VTECth1s

Well I just installed a pioneer DEH-1300MP head-unit into my car 2 nights ago and everything works great.

When I purchased the car, it had Clarion speakers and a Clarion APA450 amplifier. I looked at the amp, and ALL the terminals are being used. I think the speakers are wired to the amp as well.

Now I want to add a subwoofer to the amp. How do I do this when there isn't anymore available terminals on the amp? What's my next step? Thanks!

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

6 words.
Buy another amp.
Power distribution block.

The existing amp is probably a 4 channel which is already powering the speakers at the corners. If you want to run a sub on top of that you will need a separate amp.

VTECth1s

I see, well I'm still fairly new to this. And installing the head-unit wasn't hard. But, how do I connect the second amp and the power dist. block? Thanks again

VTECth1s

I just found a diagram online, for what I might be looking for. Does this look right? 1 amp is wired to the speakers(current setup), and the second amp directly to sub(which I need).



Do I need a capacitor? If so, what kind/type? And must I have a mono amp, or can it be a multi-channel amp to power the sub?

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

You don't need a capacitor.

VTECth1s

How about the type of amp? I'm assuming a mono amp, since I'm only powering a sub.

VTECth1s

I'm a bit confused on connecting the amp to the sub. This is a diagram I made, and the mono amp I'm using has 4 terminals; -- ++

Which setup is the proper one? And why?

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Surely the amp has instructions on running in bridged mode?
Read this FAQ.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-WDFhVOt...ofers_faq.html

VTECth1s

/\ Thanks, but I already through their FAQ's. Just wanted to know which + - terminals to connect to.

wrx-killer-Sti-eater

iTrader: (1)

Depending on what sub and how you want your sound. You could use that amp to power all four speakers and drive a low powered sub. What kind of car do you have?

VTECth1s

/\ Well my current amp is a 4-channel and wired to all the speakers. Leaving no available terminals, so I plan to get a second one but a mono amp to power only the subwoofer. I have a 05 neon srt-4.

wrx-killer-Sti-eater

iTrader: (1)

mono amps are non bridgeable, hence its a one channel. Both positive terminals and negitive terminals are the same.

VTECth1s

/\ I ended up getting a second hand Alpine MRV-T407 V12; 2/1 channel


I was able to obtain the manual for this amp online, and I wired everything accordingly to the manual for connecting to a single subwoofer. I've quadruple checked my connections, the green power light turns on. So I know the amp is getting power. BUT no sound is coming out the subwoofer!?! Wiring the sub from the amp is the easiest as it's just + - which I did. And still no sound?! Any ideas?! I'm stumped and frustrated.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Do you have the RCAs wired up as well?

VTECth1s

/\ the rca's are connected accordingly. Red to red(R), black to white(L), my RCAs is red/black, it came with an amp kit I bought. Also, I wired the remote turn-on lead to the blue/white turn-on lead on the head-unit.

I doubt the sub is blown, but if it was how could you determine that. The previous owner assured everything was fully functional. Only thing I can think of is the toggle switch settings on the amp. And would the head-unit have a setting to turn on the sub? Or would the sub automatically emit sound, even if wired properly?

wrx-killer-Sti-eater

iTrader: (1)

To test the sub to see if its blown is to use a 9v battery and see if it moves or makes any sound. The amp would be a lil different as you would need a meter to see if the outputs are blown. Make sure you are hooking the rca to the inputs of the the amp and not the outputs, make sure the gains are turned up too. Not to much. Just to get sound out. Tunning it will come later. Are you hooking this up to a sub out? Make sure the sub out is on and turned up. Were are you getting the rca source from?

VTECth1s

The amp only has 1 input(red/white). Which I have an rca cable connected from the back of the head-unit's rear output(red/white). The sub out was off, but switched it on, still no sound. I'm at work right now, but I remember the settings and wiring that I did.

VTECth1s

I tested the sub, and it's good. I pushed down in the middle of the cone and if was smooth, no noise or anything. Tested it with a 9volt battery as well. And it pops up and down normally. The sub is good that's for sure.

Still no damn sound!!

zerovandez

iTrader: (1)

I'm no audio expert but I don't think your HU has pre-amp outputs for a sub, and only has 2 channel out (1 pair RCA's). So I will assume you're using a line out converter for either the front or rear speaker outputs and running that to the 4 channel amp. If this is correct, you shouldn't have any RCA's remaining for an additional AMP.

You state that you "think" the speakers are connected to the AMP. Well are they? This is pretty important to know. For a simplified setup, You should run the speakers off of the main head unit, and use the preouts (RCA's) for an AMP to power the subs. Your existing 4 channel amp may support bridging and allow the use of a sub so this may just work out for you without having to redo much.

Otherwise, if you're content on keeping the exisiting setup, you will have to use 2 line out converter boxes to convert the speaker outputs from the HU to RCA's, run these to your 4 channel, then use the existing built in RCA's on the HU and run it to your mono AMP although the documents for your HU doesn't specifiy a switchable preout configuration (ie; normal mode, sub mode, etc..) so I'm not sure even that will even work.

Another option would be to replace your head unit with one that supports 3 channel preamp outputs with 1 supporting a subwoofer. Higher end models will have this option. I have an older DEH-P7200MP or something which has these RCA's but I'm not using it. Maybe someone with more experience can chime in on what your head unit is capable of.

And I would modify that system wiring diagram a little. I would run the power off the positive to the distro block WITHOUT a fuse. I'd use a fused distro block instead so it isolates the amps with their own fuse ratings. But that's just me...

I'm really interested on where you're running those RCA's knowing that this head unit only has a pair (2 RCA's).

Here's a link to some information about your headunit.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1301300...ures_and_specs

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

This is how I set up my systems. So if you are using a proper adapter then that should not be a problem.

zerovandez

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I don't see this configuration being a problem for him if his speakers are OEM or something of lower power because his HU is only 12-15 watts RMS. Sound is going to suffer a little but what can you really do with such a limited head unit. I don't think this HU was designed to do all of the things the op wants; well not without some modifications anyway.

0c00l

Your radio only has one set of rca's for preamp out, did you split them? how is the amp getting a signal from your radio?

VTECth1s

Alright guys got it fixed!!

Apparenly, the head-unit I have doesn't have a sub-out setting to turn on/off the sub. So obviously no signal being sent to the sub. Amp was tested and is good, sub was tested and was good as well.

I went to an audio shop nearby to see if they could help me. And sure enough they showed me what happened.

The current amp(came with car when I bought it) has a line-out converter. So what the technician did, was he unplugged the rca's going into that line-out converter. And plugged the rca's from the secondary amp into that line-out converter, and bam subwoofer turned on! So he added 2 Y-adapter's to the line-out converter and hooked up both rca's to it. And everything worked out. Sub is working, and hitting hard! Now I'm just doing the fine tuning with the gains.

I appreciate everyones help and responses!

zerovandez

iTrader: (1)

That's awesome man. I knew something didn't sound right when you mentioned the head unit, your equipment, and your goal. I'm glad everything is working well for you.