RedZMonte Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 I am frustrated! I got my new sub amp and box all in. i used a HI-low level converter and ran the rca's to the amp. Sweet. everything worked great.... then clayton comes over and i want to show him what his old sub can do. NOTHING.. no bass! So i check all the connections and everthing is correct.... So i then try my portable diskman directly to the amp via headphone-to-RCA. BOOOM BOOOM BOOOM everything works. So i then try another set of RCA's form the hi-low converter.. nothing.. I then try another converter (out of my roomates old car..) and nothing.. I then attach the HI level signal and it works but as you know the High level input sucks ass! What do you think i should do. try another $10 NEW converter? I am sick of it.. I want a new deck but want to retain all of my steering wheel controles, do you have something that will work. i found from another site this thing... would that work with all my Steering wheel controles? http://www.logjamelectronics.com/pacswisteerw.html Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeZ34 Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 That unit will work with your steering wheel controls.. (this is in the TGP right?) I plan on getting that same unit here in the near future for mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 It will work as long as your new head unit has an infared remote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOHCRagtopguy Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 That thing looks pretty cool. Shane, if you get it and put it in, let us know how well it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 If your amp has a high-level input, then you might as well just use that because using an outboard high-to-low level converter vs. using one built into the amp makes no difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedZMonte Posted May 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 If your amp has a high-level input, then you might as well just use that because using an outboard high-to-low level converter vs. using one built into the amp makes no difference. Won't the high level imputs not work as well as a low level input? I have allways though the Low level input works better/sounds better. If i got the (+) and (-) backwards would that cause some flaky issues? Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandprix104 Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 the high2low converter is usually installed in amps now adays so if you get an external one thats just wasting money/battery power/signal strength & clarity. Everytime the signal goes through another electronic system or more wire the signal gets worse. If you amp has high level inputs it has a converter already in it. as far as mixing up the wire placement that can sometimes royally screw things up, though it depends on the equipment. I would definately find a way to get a new deck with low level outputs. it will make a TREMENDOUS difference. My system's bass got much much deeper and louder with RCAs from the deck back, however my right-channel RCA on my POS optimous amp is fried so im running high level inputs once again. P.S. Definately get good shielded RCAs and run them as far away from power lines as possible. ie - down the middle of the carpet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 Yeah, what Ryan said. Low level inputs DO work and sound better, but a low-level signal that was converted from a high-level signal is no better in sound quality than the original high-level signal. So whether you convert it from high-to-low with an external convertor or with the one built into the amp, either way your source was still high-level so your sound quality can never be better than that of the source. Yes, try to get a deck with a low-level output. If you REALLY want to keep the factory deck, you might be able to tap a low-level signal, but you'd have to probe around with an oscilloscope to find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ismellrealbad Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 my deck only has rear-out RCAs.....would the sub sound any better by getting a head unit with seprate front, rear and sub outs and connecting the amp to the sub outs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedZMonte Posted May 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 I think i have my POS and neg backwards.. i will try swaping them and see if the situation improves. If not i am going to just order the Swix thing and a new deck w/ wireless IR remote and deal w/ it the proper way. I was not wanting to dump money into my sterio for my commuter but it would be nice having a cd/MP3 player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 my deck only has rear-out RCAs.....would the sub sound any better by getting a head unit with seprate front, rear and sub outs and connecting the amp to the sub outs? Not necessarily. If you use a good active crossover with subwoofer outputs, that would work just as well. Some amps also have a built-in subwoofer crossover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandprix104 Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 Sub outs are best, never run a sub on front RCA outs (dosnt sound as good). I have the same deck as you do, ismellrealbad, and the rear outs sound DAMN FINE! so i wouldnt worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeZ34 Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 I was able to get low level signal out of the factory CD player in my Lumina by removing the original reciever/tuner box and replacing it with a Bose unit. It is a simple swap, remove three little screws, pull the old box out of the harness, plug the new box in, and put the screws back in. AfterI did that, I used an extra wiring harness I had and soldered some female RCA jacks on to the leads, remembering that the bose systems use a common neutral on their speaker leads. This gave me a low level signal output from my factory CD player.. Original reciever/tuner box (note the heatsink fins for the amplifier) Bose reciever/tuner box (note the lack of the heatsink fins) Adapter I made to connect my RCA's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedZMonte Posted May 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 my deck only has rear-out RCAs.....would the sub sound any better by getting a head unit with seprate front, rear and sub outs and connecting the amp to the sub outs? Its all usually pretty much the same. basicly its just a 3rd preout i think some decks limit the Freq. that the sub get as well. but if you amp has a LPF built in it then it doesn't matter. my Panisonic deck has a F/R/Sub preouts and the sub has a seporate "Fade" option to ajust the ammount of sound it puts out. which again most amps have a "Gain" adjustment you can do it manually on the amp as well. its not a big deal in my mind if you have an decent amp w/ an internal X-over and gain contoles. Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 Sub outs are best, never run a sub on front RCA outs (dosnt sound as good). I have the same deck as you do, ismellrealbad, and the rear outs sound DAMN FINE! so i wouldnt worry about it. It shouldn't matter as long as you use a good external active crossover. That's all a sub-out is, a full range signal that has been crossed over so that it passes all frequencies below 120Hz (or lower). In fact, using an external active crossover on a full-range low level RCA out can result in better sound quality due to better components used in a good crossover, and also the ability to adjust your low pass frequency for the sub and high-pass frequencies for the main speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandprix104 Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 the biggest reason for having three sets of pre-amps is so that you can fade volumes front2back side2side from the deck instead of your amps. Something I like but is not necessary. It is most usful for multiple amp systems where you have an amp for each pair of speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpv123 Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 Just to add my $0.02 - I have a pioneer deck and not having the steering wheel controls annoyed the %^$& out of me. I added the PAC SWIX unit and it works great. Easy to install also (only 4 wires). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ismellrealbad Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 grandprix104, yeah i remember now me pointing out we have the same deck. the rear outs sound fine i was just wondering if they sound any bette rusing sub-out. i think my amp already has a crossover control and i have it set as low as it can. i think the reason i'd want all 3 is cuz u can control each one individually Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandprix104 Posted May 7, 2003 Report Share Posted May 7, 2003 yeah if i had bought the next best model it came with a subwoofer out and multi color display. too bad I didnt have the extra $$$ its also not necessarily the best to have your sub crossover set to its lowest setting. I find it sounds better to have your crossover set to just where your rear speakers frequencies cut out. That way you get the full audio spectrum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92Cutlass4Dr Posted May 8, 2003 Report Share Posted May 8, 2003 Personally, i really wish i had a sub-out on my deck. I would like to set my fade more to the front, but if i do the sub amp loses signal. It's also nice to have a separate volume control for the subs in case you want to turn them off or turn them up on different music. One warning about amps with built-in high level inputs: they don't usually work as well as a separate convertor. The JL amps have an awesome system that will let you use high or low level inputs into the same input terminals, all you have to do is connect some RCAs to your speaker wires and plug them in. Very cool stuff. Regardless, the best is to use preouts from an aftermarket deck, the higher the voltage the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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