audio illiterate

j_tre287
j_tre287 Posts: 2
edited April 2009 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
hey guys, i hate to admit it but i'm a newby at this sort of thing, so i'll get right to my dilemma;

i'm attempting to hook up a couple un-powered sub woofers to my car audio system which doesn't have sub outputs of it's own. is it possible to hook these up without use of an amp...or is that going to be an absolute necessity? (i would prefer to not have an amp because, well, while it is a car stereo system, i'm not putting it in my car. long story, but an amp would be difficult to mount and bulky in this situation, but if i need one, i could probably make it work)
Post edited by j_tre287 on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,794
    edited April 2009
    What?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • snow
    snow Posts: 4,337
    edited April 2009
    Just curious here but exactly how do you plan on powering these "Un Powered" subs without an amp? never mind the whole car audio not going into a car thing.



    REGARDS SNOW
    Well, I just pulled off the impossible by doing a double-blind comparison all by myself, purely by virtue of the fact that I completely and stupidly forgot what I did last. I guess that getting old does have its advantages after all :D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited April 2009
    Eh,, you might wanna' put those subs back in the box and think about what it is that you are wanting to accomplish,,anyway,, good luck,,don't blow anything up.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • average_guy
    average_guy Posts: 236
    edited April 2009
    j_tre287 wrote: »
    hey guys, i hate to admit it but i'm a newby at this sort of thing, so i'll get right to my dilemma;

    i'm attempting to hook up a couple un-powered sub woofers to my car audio system which doesn't have sub outputs of it's own. is it possible to hook these up without use of an amp...or is that going to be an absolute necessity? (i would prefer to not have an amp because, well, while it is a car stereo system, i'm not putting it in my car. long story, but an amp would be difficult to mount and bulky in this situation, but if i need one, i could probably make it work)

    Could you post some pics? :rolleyes:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,195
    edited April 2009
    If I'm reading you right, just hook them up to the amp you have. It'll sound like **** and I wouldn't turn it up that loud but it'll work.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • j_tre287
    j_tre287 Posts: 2
    edited April 2009
    well... while reading a little about subwoofer installation, i read that some self-powered woofers can extract the bass from the sound system themselves. i was wondering if there is some modification or adapter that could do the same thing for unpowered woofers; if some way to extract the bass from my system and send it to the subs without having to use an amp.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,794
    edited April 2009
    Nope
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,195
    edited April 2009
    Try telling us what you have and what you want to accomplish. That will help us to help you.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,794
    edited April 2009
    Allright. Try a passive 12db X-over.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited April 2009
    I have a home audio passive 15" woofer in my den. It makes a great end table.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hillbilly61
    Hillbilly61 Posts: 702
    edited April 2009
    If I understand what you are trying to do correctly, hooking up the sub should work. Sound quality would be suspect, but this is a woofer with limited frequency response, so it might work out OK.....

    The Lightman suggests a crossover. Definitely helpful ... basically you are creating a two or three way speaker (you didn't say what else the amp is hooked to and how).

    Concerning either of the above, a thing to be very careful about is the resulting impedance, as an effective parallel wiring will cut the assembled speaker rig impedance ... could be bad for the amp if it goes too low.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hillbilly61
    Hillbilly61 Posts: 702
    edited April 2009
    BlueFox wrote: »
    I have a home audio passive 15" woofer in my den. It makes a great end table.

    Truely passive, huh? ;)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited April 2009
    Hillbilly61 wrote: »
    Truely passive, huh? ;)

    Ka-ching. We have a winner.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited April 2009
    I think I got a headache trying to figure this one out.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,794
    edited April 2009
    Passive..active whatever. Apparently this OP's question was not clearly defined.


    And he only has 2 posts.
    Don't feed the fishing.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited April 2009
    Strictly a guess - but could you be confusing a subwoofer (in this case a passive one) with a passive radiator?

    They are physically different things and no, you cannot use a subwoofer as a passive radiator.

    As others have said - tell us what you have and what you are trying to accomplish and we will see what we can do with it...

    Michael
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter