using a whole bunch of beautiful Outlaw pearly cables. My current set up is to use a splitter at the Onkyo receiver's mono sub-out and cabling to 2 subwoofers.

I'd like to use the stereo sub-out function of the Outlaw, but, if I understand correctly, the subs will only work when I use the DVD as the source. I also use digital cable as a source for TV, cable movies and snoozic.

I figure that if I use the stereo sub-outs from the ICBM-1, I will not have any subwoofer function at all if I use the digital cable box as a source.

Does this sound correct?

I also figure that if I use an outboard 7 channel amplifier I could put the Outlaw ICBM between the receiver and the outboard amplifier, but this would be a very expensive choice so I could watch TV with stereo subs.

Any thoughts from the ICBM mavens out there?

Yes it does. If you hook both subs directly to the ICBM (which is "in front of" your receiver), you will only be able to use the subs when you use the DVD player for DVD-Audio -- if you use the digital audio output from the DVD player (which I would expect you to do to get the THX processing in the Onkyo rather than the more limited Dolby Digital processing in the Toshiba) or any other source, you will not have subwoofers.



It would also mean that you would need to disable the bass management in the receiver (so that the ICBM can do the job) -- you'd want to set all of your speakers to "large" at the Onkyo. Aside from that, there shouldn't be a problem with putting the ICBM between the receiver and an outboard amp. It should all be covered in the manual -- it gives a good guide to how to hook the ICBM up in different configurations (including between a receiver and an outboard amp).

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

I also agree that buying a seven-channel amplifier in order to have stereo subwoofers seems pretty expensive.

You might conduct a little experiment -- find a DVD-Audio disc that you like and are familiar with. Play it with your system in the current configuration (two mono subs), then hook both subs to the ICBM and set it for stereo sub output and listen to the disc again. You may find little or no benefit to the stereo sub function, since the idea of the subwoofer in the first place was that sound at such low frequencies is basically "omnidirectional" (that's why we have so many speakers in a surround system, and only one sub).

When you watch DVD's on your system, do you use the digital output from the Toshiba or the multi-channel analog output through the ICBM? Just sort of curious.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Thank you, Gonk!

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