How many RCA cables do I need?

[Hulk311 10+ year member]

Ok gentlemen my HU only has two outputs (one red one white). I would like to install 2 speakers and one sub. I will be hooking up both speakers to a 4 channel amp that is bridged and the sub to a 4 channel amp that will also be bridged (but only to channels 1+2, channels 3+4 will not be used).

My questions is, how many different RCA and Y cables will I be needing? Also, can someone post a diagram how all of this will be setup? I really appreciate it.

Click to read more...

 

[JoshC 10+ year member]

lol buy a HU with more preouts

You need as many sets(1red1white) of RCAs per 2 channels you use. i dont think u can ycable a ycable, need a converter or sumthing

BTW thats 1 set of outputs man, u need one red one white for a single set

 

[Hulk311 10+ year member]

The ALPINE CDE-9843 is working great so I really don't need to buy one just yet.

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

lol buy a HU with more preouts
You need as many sets(1red1white) of RCAs per 2 channels you use. i dont think u can ycable a ycable, need a converter or sumthing

not true josh,you can use the pre outs .be we need more info about the amp .look at the amp and see if it has a set of rca out puts or called a pass thru.if not then you need y connectors.but would be better sounding with a better deck.and dont use the sub out feature on the deck .

 

[DaveVT 10+ year member]

The ALPINE CDE-9843 is working great so I really don't need to buy one just yet.

You do if you want it done properly.

Your best bet is a deck with front, rear and non fading sub outs. You can get cd players with these features for like 30-50 bucks. I bought my alpine off craigslist for 35.00.

 

[JoshC 10+ year member]

then u need a 2ch amp for ure highs or sub which ever. Thats 1 set of RCAs, the u can use that 4ch for ure other set, but ch1&2, thats 1 more set of RCAs

Then buy these

Monster Cable I101 XLN-Y-2F Y-Adapter RCA Interconnect Cable

I dont see any other rca input expanders, with 1 set of rca outputs u can only double from what ive found

Thats a good HU, just limited on outputs.

Maybe someone else will chim in with a nifty gadget

 

[JoshC 10+ year member]

not true josh,you can use the pre outs .be we need more info about the amp .look at the amp and see if it has a set of rca out puts or called a pass thru.if not then you need y connectors.but would be better sounding with a better deck.and dont use the sub out feature on the deck .

Could he ycable the at the amps then ycable another 2 amps together?(total of 3 ycables) That would allow the OP to use 3 sets of channels if he used the HP/LP features on the amps

 

[brodeisel 10+ year member]

what about if he used an eq. would turn one set in to several

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

exactly,but if you dont want to replace the deck yet then just get an eq and call it a day

 

[JoshC 10+ year member]

lol well theres the gadget i was speaking of, totaly didnt think of that.

Just dont buy a crappy one, whats a good one even run?

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_41255_Cadence-CEQ-773.html

If u had 2volt preouts, could a eq be used to gain 4v preouts? Would that really be of any advantage to the amps? my gains arnt that high

 

[Hulk311 10+ year member]

OK rest of the setup:

ARC AUDIO FD4150

Hifonics zx 6400

RAINBOW CS 265 PROFI VANADIUMs

I plan on running the Rainbows on the ARC amp and the IDQ12V2 with the Hifonics amp.

I do believe my hifonics amp has a pass through on it so I think I can just use a RCA cable (or two?) to connect both amps together?

Here's what I'm thinking:

Since the HU only has two outputs:

One RCA cable from each output----> The RCA cable for the sub will have a Y cable at the end of it so I can hook it up to two channels.

The other RCA cable from the HU will have a Y cable to hook up two other RCA cables for the two speakers, and both of those cables will have two Y cables to hook them both up to two channels.

So, a total of 4 Y cables and 4 RCA cables?

 

[Hulk311 10+ year member]

I have my old CDT 61as and IDQ12v2 running off the alpine HU, but they are connected to my hifonics amp, 1 channel for each speaker and two channels for the sub with a y cable. Maybe I am making this all too complicated. Do I just buy two Y cables and put each end at the end of the RCA cables coming out of each speaker and then just hook them up to two channels each? Seems like this would be the easiest thing.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I use a Kicker KQ9 preamp in all my vehicles...the 5 will work just as well.You can find a decent one on ebay if you look,or you can but a 3ch x-over as well, but for adjustments at your fingertips...the preamp eq is perfect,and provides a better signal to your amps as well.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

OK rest of the setup:
ARC AUDIO FD4150

Hifonics zx 6400

RAINBOW CS 265 PROFI VANADIUMs

I plan on running the Rainbows on the ARC amp and the IDQ12V2 with the Hifonics amp.

I do believe my hifonics amp has a pass through on it so I think I can just use a RCA cable (or two?) to connect both amps together?

Here's what I'm thinking:

Since the HU only has two outputs:

One RCA cable from each output----> The RCA cable for the sub will have a Y cable at the end of it so I can hook it up to two channels.

The other RCA cable from the HU will have a Y cable to hook up two other RCA cables for the two speakers, and both of those cables will have two Y cables to hook them both up to two channels.

So, a total of 4 Y cables and 4 RCA cables?

the best and most important question is ,with all this nice equipment ,why are you running a hifonics amp with it?

 

[brodeisel 10+ year member]

Op are you big in to home stereo? because you only have one pre out it sounds like.