Want to add a sub to the stock system

[steve299]

Hello everyone!

I have a 95 ford explorer with the permium sound package so I have an external amp in the cargo area that drives the 4 door speakers. I am trying to add an subwoofer to my system to give it some more bang. I think I know what to do but I just want to see if any of you experts have any other ideas. This is what I am planning on doing:

1. Purchase a profile cl600m amp (or do you know of any others that accept speaker level inputs?

2. tap into the front right & left door speaker wires comming out of the stock factory amp for the 4 door speakers and run short wires to the amp's input connections.

3. Buy an amp install kit and run power connections to the battery.

4. connect amp to subwoofer (any reccomendations for a good sub with that amp?)

Please let me know if this will work or if there is a better way! I am not looking to build a massive system. I just want to add some bang to the stock system.

Thanks a lot for your help!

-Steve

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[zerohertz 10+ year member]

Your plan seems pretty good except for your second step. What you need to do is buy a high/low impedance adapter (http://www.audiopipe.com/ImageEnlarged.asp?PImageFileName=NAImages/NR-100.jpg). Basically it has 2 sets of positive and negative speaker wires on one side and an RCA output on the other. What you do is connect each set of positive and negative speaker wire to a speaker (like you were planning on doing) and connect the RCA output to an RCA (which will come in the amp installation kit) which will go to the RCA input of your amp.

You can really buy any amp you want as long as it has a built in crossover (which you will set on low pass or LP). As far a a sub goes, just get one that can handle as many ohms as your amp will produce and as many watts.

 

[pavengmike6 10+ year member]

DO NOT HOOK IT UP TO AN AMPLIFIED SOURCE. If you do you will burn up the amp. From what you are saying you are going to take an amplified source and hook it into another amp. THIS IS BAD BAD BAD BAD.

What you will need to do is tap into the speaker outputs PRIOR TO THE AMP. You can do this by buying a line converter. It takes the speaker inputs and changes it to RCA'S. This way you can buy any amp you want.

Well you asked about a sub. What are you looking for BASS or SQ (sound quality)?

If you want a lot of bass you need to go with a ported enclosure, if you want a tight bass for SQ then go with a sealed box. Plus we need to know how much room are you willing to give up. A ported box is going to be bigger than a sealed one. I would put either 2 10's or 2 12's in there. If you do not want to spend a lot of money, but still get a decent speaker, OBCON makes a ported box with 2 12's around 300.00. If you wanted to build the box yourself there are a lot of different subs out there to choose from. Eclipse (good sub and they come and many different types and price ranges) Concept makes a decent sub, Kicker makes a good sub too. It all depends on your price range and what you are looking for. If you want high SPL (bass) then do not go with the Concept. Concept subs are SQ not SPL. Everyone on here seems to like RE subs. I have never heard them, but I seem to trust most people on here when they say they are great subs. Stay away from Pile, Pyramid. Remember you get what you pay for. You can get these subs for next to nothing, but you will be throwing them away in a few months.

 

[steve299]

hmm...

So should I just get a line converter and splice it in the lines before they go to the factory amp for the door speakers or should I use a high/low impedance adapter on the output of the factory amp?

Thanks for your help,

Steve

 

[pavengmike6 10+ year member]

If you hook it up prior to the amp then NO. I can not stress enough DO NOT hook up the amplified signal to your new amp. You new amp will not like it and it WILL fry.

 

[steve299]

OK sounds good...

Thanks for your help!

 

[steve299]

is there a difference between a high/low impedance adapter and a line level converter (LOC)?

 

[pavengmike6 10+ year member]

no different terminology but the same part

 

[steve299]

Thanks again!

-Steve