Car sub Woofer
- Thread starter glennskitchen
- Start date
Hi,
first, the channels need to be summed (mixed) then sent to an amplifier.
Usually behind the 'radio' there are 2 RCA plugs available, and they are labeled
'pre out'. To overcome the absence ot those outlets , amplifiers have a
'high level' input , which reduces the signal with a resistor net to line level, then process the signal as usual : mix R&L ,lowpass>amplifier>speaker
In the past, woofers with a double voice coil were used with a coil each powered by each channel, but it's a solution not used nowadays.
first, the channels need to be summed (mixed) then sent to an amplifier.
Usually behind the 'radio' there are 2 RCA plugs available, and they are labeled
'pre out'. To overcome the absence ot those outlets , amplifiers have a
'high level' input , which reduces the signal with a resistor net to line level, then process the signal as usual : mix R&L ,lowpass>amplifier>speaker
In the past, woofers with a double voice coil were used with a coil each powered by each channel, but it's a solution not used nowadays.
Well, you should specify if you're referring to a woofer or a subwoofer, since
98 % of woofers have a single voice coil, and subwoofers ...well, it's just
for their intense use that DVC has some sense, since it dissipates the heat double, and as a plus the two VC may be paralleled to have more 'gain' (the impedance Z halves, so the amplifier 'sees' a lower load and is capable to pump more current...the negative side is that distortion doubles as also heat, which is not good with unsurveilled electronics such in car environment)
Then, you have to send to the loudspeaker only the range of frequencies that
it is supposed to work with. So to correctly drive a ( single) subwoofer the amplifier needs to be mono and needs an electronic filter ( crossover) to process the signal before entering the amplifier. Otherwise you still need to
filter or EQ a signal before sending it to the speakers, which is done with the (power) passive crossover, after the amplifier, but you'd need some inductors/coils/bobbins ( and also capacitors for correct filter slope) that are
humongous sized and not ready available for your project.
Too many words!
98 % of woofers have a single voice coil, and subwoofers ...well, it's just
for their intense use that DVC has some sense, since it dissipates the heat double, and as a plus the two VC may be paralleled to have more 'gain' (the impedance Z halves, so the amplifier 'sees' a lower load and is capable to pump more current...the negative side is that distortion doubles as also heat, which is not good with unsurveilled electronics such in car environment)
Then, you have to send to the loudspeaker only the range of frequencies that
it is supposed to work with. So to correctly drive a ( single) subwoofer the amplifier needs to be mono and needs an electronic filter ( crossover) to process the signal before entering the amplifier. Otherwise you still need to
filter or EQ a signal before sending it to the speakers, which is done with the (power) passive crossover, after the amplifier, but you'd need some inductors/coils/bobbins ( and also capacitors for correct filter slope) that are
humongous sized and not ready available for your project.
Too many words!
What radio is that?
Make and model.
Have you also install a separate power amplifier?
Some radios have build in crossovers that work with both the pre-outs and the build in amplifiers.. I am sure your answer is in the owners manual.
Post the make and model and I can check it out.
One more thing, unlike home or pro subs many car subwoofers come with a dual voice coil.
Make and model.
Have you also install a separate power amplifier?
Some radios have build in crossovers that work with both the pre-outs and the build in amplifiers.. I am sure your answer is in the owners manual.
Post the make and model and I can check it out.
One more thing, unlike home or pro subs many car subwoofers come with a dual voice coil.
Last edited:
I have a 1997 Toyota Soarer (which would be the 1998 Lexus SC300) with the same engine as your car (and incidentally have your model wheels on my car
).Many Soarers come with Premium Stereo which includes a subwoofer on the parcel shelf, like yours. They have a separate amp under the carpet in the boot (trunk) although mine didn't as more basic stereo. I tried a 2nd hand Soarer subwoofer (after mounting and wiring an amp in the boot) but they're all quite old and the surrounds are hard (my woofers collapsed altogether- the parcel shelf is an inimical environment for a driver
) so mounted a cheap 10" Philips unit instead. In any case the std Soarer 10" subs (whether EAS or Nakamichi[rare]) are 2Ohm, not good for most aftermarket amps). The tutorial posted above looks on the money- a shallow, "free air" woofer is apparently the best bet for this application. Mine most certainly isn't "shallow" and I have only about 2cm clearance between bottom of driver and fuel sender unit's outlet. I may change to an 8" sub later, with an adaptor ring. The Philips unit sounds fine, it'll transmit bass (and vibrations) all through the car!
Oh, I have changed head unit to a Sony single DIN unit. Original unit was OK but ran extremely hot (even with the tiny wattage std speakers) which I thought was not good for my CDs, especially in our hot climate. Have never used the CD player in the Sony unit though- it has a USB input.
It is highly probably that the factory radio sends two channels to the factory subwoofer amp, which mixes the channels into 1 mono channel, and powers the sub.
So you need to connect your radio's "woofer" outputs to the factory amp left and right inputs. But really to help, we need:
- Make/model of the radio
- Picture of the factory sub amp inputs, if possible.
OR, you could try calling Crutchfield to ask. There is a decent chance they have a wiring harness adaptor that will do just what you need. If not, perhaps Metra or Scosche might.
So you need to connect your radio's "woofer" outputs to the factory amp left and right inputs. But really to help, we need:
- Make/model of the radio
- Picture of the factory sub amp inputs, if possible.
OR, you could try calling Crutchfield to ask. There is a decent chance they have a wiring harness adaptor that will do just what you need. If not, perhaps Metra or Scosche might.