Mystic is right and you are back in the game. If you can set up the receiver for "quad sound" you can use the surround speaker output to power your sub and run it through a passive xover to give you just the bottom. :)

Not sure I'm following...

The receiver has different program modes and one may be "4 spkr disco" "quad music" or some other description. This sends the same stereo music to your main speaker outputs and the surround speaker outputs. Connect main spkrs to main outputs, sub to surround outputs with 120hz low pass xover to eliminate full range music to your sub.

Amp surround spkr out > xover > sub

Amp main spkr out > main ceiling spkrs.

Done.

Thanks.

But

Arghhhhhh!

How come this stuff isn't all wireless/digital/bluetooth these days?

So, I connected the 2 subs directly to the receiver's surround outputs, with the filters inline. I didn't connect the main speakers yet. I get nothing. I tried all the various modes on the receiver, but there's no output to the surround channels.

Owners manual for the receiver. On both my Yamaha receivers I can send the stereo signal to the surrounds. Yours should as well. Homework!

I know, RTFM...

I messed with the small/large settings for the surround channel and I am now getting some output into the subs, but the volume is very low, even with the volume cranked all the way up. Its barely anything. I messed with all the settings, so I'm confident I tried everything. I can't find a quad mode in the receiver, so guessing that's my problem? But shouldn't standard surround mode send something to the surround channel? Are the filters I have installed inline to the subs mucking things up?

Standard surround will only send 5.1 surround channel signal (movie sound effects) There must be a way to route the 2ch stereo signal to surround spkr out. Dig deeper. :)

Dude, I totally owe you a beer or two!

Here is the manual: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/StaticFiles/Manuals/Home/VSX-520_OperatingInstructions0302.pdf

Pg 35 "Panorama" setting should do it. Fingers crossed. :D

Nope! Guess I should throw in the towel and plug in a powered sub?!

I think there is a way to do this with your existing setup. Test your surround out by connecting the full range speakers in panorama mode. If you get sound then the amp is right and the sub wiring connections are wrong. Process of elimination. If it were mine, I would connect front FR spkrs to main, rear to surround, and a powered sub to sub out. That is best practice to dial in so many speakers to your room.

Try just the FR spkrs alone. They are good down to 50hz and the lowest note on a bass guitar is 41 hz. That is pretty good "garage quality" sound. There are lots of LF sound effects that go below 50hz but not much music is down there. Do you really need a sub?

Thanks, really appreciate it, but I am giving up. I've been crawling around in the rafters on 2x4s all day and not enjoying it. At this point, I just start throwing money at things :)))

Now the receiver won't play anything but the tuner, so gotta figure out how to reset all the damage I did, and hookup a powered sub. I have a 12" Energy that I can use.

I've got a similar unit in my garage and I think you have to have speakers hooked up to the mains in order to get anything out of it, including the surrounds.

I tried hooking up the main speakers, but it made no difference. I guess the surround output will only work in Dolby mode with an appropriately encoded source.

Just another option off the top of my head but you could just buy some power for your existing sub with something like this:

Dayton Audio SPA250 250 Watt Subwoofer Amplifier 300-803

Pg 38
Setup your speakers as front and surround "Large". Run surround spk out > LPF> Sub. Select "No" Sub for the receiver sub out and xover settings as these are only for a powered sub.

This should work.

I'm following, except for this part. LPF?

Run speaker wires from surround spkr out to a passive 100w low pass filter or sub xover, then to your sub. Run your system in panorama mode so all speakers are receiving signal from stereo L or R.

Tried that, but no go. Seems this receiver just can't output to the surround channels equally.

I suspect something is still missing. From the manual it appears that surround channels are equal to main channels and can be fed a stereo music signal. Where is the missing puzzle piece? The alternative is back to running a powered sub.