Converting Non-powered sub to powered?

[Jason_25]

Not explorer related.

But is this possible. I have a subwoofer that isn't powered and when I hook it up to my receiver it doesn't do anything. I'm assuming that it's because the receiver is only sending a non-boosted signal. Does this sound right? If so, how do I make the sub powered?

 

[Casey C]

Well I'm still a newb to car audio, but I know that you need to add an amp to boost the signal to the sub.

 

[2K1Xplorer]

Yeah to have to have an amp to power the subwoofer. You can't run it off the headunit.

 

[Jason_25]

Cool. Could I get an amp from radioshack? If so, what kind would I need to buy? Thanks for the help guys.

 

[2K1Xplorer]

Wal-Mart would be better, they'll have Jensen, Sony, and maybe Pioneer. The amp depends on the sub.

 

[Jason_25]

Oh i'm not looking for something high quality. I just want it to work. What would the price range for these things be?

 

[2K1Xplorer]

100-300 i am guessing. you might want to check sears as well.

 

[Jason_25]

Holy crap. Maybe we're not talking about the same thing here. i just want something to power the sub. I already have one of those really expensive receiver things. I just want something I can run a rca cable to from my receiver and have the subwoofer wires plug into it.

BTW I am talking about my HOME system.

 

[Casey C]

You can probabky pickup a descent amp from radio shack for you home system. I dunno any prices. You may want to get a crossover though to filter out the high frequencies so that you don't ruin the sub with the highs. They have the crossovers for about $13 for a 2 way.

 

[Jason_25]

Thanks for the input Casey. I will go check it out.

BTW will I need a crossover if my receiver had a dedicated "subwoofer out" plug?

 

[Robb]

Jason,
Are you referring to the single pair of sub RCAs on a home theater receiver. If so, receivers usually don't power a home theater sub. That is b/c a lot of people don't use a seperate sub. My fronts have 12s in them, so I don't use a sub. I would think that you are still looking at a couple of hundred to power it. The sub output on the receiver will already be crossed over to only send out lows.

Robb

 

[Jason_25]

Well actually the sub output on mine is just one rca plug that's labeled "Audio Out Sub Woofer".

I suppose it just sends a signal and not power. So your saying if I want to power it I will spend a couple hundred? Because there is a sub there at radioshack twice as big as mine and it's powered for only like 100 bucks.

 

[Robb]

Jason,
You are right on target. That plug is simply a low freq. signal with no power. I was a bit off on my prices (I haven't priced any home theater stuff in a couple of years) and am unfamilar with Radio shack "Optimus" pricing. Powered subs do make wiring easier, but you will have to place the sub near an outlet.

Robb

 

[2K1Xplorer]

Want kind of sub is this? I have two 12s on my home system. One is a radio shack (ok quit laughing now), It has a pass through. You use the speaker out form the reciver - to the sub - out of the sub to the main speakers. If you do need an outboard amp to power the sub. I don't know if radio shack will have that, un less you want like a PA amp or a second reciver. You might want to check out www.partsexpress.com they have a lot of home therate stuff.

 

[Jason_25]

Ok well I have a second receiver and I tried that. No go. I ran an RCA cable from the "sub out" to the left side "cd aux/in" on the second receiver. And I attached the sub wires to the second receiver as the left side speaker. Nothing happened. So I guess I will check out all the different stores and see what I can find.

 

[Jason_25]

Woo Hoo! Got it to work. I had to enable the subwoofer option in the set up mode on the first receiver. Plenty of bump now.