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Subwoofer Wiring?

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Old 04-30-2010, 02:43 AM
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Subwoofer Wiring?

Hey guys, im new to this site. Im in the process of installing a sub to my stock stereo.
In my cobalt i have the pioneer audio w/ the sub in the back.
I want to tap into the subwoofers already existing wiring, i just have one question,
there are 4 wires to the sub, two greens and two blues. I am unsure which wire is left or right or neg or pos. is there anyone that can clarify for me? i just want to avoid my sub running out of phase. thanks
Old 04-30-2010, 01:54 PM
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okay. so i got it figured out. i tapped into the wiring and wired the 4 sub wires to rca jacks. now i have one problem. when i have both L and R jacks plugged into my amp it isnt very loud, when i remove one of them from the amp the sub instantly gets like 5x louder, does anyone know what the problem is as to why i cant have both L and R at the same time? im just stumped right now
Old 04-30-2010, 02:32 PM
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You have to buy a line output converter. The four wires are going directly to the stock sub from an amp. So you're amp'ing your amp right now...

something like this is all you need...

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_142LOC8...0.html?tp=2001
Old 04-30-2010, 03:09 PM
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how do u wire that up?
Old 05-01-2010, 01:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Terenc3
okay. so i got it figured out. i tapped into the wiring and wired the 4 sub wires to rca jacks. now i have one problem. when i have both L and R jacks plugged into my amp it isnt very loud, when i remove one of them from the amp the sub instantly gets like 5x louder, does anyone know what the problem is as to why i cant have both L and R at the same time? im just stumped right now
if u didn't use a line output converter im not sure how you did it but regardless its out of phase. one of the wires is backwards so the signals just canceling out. Swap the pos/neg on either the left or the right doesn't matter and that will fix the problem
Old 05-02-2010, 03:48 AM
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okay so heres what i did. originally, i baught the output converter, i had it all hooked up, and i had nothing coming from my sub, i was so confused i had it hooked up as best as i knew. so i unhooked it, and i had an rca cable with the opposite ends snipped off so out of curioisity i plugged them to my amp and just touched them to the stock subwoofer output n sudley i had bass! so i decided **** the output converted n lets just do it straight up. i may be just connecting something wrong i really dont know. but i got no signal from the output converter. i assumed i blew it or something.... but im pretty sure i didnt. so thats my situation lol. anyone know whats going on? ... ps i may have had the pos/neg in the wrong spot on the converter. i only hooked it up once n i gave up on it.
Old 05-02-2010, 05:27 PM
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ya probably. does you amp have a switch that says high level/ low level

right now your giving it straight high level into the rca's and most amps dont like that.
Old 05-03-2010, 12:25 AM
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no, it doesnt have a switch. but it does have a high level input, but i do have it plugged into the low level input right now. il give the converter another try
Old 05-03-2010, 12:30 AM
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hold on. do this undo whatever you had running so far and just run high level from the stock wires you tapped to the amps high level. plain speaker wire works great just get some in red/black or copper/silver or any other combo that you can visually tell which is pos and which is neg.

then just make sure to swap one side of wires and your good to go. Un hook one then wire the speaker wire just how u had it. unhook the other one and wire it in reverse
Old 05-09-2010, 11:59 PM
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kay so heres the thing, i was going to hook up the hi level input but i wasn't sure of the connection. Like the input where you connect it looks like four squares together with metal pins in each one, and i wasnt sure how to connect the wires to this, or what i should buy to do the connection.
my amp is an alpine mrp m650 if that helps anything? but i just didnt want to mess with it
Old 05-10-2010, 12:22 AM
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The amp should have came with a plug that goes into the hi-level input
Old 05-10-2010, 12:26 AM
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right you need the plug. my bad. it should have colored wires that u can figure out from there
Old 05-10-2010, 12:34 AM
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Talking

Originally Posted by Terenc3
Hey guys, im new to this site. Im in the process of installing a sub to my stock stereo.
In my cobalt i have the pioneer audio w/ the sub in the back.
I want to tap into the subwoofers already existing wiring, i just have one question,
there are 4 wires to the sub, two greens and two blues. I am unsure which wire is left or right or neg or pos. is there anyone that can clarify for me? i just want to avoid my sub running out of phase. thanks
There ya go :

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/how-guide-43/how-upgrade-stock-pioneer-sub-sound-awesome-look-stock-pics-160955/
Old 05-10-2010, 01:47 AM
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Yeah, ive had the amp for a few years so the connector is long gone, i had it hooked up in my old car with rcas. so what i did was i opened up my computer, snipped off an 8-pin connector, filled off 4 of the pins so now i have a homemade 4 pin connector. i wont have a chance to try it out untill tomorrow, but il let you guys know how it works.
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