Active sub+Components

[OllieVigar]

I have a Fli 12" active sub http://www.fliaudio.co.uk/fu-enclosures/ and some Vibe Slick 5 front speakers and tweeters. http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_86 5333_langId_-1_categoryId_265870#tab1

The speakers and tweeters are currently wired up to the standard speaker cable but i want to amp them instead. Obviously i will need Power, Earth and Remote. The only thing i'm not to sure on is the RCA from the head unit. I'm pretty sure i only have 1 RCA slot on the head unit that goes to the sub. Would i have to get a RCA splitter and make it go to the amp as well? Or have i completely lost the plot?

[boarer2004]

I have a Fli 12" active sub http://www.fliaudio.co.uk/fu-enclosures/ and some Vibe Slick 5 front speakers and tweeters. http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_86 5333_langId_-1_categoryId_265870#tab1

The speakers and tweeters are currently wired up to the standard speaker cable but i want to amp them instead. Obviously i will need Power, Earth and Remote. The only thing i'm not to sure on is the RCA from the head unit. I'm pretty sure i only have 1 RCA slot on the head unit that goes to the sub. Would i have to get a RCA splitter and make it go to the amp as well? Or have i completely lost the plot?

You will need to buy a better rad unit with at least two RCA slot you can do a splitter but will sound terrible as the subs will run on a different frequency to comps plus I prefer to run my components flat with no bass

[OllieVigar]

Might be helpful if i point out that i have a Pioneer DEH-1300MP http://www.pioneer.eu/uk/products/archive/DEH-1300MP/page.html

Is there any other way i can do it without changing the head unit? Maybe get an amp thats 1000watts go RCA from AMP to Sub and components to AMP?

[boarer2004]

1000w rms

[OllieVigar]

1000w rms

what does that mean mate?

[boarer2004]

root mean square (abbreviated RMS or rms), also known as the quadratic mean, is a statistical measure of the magnitude of a varying quantity. It is especially useful when variates are positive and negative, e.g. waves.

It can be calculated for a series of discrete values or for a continuously varying function. The name comes from the fact that it is the square root of the mean of the squares of the values. It is a power mean with the power p = 2.

C&P from wiki.

In english.

Your amp will produce something called a sine wave. that is what moved the coil that causes your speaker to physicaly move producing a sound wave. That sine wave is rated in power or watts. there are 2 ways to rate this power.

Peak. the highest possible output the amp can make. Or the highest the speaker can take without damageing it.

RMS. the amount that the speaker/amp will produce all the time.

so when someting is rated in RMS power, that is how much "wattage" is always being produced.

[OllieVigar]

Cheers, the sub is 300 RMS. Looks like ill just stick to the standard speaker cable untill i get another head unit. Cheers mate :)

[Scott]

There is no reason that a Y splitter wouldnt work on the RCA output you already have. The unit has a standard preout, not a sub preout so it will be sending full frequency through them to the amp.

Unless that unit has the ability to tune what its sending out the RCA (which i severely doubt)then it would be fine.

[OllieVigar]

There is no reason that a Y splitter wouldnt work on the RCA output you already have. The unit has a standard preout, not a sub preout so it will be sending full frequency through them to the amp.

Unless that unit has the ability to tune what its sending out the RCA (which i severely doubt)then it would be fine.

Quite happy your have said that as I explained the situation to my girlfriend who took it upon her self to go into the shop and buy what she thought was right. An 900watt amp and a RCA splitter with out telling me. I got a keeper there!

Gonna put RCA cables from head unit to amp and RCA from amp to sub and comps to amp. Hope it goes to plan. Does any one now if I can put a power cable from the sub that's connected to the battery in its terminal and to the amp or will I have to put another wire to the battery?

[Jizanthapus]

Gonna put RCA cables from head unit to amp and RCA from amp to sub and comps to amp. Hope it goes to plan. Does any one now if I can put a power cable from the sub that's connected to the battery in its terminal and to the amp or will I have to put another wire to the battery?

Mate you're making this so much more complicated than it needs to be. So are other people.

Right. RMS is the power you need to match your sub and amp to (similar RMS values) and also your amp and components.

From what I can understand you want to run your sub AND components off ONE amp yeh? Right, if your amp is 2 channel, either choose your sub OR speakers to be powered by it. To run them both you need a 4 channel amp.

Forget about routing another power cable or RCA leads as you only need to do that if you are running 2 amps. Your headunit should have 1 set of RCAs at least unless its really old.

Just look it up on google, then you won't get people confusing you on here.

[OllieVigar]

Ok right this is how I'm gonna try it tomoz and hope my theory works.

Bearing in mind its an active sub so there's just RCA ports and tuning settings on it.

Run RCA cables from headunit to amp.
Run RCA cable from amp to active sub.
Run comps from speakers to amp.

Now my question is now will I need to take another power source from the battery so I will have 2 power cables, one for the sub and one for the amp. Or can I have one power cable going from battery to amp or sub and then add another power cable to the other in the same terminal?

[Jizanthapus]

Noooo pal you only need ONE power cable per amp. The sub doesn't need a power cable, as the amp has one.

Just buy a 4 channel amp, there's no point trying to find a way to wire more speakers into an active sub. The amp on an active sub is only designed to run that sub ( and are always underpowered so you can not blow the sub )

Honestly. I have no idea what you are trying to achieve but active subs are only meant to be a sub. You want more speakers, you need more channels.

[OllieVigar]

Haha I'm making this more confusing then what it is, ill take a picture later and show you all what I mean lol

[boarer2004]

My theory is do it once and do it properly 0 gauge straight into boot with a splitter to run two separate 4 gauge power cable to each amp can do the same with both remote and ground wire then run two separate RCA to each amp (would of been easier to get a multi channel amp and bridge the channels ) then wire the speaker cable jobs done then in the future upgrade your cars battery , alternator, sound deadening material and original ground wires on car upgrades

[OllieVigar]

My girlfriend bought me a 4 channel I should of pointed out. So RCA from head unit to amp. RCA from amp to active sub and comps to amp. Power cable from battery to sub and sub to amp. Or will I have to go battery to sub and batery to amp?

[Jizanthapus]

My girlfriend bought me a 4 channel I should of pointed out. So RCA from head unit to amp. RCA from amp to active sub and comps to amp. Power cable from battery to sub and sub to amp. Or will I have to go battery to sub and batery to amp?

I give up. Lol.

I would ditch the amp on the active sub. So wire in your 4 channel amp, comps running off 2 channels, sub running off the other 2 channels (bridged). Then it's simple. So to clarify, you need 1 power cable to amp, 1 RCA to amp, 1 earth, 1 remote and so on etc.

You CAN run another amp, you do not necessarily need another of EVERY cable - the RCAs go from the first amp straight to the second (no need to run another set from the headunit), same with remote cable. Earth will need to be earthed again. And you may need a thicker power cable but just split it into 2 once it gets into your boot.

[OllieVigar]

Ok i think i know what you are on about but i done it like this so far.

The only thing now is getting the sub to work now as ive wired 1 side of the comps up and they are fine. Am i suppose to strip one of the RCA cables and put them into the amp and the other side into the sub as it don't work via RCA.

http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/YSSGraphics/NewForest-20130420-00047_zps9ab30a1a.jpg

http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/YSSGraphics/NewForest-20130420-00048_zps51e265ef.jpg

http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/YSSGraphics/NewForest-20130420-00049_zpsdfb17c43.jpg

[boarer2004]

This is asking for a fire don't wire off the amps like this one wire going Into boot from battery then split the power cable with dizzy block or similar so each amp has there own separate power feed

[boarer2004]

Plus I would only run your gain to a maximum of 3/4 not full

[OllieVigar]

Cheers ill make sure i get the power sorted. I put the sub RCA cables in Rear Left and Rear Right terminals and the base came alive. Now for this to work am i meant to strip the heads off the subs RCA cables and then wire them into them terminals?

[OllieVigar]

just read a online manual and on Page 7 it shows the bridge i was trying to expain, so, i strip the heads off the RCA on 1 side and wire them in.

http://www.fliaudio.co.uk/manuals/900.pdf

[danny-vts]

why on earth would you want to strip the heads off the rca's, if you do, dont expect them to work lol.

[Jizanthapus]

Don't strip the heads off the RCAs lol.

Right I'm fully baffled now......but I think you should run it all off the 4 channel amp. As its just a mess of wiring and you shouldn't have the power cable like that.

All you need to do is have one of every cable (power, remote, earth, RCAs) going to your 4channel amp, have your comps running off the row of terminals that you currently have one wired into. And your sub bridged over the remaining terminals. Remove the active sub amp and wire directly from your 4channel to your sub. This way you got a lot less wiring, it's simpler and you won't be needing a thicker power cable or any cable splitters. And you can tune it all in on one amp.

[OllieVigar]

Ok i have tried it this way.

Power, earth, remote and RCA to the amp. Comps plugged into the amp. Fine. Now its wiring up the sub.

I put a 2nd RCA cable on the bottom row of RCA terminals from the amp to the active sub but no joy. Am i suppose to open up the actual active sub and attach speaker cable from the sum + and - to the amp?

[danny-vts]

Christ, you really are making this hard for yourself, you're giving yourself an headache lol. Do what muel suggested, REMOVE THE ACTIVE AMP ALTOGETHER!! all you need is the 4ch amp your missus bought for you, use 2 channels for the comps then wires from sub bridged onto the other 2 channels , it really isn't rocket science.
Remember....DITCH THE ACTIVE AMP :)

[OllieVigar]

Haha yes good bye active amp... However the amp is built in so I'm gonna have to open it up and use speaker cable on it

[Jizanthapus]

Haha yes good bye active amp... However the amp is built in so I'm gonna have to open it up and use speaker cable on it

Unscrew and remove amp, take the wires off the sub (inside the box), connect sub to your 4 channel amp with normal speaker cable. Then either put the amp back if there's a hole or just do away with it altogether.

I've never known anyone make this so complicated lol. Take a step back, have a read of some amp+sub fitting guides on google and you'll see it's really quite simple.

[OllieVigar]

Unscrew and remove amp, take the wires off the sub (inside the box), connect sub to your 4 channel amp with normal speaker cable. Then either put the amp back if there's a hole or just do away with it altogether.

I've never known anyone make this so complicated lol. Take a step back, have a read of some amp+sub fitting guides on google and you'll see it's really quite simple.

Yes got it all sorted now... i had RCA from amp to active sub and was wondering why it didnt work. actually have to connect it directly to the speaker. Sorted. cheers all! :L

[Jizanthapus]

Yes got it all sorted now... i had RCA from amp to active sub and was wondering why it didnt work. actually have to connect it directly to the speaker. Sorted. cheers all! :L

Nice! Got there in the end then!

Still not sure what you are on about connecting RCA's directly to a speaker but if it works, then it's allll goooood

[danny-vts]

Connecting RCA cables to the speaker?? They're meant to go to the amp lol

put pics up of what you have done :)

[OllieVigar]

i confuse my self most the time... All i can say is its a much better improvement having them amped! :D

[danny-vts]

i still wanna see pics of how you wired them up lol

[OllieVigar]

Currently its still running the active amp and the one of RCA's stripped. I know what exactly to do but i had no time untill weekend to put it all right

[danny-vts]

It takes all of 10 mins to put right if you just listen to us :)

[boarer2004]

Currently its still running the active amp and the one of RCA's stripped. I know what exactly to do but i had no time untill weekend to put it all right

Starting to think you have no clue what you are doing reminds me of a time my friend wired socket wire from battery to sub expecting it to play music funny funny day

[OllieVigar]

Hahaa no really I do and I shall put it right! :L

[artuan00]

I have no clue how you made that SO confusing for everyone xD

But I'm in hampshire (portsmouth) so if you need any help just PM me lol.

[artuan00]

Excuse the messiness of this diagram, but see if you can make sense of it.
There should be no need for stripping RCA's, and you only need 1 set of PWR, RMT, EARTH and RCA cables from HU.

http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/artuan00/Untitled_zpsc0d78e5b.png

[OllieVigar]

Haha amazing! Yeah will get a pic up for every ones piece of mind lol

[Morgiee]

Yeah two major faults their:

1. Two power wires fed to the + terminal, both cables differand gauge. Why?

2. The ground gauge wire isn't sufficent enough. Your using one thick power wire and a thinner ground wire, keep to the same gauge. Where are the speaker cables feedin too? as if its going to the front door speakers you really need to consider getting better speaker cable that white wire wont deliver anywere near what you want mate. I have done exactly what you have done years ago and learned from it the hard way.

[OllieVigar]

Different gauge cable because it was just there and wanted to wire it all in, cables are far from complete as it will be put in my boot build, for now its how it is until I rewire the sub and add to the build.

What am I looking for with speaker cable?

[Morgiee]

I use this easy to install and good quality sound output. The first link is for the sub, second link if for componants.

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/vibe-flatbass-13.html



http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/vibe-flatflex-16.html

[OllieVigar]

Cheers mate something to look into! :)