Y-splitters????

[2008screw 10+ year member]

Hey All,

I will be bridging my 4 channel amp for my comps and using y-splitters as suggested by someone here to maintain stereo sound. Just curious on if there as a brand I should be looking at or if one type is better than another or ones to totally avoid.

thanks

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[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

try to find car audio splitters. radioshack will work tho

 

[ultimate157 5,000+ posts]

I don't see how bridging your amp will make you lose stereo.

You're still using 1 pair of RCA's (2 channels) for the signal. Plug the RCA's into the correct inputs for bridged mode and you'll maintain stereo.

 

[speedfreak28 10+ year member]

I don't see how bridging your amp will make you lose stereo.
You're still using 1 pair of RCA's (2 channels) for the signal. Plug the RCA's into the correct inputs for bridged mode and you'll maintain stereo.

but if its a 4 channel amp and he only has one set of rca's he has to feed the signal to all 4 channels, right?

 

[2008screw 10+ year member]

I don't see how bridging your amp will make you lose stereo.
You're still using 1 pair of RCA's (2 channels) for the signal. Plug the RCA's into the correct inputs for bridged mode and you'll maintain stereo.

Not sure what you mean?

Usually if I were to run 2 sets of RCA's from my head unit to my 4 channel amp, I would be using 4 speakers. 1 channel per speaker. Now that I am bridging the amp to 2 speakers only, I run a RCA cable from my head unit which is only sending 1 signal - say the left, so then that is mono. But by splitting the signal with y-splitters, and plugging them into the amps left and right inputs (front and rear), then that will maintain stereo. Am I wrong in the assumption?

 

[speedfreak28 10+ year member]

Not sure what you mean?
Usually if I were to run 2 sets of RCA's from my head unit to my 4 channel amp, I would be using 4 speakers. 1 channel per speaker. Now that I am bridging the amp to 2 speakers only, I run a RCA cable from my head unit which is only sending 1 signal - say the left, so then that is mono. But by splitting the signal with y-splitters, and plugging them into the amps left and right inputs, then that will maintain stereo. Am I wrong in the assumption?

no, thats how ive done it. just look on ebay for 1 female to 2 male rca adapters, theres a ton of them

 

[miker 5,000+ posts]

! female 2 male... If you only want to use one set of RCA's..

 

[mokedaddy 5,000+ posts]

Even a single two headed rca is both left and right for stereo. You can indeed use y adapters to turn 2 rcas to 4 but for your application there should be no reason to.

What amp are you using? Is there bridged inputs listed on the amp or in the manual? You should only need one left input and one right input into your amplifier.

Splitting rcas does not make separate left or right signal it only splits whichever is used, therefore your assumption is incorrect.

 

[mokedaddy 5,000+ posts]

But if for some reason your amp does not have bridged inputs you can use the y-splitters.

 

[speedfreak28 10+ year member]

Even a single two headed rca is both left and right for stereo. You can indeed use y adapters to turn 2 rcas to 4 but for your application there should be no reason to.
What amp are you using? Is there bridged inputs listed on the amp or in the manual? You should only need one left input and one right input into your amplifier.

Splitting rcas does not make separate left or right signal it only splits whichever is used, therefore your assumption is incorrect.

that makes sense, i guess you could put ur left rca on front channels and the right on rear if the amp is bridged

 

[ultimate157 5,000+ posts]

but if its a 4 channel amp and he only has one set of rca's he has to feed the signal to all 4 channels, right?

Not sure what you mean?

You're going to be bridging your 4 channel amp to only output to two speakers, correct? Therefore you only need 1 pair of RCA's to have a Left and a Right. There is no need for 4 single RCA's to plug into the amp.

 

[Anonymous 10+ year member]

Best Buy has a decent selection on them. I know because I have to use the 1 female, 2 male to split my signal to my sub amps.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

You're going to be bridging your 4 channel amp to only output to two speakers, correct? Therefore you only need 1 pair of RCA's to have a Left and a Right. There is no need for 4 single RCA's to plug into the amp.

my 4ch has 4 inputs (obviously). you're saying if i wanted to bridge 1&2 and 3&4 i could use a single 2ch RCA? how so? which inputs would i use?

 

[ultimate157 5,000+ posts]

my 4ch has 4 inputs (obviously). you're saying if i wanted to bridge 1&2 and 3&4 i could use a single 2ch RCA? how so? which inputs would i use?

Depends on the amp. I have my 4 ch bridged to 2, and it uses the front left and rear right for bridged inputs.

Check your user manual for more specific information.

 

[miker 5,000+ posts]

So you're saying that using 4 RCA's is for separation of channels???