RCA Length and Splitting Question.....

[rseifert 10+ year member]

Hi, I am installing a 4 channel 400watt amp to amplify 4 speakers in my pick-up truck. My HU only has one left and one right RCA output. Can I just put a couple Y-splitters in line after the HU so I can do the job and amplify all 4 speakers? I know that by doing this you compromise quality, but just how much is lost? Keep in mind this is not intended to be the sickest audio system ever. Can I do this with minimal effect?

Also, the RCA cables I have are very long. They are super shielded, but are 25ft long. There will be much excess in my truck. Would this cause considerable signal loss. Again, if it is not significant I am not very concerned.

Click to read more...

 

[GreenBook 10+ year member]

Hi, I am installing a 4 channel 400watt amp to amplify 4 speakers in my pick-up truck. My HU only has one left and one right RCA output. Can I just put a couple Y-splitters in line after the HU so I can do the job and amplify all 4 speakers? I know that by doing this you compromise quality, but just how much is lost? Keep in mind this is not intended to be the sickest audio system ever. Can I do this with minimal effect?
Also, the RCA cables I have are very long. They are super shielded, but are 25ft long. There will be much excess in my truck. Would this cause considerable signal loss. Again, if it is not significant I am not very concerned.

You should be allright, but you will loose the ability to use your head units fader; and should make sure the 1 set of preouts isnt solely for a subwoofer.

 

[ahillworks 10+ year member]

Should be fine but if you can prevent the length by getting maybe a short length may be better. But all in all it will work and not much of a loss in qaulity. And green book is right fade option out the door.

 

[ahillworks 10+ year member]

Could also lookinto getting one of these as well.

http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/vpid/1770955/vpcsid/0/SFV/30046

Peripheral PRC1 RCA level controller great for sub amp volume control Qty:

Retail Price: $24.95

Our Price: $15.15

Brand: Peripheral

Condition: New

Peripheral PRC1 RCA Line Level Controller gives the user the ability to fine tune the volume of any RCA line level signal. The compact housing allows it to be mounted virtually anywhere so control is at the users fingertips. Simple in and out connections, no additional wiring needed. Product Code: PRC1

 

[rseifert 10+ year member]

That's pretty cool, I can just put that in line with one set of RCA's and I can control the volume of a set of speakers? How do I Know what is the front set and the rear set? I'm assuming channel A is front and Channel B is rear?

 

[mjf 10+ year member]

buy a better head unit.

 

[ahillworks 10+ year member]

buy a better head unit.

LMAO yeah no kidding but hey he is working with what he has //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[rseifert 10+ year member]

Well I got the HU as a xmas gift last year so I didn't have a choice in it. (not that I would have known then anyway). Would you recommend me forgetting the RCA cables and using the speaker input jacks on the amp? I'm assuming that would allow me the fade feature, but would be more complicated.

 

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

You should be fine with one run of cables - the set will already power all four speakers from the 4 channel amplifier. If all four are wired into it.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

Y-cables are fine, quality isn't degraded.

I doubt you'll miss the ability to fade anyway.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

There is no loss in voltage when splitting as long as the amps have adequate input impedance. There is also basically zero loss caused by long signal cables. We're talking about extremely low amperage signal cables here. You have to have amperage to get a voltage drop. With high input impedance, amperage is minimized and so is voltage drop. The higher the input impedance of the amp, the longer a signal cable you can run before losses become an issue.