Reply With QuotePlease please please tell me you're joking.
i just installed my head unit yesterday. i have a 10" sub that i'm putting in my hatch. i ran the RCA cables and i dont have another separate amp. i dont want to hear how it wont be enough power, lemme worry about that, but i wanna know if it's possible to hook the RCA cables directly to the sub box? thanks guys and girls
Please please please tell me you're joking.
sorry PA-SI, its not really that its not Enough power, wich it ISNT enough @ all...but people are saying you shouldnt do it just becuase there is NO reason to....
its like saying, can you drive your car w/o the alternator...sure you can try your hardest, its just not going to do jack shit...
dont hook your rcas to your sub it wont do anything, just let your wires hang loose somewhere cover them up...wait for you to buy a amp!
Eric
it's not like he's talking about hooking up the head unit's speaker wires to it. that would "work" although it's not nearly enough to power a sub, not to mention the fact that it's most likely full range and not crossed over. He's talking about using the RCA. This could very well fry the line level output of the radio in seconds. I've seen far too many people try to install things themselves only to blow sh*t up, costing them alot more in the long run! bring it to a GOOD shop and you won't be sorry. I've got a Directed 600D sub amp cheap if you're interested. I can hook you up with the shop I used to work for in Horsham if you want.
steve
way to answer my question. that didn't help at all and i'm not some idiot that doesn't know what he's doing. there's a sub output on my headunit and FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS it is possible to hook it up directly to the head unit. thanks for disregarding the part about how it wouldn't be enough power and i just wanted to know if it would work. i dont exactly have enough $$ for an amp right now so i wanted to see if i could do it the cheaper way FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS. thanks
I did answer your question. You didnt understand what I was talking about or you wouldnt have responded the way you did. if you dont even understand that you can't connect an RCA level signal to a speaker, then you should by no means be installing your own equipment. I'm not trying to put you down, simply pointing out that if you're not sure how something works, either take the time to learn before you start a project or pay someone to do it! Jeez...
ok, then tell me why the stupid instructions i got with my head unit has the RCA's going directly to the sub? i'm not sayin i know everything, but i'm saying that i had the instructions to follow.
Why dont you stop down at a shop and talk to someone. Bring your manual and tell them what you're trying to do. I'm sure they can offer you an explanation. It's alot easier when you can see the manual and the equipment being used. Do a Mapquest for Good Vibrations, 350 Easton Rd. Horsham PA 19044. The # is 215-675-8204. If it's too far from you, find a reputable shop in your area. Any installer will usually offer free advice if you ask nicely.
First off: PAsi, what brand of headunit is it? Lots of times the manufacturers do not list amps in the documentation or in any pictures because they do not want you to not buy the products thinking you have to buy MORE than the headunit.
As far as using RCA's: Technically, yes you COULD use them, you would need to cut the ends off and unwrap part of the wire then twist it together, I believe that the inner part of the RCA jack is the positive and the outside is the negative.
Pros:
You saved money on an amp IF it works
Cons:
Will need to replace the RCA cable when you DO get an amp.
Won't have enough power to run the voice coil of the subwoofer.. you would get SOME movement, but not enough (then again, never tried).
Could possibly damage the headunit in causing a ground loop or similiar effect sending a voltage BACK to the Headunit.
Best way to test: Use CHEAP Rca's from Radio Shack, but the ends and twist em, you should have 4 wires (2 sets), use a CHEAP speaker, not your subwoofer, hook up the POS and NEG wires from ONE pair. If that speaker gets moving and you can hear the sounds the way you NORMALLY do in your other speakers.... give it a test on the subwoofer.
I would HIGHLY not recommend this, but I sure as hell remember not haveing any money and jury rigging EVERYTHING in my car to get sound. :)
Good luck
-=speck=-
The instructions are making the assumption that you know to run your sub with a hundred or more watts of power from an external amp. Think of the "sub" shown on your instructions as a "subwoofer system, including its outboard amplifier".Originally posted by PAsi
FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS it is possible to hook it up directly to the head unit.
RCAs are just for feeding a cleaner, unamplified signal to your external amplifiers. Save up for a month and get a mono or 2-channel amp to power your sub.
Exactly.......Please, for the sake of your hard earned $$ that got you the headunit.......Don't try what you have in mind. Besides, if you even got this to work the THD would blow your sub if you could get it up to the same level as your stocks....Originally posted by BarracksSi
The instructions are making the assumption that you know to run your sub with a hundred or more watts of power from an external amp. Think of the "sub" shown on your instructions as a "subwoofer system, including its outboard amplifier".
RCAs are just for feeding a cleaner, unamplified signal to your external amplifiers. Save up for a month and get a mono or 2-channel amp to power your sub.
Mel
Before it is asked: THD is Total Harmonic Disturbance. Which is, I believe, the amount of distortion or noise in the signal.
-=speck=-
the sub is a pioneer 10" (ts-w254c) and the head unit is the pioneer deh-p3500
From the description on Crutchfield's website:
"Subwoofer/Non-fading Preouts: In addition to the front preamp outputs, there is one set of outputs that may be set for "subwoofer" or "non-fading" output. When set to "non-fading", the signal is full range and the output level is user selectable from -6 to +6. When set to "subwoofer", the outputs are non-fading, and they may be set for normal or reverse phase, 50Hz/80Hz/125Hz low-pass output, and the level is user selectable from -6 to +6."
The key word there is "Preouts". That's shorthand for "pre-amplifier output", which means that the signal in that cable is not amplified enough to drive a speaker. The head's onboard amplifier section, with 22Wx4 RMS, would go to the main speakers, but is not affected by the subwoofer channel controls as described above -- it's a full-range-only amp.
The 22 watts per channel isn't bad for a head unit these days. You could get a pretty well-balanced sound if you ran just 100 watts to the sub, either by bridging a 2x50W amp or using a 100W mono amp.
What kind of box are you planning on using?
i'm makin a box, my dad is a carpenter and i got plans. .85 cubic/ft sealed box
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