How is a subwoofer hooked up to a soundcard?

[Adam_V]

For instance:
If I have a sound card with two outs (one being for the right channel, the other the left) and these outs are already being used by monitors, would I...

a) be able to use some sort of audio cable/splitter to get 4 outs from the 2? (I don't even know if such a cable exists, mind you)

OR

b) have to get a soundcard that has 4 outs?

If the answer is b), then I have another question:

If my host can only select one output at a time, would it then be impossible to use a setup such as this? If not, how might such a thing work?

TIA!

[7XL]

Get a crossover.

[mike.0]

Ideally you would have a mackie big knob, or presonus central station.

Any kind of amp that supports routing to extra outputs.

[rocket]

For instance:
If I have a sound card with two outs (one being for the right channel, the other the left) and these outs are already being used by monitors, would I...

a) be able to use some sort of audio cable/splitter to get 4 outs from the 2? (I don't even know if such a cable exists, mind you)

OR

b) have to get a soundcard that has 4 outs?

If the answer is b), then I have another question:

If my host can only select one output at a time, would it then be impossible to use a setup such as this? If not, how might such a thing work?

TIA!

A: Splitters are a bad idea.

B: Possibly and if the host can only select one output at a time then you're in trouble

As has already been pointed out though, your out will have to be lowpassed to get rid of anything above around 100hz (lets not start a discussion on optimum crossover frequency) and then put into a decent amp. Though you maybe talking about a box that already has the amp and crossover in of course.

[Muff Wiggler]

hmm

my soundcard has 'monitor outs' which are balanced 1/4-inch jacks. 2 of them.

I run a balanced-1/4-inch-to-XLR cable from them to my sub, which has 2 XLR inputs.

The sub also has two XLR outputs, which each run an XLR cable to the XLR input of my monitor speakers. The crossover is in the subwoofer.

This is the ideal setup for me.

[Jeremy_NSL]

Most good subs have a crossover built in... my Paradigm does - though I actually used the crossover in my yamaha amp.