new amp install - more confused

[jcraft 10+ year member]

Okay, I posted a few days ago but here is a better summary of what is going on that I need assistance on. So this is going to be my systyem and I need to know how best to hok it up. The RCa side is the confusing side. Up until now I have had a single 12" sub in the trunk with a JVC KS-AX4302 driving it. I ran an RCA cable from HU ( Sony) to amp and am using one cable of the two. HU has only two RCA outputs labeled rear/sub. I pick in the menu which I want rear or sub out. RIght now it is set to sub out. NOw I have a Rockford Fosgate 300-4 coming in a few days. MY confusion is how to hook this into the mix. MY thoughts are this, change the setting in the HU to rear out and use both RCA outs to the sub amp. Then run another pair RCA cable from the sub amp ( again only have two) RCA preouts to the new RF amp which will be a couple feet away.I will need to add Y connectors at at the RF amp to go into all four channels. It sounds like this way I won't be able to control the level of the sub from the HU like before as when you set the HU to rear out it won't let you access the level setting. Therefore I will probably need to adjust the level at the sub amp a bit higher to get the volume I need. Please advise if this sounds correct or if there is another way to do it. Thx

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[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

you should consider investing in a better head unit, something with 6-channel RCA's. better amps will let you run a single pair for all 4 channels (2CH-4CH input switch).

otherwise, you can fed through the sub amp and use Y-adapters to split to feed both front/rear amps.

the downside you mention - losing sub level control. i use that often.

another option is to get a nice LOC (David Navone Engineering) off the front HU speaker outputs to feed the amp. you could get a 4 channel LOC and connect to all four speaker outputs and have your fader AND sub level control (same control as you have powering speakers from the HU - but with better amplification).

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

another, probably better, option is to get a 1/2 DIN EQ, like the Clarion EQS-746

that has one RCA pair input and three RCA pair output (front/rear/sub) with dedicated sub level control and fader right on the front.

 

[T.I.K. 10+ year member]

run an LOC, if you split the RCA, you're also splitting voltage, and you'll have to turn your gains up, and the more an amp amplifies a signal, the less clear it becomes, so it's cleaner if you don't split them.