Hooking up a sub to an older amp

 

steve ruff
im using an akai am2800 amp with an akai am2600 tuner. right now i have a pair of polk 100watt bookshelf speakers hooked up to it but i need more bass, the only problem is that my old amp doesnt have a sub output- only a and b speaker outputs, is there a way i can hook up a powered sub to this setup?
 

Anonymous
Yeah, there is. I did it with my ancient Quadraflex 666 quadrophonic receiver. Just hooked a single cable between the right Tape OUt on the amp to the Low Level right input on my KLH subwoofer. This made my powered sub's controls the determining factor. I could have hooked it up at higer level using the B speaker outputs and into the higer level inputs on both R & L sides of the sub. Then the controls would have been mostly through the receiver. Just a choice as to which sounds better and handles the power needs to your taste. If you do the low level Tape Out method you don't need more than one cable, as everything I read says it's largely omnidirectional and the sub data flows mostly through the right side and is almost exactly the same as the left side anyway.
 

speaking of the quadraflexx 666- is this a good piece of equipment ?

I am considering buying one for
 

Yes the bass is omnidirectional but hooking only one side to the sub means that bass tones generated on the other side won't be played. Remember you are still talking about stereo recordings and some tones are not reproduced in both the left and right channels. Maybe older recordings did play bass primarily through one side, I don't know, but producers are always trying to change things up and more separation in the sound is becoming the norm. Using the b output to send a signal to your powered sub is not only fine it is what the high level inputs are for, I would recommend good shielded cables though. If you are stuck using the tape loop output then also use a Y adaptor to combine your left and right output or run stereo into the sub. All questions are welcome
 

JC
A lot of sub on the market do have high level (speaker terminal types) inputs and outputs. Just get another set of speaker cables. Run the first set from the amp to the sub inputs (both left and right channels). The other set from the sub outs to the speaker posts.

The subwoofer will play the bass from both left and right channels.
You can then play with the sub high pass filter to blend subwoofer and speakers correctly.

Just make sure you get a sub with those high level inputs and outputs.

Happy listening
 

Ditto JC
 

ok i have a sony exsplode 760w 2 channle, with phoenix gold GSX4 wiring, with 2 12" JL. but i have a factory CD for now in my 2000 sunfire GT. IS there anyway that i can get it working at all. it other words how do you hook up the RCA cables to a factory deck with no RCA hook ups. Do you cut them and strip a wire behind the factory cd player or but a special hook ups or something?
 

Terance you are in the wrong group, you want car audio but I will give it a shot. Your amp may have high level inputs but I don't think so. If not the you will need to get a high to low level adaptor that will switch your speaker wire to RCAs, which you will be able to connect to your amp. You should be able to pick it up at almost any car audio shop for about $25. Not ideal but not bad sound.
 

Anonymous
I would like to get instructions on how to hook up a pluto and 2 cyclops amps to my car.
 

i recently recived a newer boston powered amp. the only problem is that the line level inputs are shot. the speaker level inputs however, work great. My question is this, having never used anything but rca's to hook up my sub im lost as to how to hook up the speaker level inputs to my yamaha amp. there are two inputs ( left and right) does this mean that it will operate in stereo? or is there one way to hook it up that is better that the other? Any help would be great.
 

christopher todd
correction powered sub
 

Unregistered guest
I've got a new Subwoofer and have a setup question. I'm currently using the high level input/output method (speaker in / out)...the Sub also has "Line" in and out RCA type connections (L&R). Using the High Level Connections to my home stereo sounds good, but I'd also like to hook up my TV/DVD...and not I don't have it all connected up...so I was think'in of using the audio out from the TV to the line In on the sub....is that OK? and if I do that will the speakers connected to the High levels work too?
basically are subs setup to use one or the other connections methods, but not a mixture of both?
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