1 RCA plays louder than 2, not sure why

[Somchine13 10+ year member]

Sub is louder when only one RCA is hooked to amp. I did some reading on google and they said it could be out of phase but it isn’t. Positive and negative are all hooked up correctly and sub is wired in parallel to 1 ohm. I also checked my LC2i and all hooked up correctly, too. Is it ok just hooking up 1 rca and leave the other unhook and why is it louder on just one RCA? All wires are new including amp.

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[CarAudio.com - Hal AI Bots]

Sub is louder when only one RCA is hooked to amp. I did some reading on google and they said it could be out of phase but it isn’t. Positive and negative are all hooked up correctly and sub is wired in parallel to 1 ohm. I also checked my LC2i and all hooked up correctly, too. Is it ok just hooking up 1 rca and leave the other unhook and why is it louder on just one RCA? All wires are new including amp.

When you connect only one RCA cable to your amplifier, it often results in a mono signal being sent to the subwoofer. This can lead to an increase in perceived loudness because the amplifier is effectively using the single channel to drive the subwoofer, which can create a stronger output.

Here are a few reasons why this might be happening:

1. **Mono Signal**: If you connect only one RCA, the amplifier may be configured to sum the input, sending the same signal to both channels, which can boost the output.

2. **Impedance Matching**: With the sub wired in parallel to 1 ohm, the amplifier may be more efficient with the single RCA input, allowing it to drive the sub more effectively.

3. **Phase Issues**: While you mentioned that the phase is correct, sometimes even minor phase issues can cause a drop in output when both channels are used. If one channel is out of phase, it could cancel out some of the sound when both are connected.

4. **Amplifier Configuration**: Some amplifiers are designed to work best with a mono input for subwoofer applications. Check if your amplifier has any settings or configurations that might affect how it handles multiple inputs.

5. **Grounding Issues**: If there are grounding issues, it could cause one channel to perform poorly compared to the other.

While it's okay to use just one RCA, it’s generally recommended to use both for optimal performance and to ensure that the amplifier is receiving a full signal. If you prefer the sound with just one RCA, you can continue using it that way, but consider checking the wiring and settings to ensure everything is functioning as intended.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Sub is louder when only one RCA is hooked to amp. I did some reading on google and they said it could be out of phase but it isn’t. Positive and negative are all hooked up correctly and sub is wired in parallel to 1 ohm. I also checked my LC2i and all hooked up correctly, too. Is it ok just hooking up 1 rca and leave the other unhook and why is it louder on just one RCA? All wires are new including amp.

Just because the wires or speaker terminals indicate polarity is correct, one or the other may not be. Try reversing one or the other speaker connections, see what shales out.

What amp are you using?

 

[Somchine13 10+ year member]

When you connect only one RCA cable to your amplifier, it often results in a mono signal being sent to the subwoofer. This can lead to an increase in perceived loudness because the amplifier is effectively using the single channel to drive the subwoofer, which can create a stronger output.

Here are a few reasons why this might be happening:

1. **Mono Signal**: If you connect only one RCA, the amplifier may be configured to sum the input, sending the same signal to both channels, which can boost the output.

2. **Impedance Matching**: With the sub wired in parallel to 1 ohm, the amplifier may be more efficient with the single RCA input, allowing it to drive the sub more effectively.

3. **Phase Issues**: While you mentioned that the phase is correct, sometimes even minor phase issues can cause a drop in output when both channels are used. If one channel is out of phase, it could cancel out some of the sound when both are connected.

4. **Amplifier Configuration**: Some amplifiers are designed to work best with a mono input for subwoofer applications. Check if your amplifier has any settings or configurations that might affect how it handles multiple inputs.

5. **Grounding Issues**: If there are grounding issues, it could cause one channel to perform poorly compared to the other.

While it's okay to use just one RCA, it’s generally recommended to use both for optimal performance and to ensure that the amplifier is receiving a full signal. If you prefer the sound with just one RCA, you can continue using it that way, but consider checking the wiring and settings to ensure everything is functioning as intended.

Appreciate the info, thanks a lot.

 

[Somchine13 10+ year member]

Just because the wires or speaker terminals indicate polarity is correct, one or the other may not be. Try reversing one or the other speaker connections, see what shales out.

What amp are you using?

Rockford T-1500 BDCP

 

[1aespinoza Premium Member]

I also checked my LC2i and all hooked up correctly,

I agree with google. The radio to LOC splice is where most polarity issues occur.

 

[Mitchell Fosgate III]

Awesome. Al Bots. I like the explanation. Speaker outputs to the speaker inputs of the Amp. RCA. Anything else? Ground and the remote wire. So this Amp is a mono amp with 1 ohms matching the speakers and the amps. Great info.

I just started car audio in 2017 seriously. But I’ve found reading electronics books makes car audio easy. Because it is. A book by Audel Basic Electronics copyrighted 2005. Paul Rosenberg is a great start. Lastly you can follow this guy I’m watching on video. He used wire nuts to connect the harness. Honda civic 2000-1996 civic. It’s because it will be easier to add a back up camera if he wanted to in the near future. Seriously buy a cheap amplifier. Then read a book. Don’t need to hook up anything. The feel of electronics gets the job done. Owning a car amplifier is enough. Aiwa speakers. This is 5 watts. Works on any usb car radio. Make the music louder. The radio then is a mono amp. That would be a be internally bridged. This works good too. Loud.​

 

[Somchine13 10+ year member]

Awesome. Al Bots. I like the explanation. Speaker outputs to the speaker inputs of the Amp. RCA. Anything else? Ground and the remote wire. So this Amp is a mono amp with 1 ohms matching the speakers and the amps. Great info.

I just started car audio in 2017 seriously. But I’ve found reading electronics books makes car audio easy. Because it is. A book by Audel Basic Electronics copyrighted 2005. Paul Rosenberg is a great start. Lastly you can follow this guy I’m watching on video. He used wire nuts to connect the harness. Honda civic 2000-1996 civic. It’s because it will be easier to add a back up camera if he wanted to in the near future. Seriously buy a cheap amplifier. Then read a book. Don’t need to hook up anything. The feel of electronics gets the job done. Owning a car amplifier is enough. Aiwa speakers. This is 5 watts. Works on any usb car radio. Make the music louder. The radio then is a mono amp. That would be a be internally bridged. This works good too. Loud.​

Sure

 

[spokey9 5,000+ posts]

Awesome. Al Bots. I like the explanation. Speaker outputs to the speaker inputs of the Amp. RCA. Anything else? Ground and the remote wire. So this Amp is a mono amp with 1 ohms matching the speakers and the amps. Great info.

I just started car audio in 2017 seriously. But I’ve found reading electronics books makes car audio easy. Because it is. A book by Audel Basic Electronics copyrighted 2005. Paul Rosenberg is a great start. Lastly you can follow this guy I’m watching on video. He used wire nuts to connect the harness. Honda civic 2000-1996 civic. It’s because it will be easier to add a back up camera if he wanted to in the near future. Seriously buy a cheap amplifier. Then read a book. Don’t need to hook up anything. The feel of electronics gets the job done. Owning a car amplifier is enough. Aiwa speakers. This is 5 watts. Works on any usb car radio. Make the music louder. The radio then is a mono amp. That would be a be internally bridged. This works good too. Loud.​

Anything thing else you can think of that can burn a car down?