Connecting a Subwoofer to an Amplifier
Adding a subwoofer and amplifier to a sound system is the primary way do add range and depth to your music. High quality speakers can’t reach their full potential without the necessary amount of power.
An amplifier moderates the sound’s frequency signal and voltage coming from the car’s head unit and battery before replicated by the speakers.
Despite the intricacies of electronic circuitry, wiring the system elements together is relatively simple. As long as installation is followed to the letter with safety precautions in place
Most amplifiers come with a wiring kit and clear instructions. The following are some beginner guidelines for connecting a subwoofer to an amplifier.
1. Lay the Power Cables
After you collect all the components you’ll need, now it’s time to put everything together. First off, you need to run the power wire from the battery, through the firewall, to the amp. This wire is usually the longest in the amp kit, typically ranging from 10 gauge to 0 and is often red in color. But do not connect the power cable to your car battery or amp just yet.
2. Find a Good Metal Ground
To maintain a ground connection, find a spot within 3 feet of the amplifier. Some cars come with a factory ground point, usually a stud, the wire can be attached to and secured with a bolt. Another method includes pulling up the carpeting and scraping the metal until the paint comes off and grounding in that spot. If your amp is in the trunk, the car’s suspension bolts can be found and used.
The grounding wire should not be loose, or it can cause the amp to malfunction.
2. Run Remote Wire to Head Unit
Most aftermarket amplifiers require a remote wire to turn the unit on. This wire connection makes it so the amp is switched on with the stereo.
After grounding, take the remote wire (blue with white stripe) and splice it with the wire running from the dash either along the panel of the door jam or under the carpeting.
3. Wire the Subwoofers to the Amplifier
Professionals recommend using wire no smaller than 16 gauge, made out of copper. This type of metal offers little resistance for facilitating less voltage drops. Run the positive and negative wire from their respective terminals on the speaker to the amplifier.