For the past couple of days I have been trying to get my sub to work. Here is what I have done so far, any suggestions would be greatly appricated. I have a pioneer head unit with 4 rca outputs in back. I have tryed all the slots with 2 different RCA cables. I have tried two different amps, 1 that i am possitive works. The amps turn on fine and im pretty sure everything is hooked up right but the sub won't make any noise at all. I know that some decks need the rca output to be activated, but i have looked and have seen no settings for this in the manual. I am totally stumped.

 

Unless you have a separate amp or sub-woofer amp/channel within your head unit, I doubt that your head will drive a sub-woofer. Operating frequency is pretty low for a regular amp and it may not have enough power either. If the channel you are trying to use will send a good signal to a standard speaker, the head unit you have just won't do the job. You could add another single-channel amp [with adequate capabilities] to get the job done.

 

correct-- i dont know of any headunit in itself that will power a sub. that sub output from your HU will go to an amp and then to a sub. If this is the case, then you may be close with having to turn on the sub output. It should be in the crossover section of the settings on your HU. But.... you have 4 outputs. that would lead me to believe you only have front and rear right/left outputs. these would be stereo only no sub output.

So if you are crossing over those outputs at lets say 500hz and up via the HU then thats the signal that is going to the sub also (if connected) and because most subwoofers will play within 150hz and down you wont hear anything. what model is it?

clif notes from what i have read
1. you have dedicated front and rear stereo outputs.
2. no sub output RCA
3. your HU crossover is too high

idea--- what i would do is forget about the crossover in the HU itself. these are good for daily driver 4 speaker systems really. Find an amp that you like prefer one with a sub out would be good. Run your cables to that amp and use the crossovers off of that. to get what you are looking for.

you can also obtain the correct frequency using an electronic crosover inline of a pair of RCAs for the sub (usually rear outputs produces better results) puting the crossover first, then the amp and then to the sub. this will leave you a pair of RCAS for stereo (speakers will loose fade function with this idea)

correct solution--- get a 4 channel amp with a sub output and your all done! if it has full pass crossovers then great if not then you can utilize the ones in the HU. Whhheewwwww! thats alot of writing and reading only to find you have to flip a setting in the HU

 

I would suggest using the amp that you know works and connecting a spare speaker other than the subwoofer to see if you are getting output from the amp. if you are, then the problem is most likely in the subwoofer wiring or speaker itself.



Rick B.

 

 

Make sure you have the amp turn on wire going to the amp from the radio. Check to see if the head unit has a volume control for the sub, if so, turn it up. Are you using 1 sub or two. You should have RCA's for Front or rear and sub. If you have two RCA's out then you may not have a croosover built in to the radio and then either RCA's would work.

What Pioneer model is the headunit?

 

Do you have the RCA's hooked to the amp? If so, go to the menu in your head unit and keep tracking thru it until you come to subwoofer output. You may have to turn it on there first. If this isn't the case, check the wires inside the sub's box, just to make sure they didn't get pulled loose. Is there a fuse in the amp, on the side, back, etc.? Let us know more.

 

good thinking with the remote turn on. (blue wire)

 

I apologize if this was already mentioned;

1. Ensure that the gain on the amp is not turned all the way down.

2. On some HU's you can turn on/off the sub preout, additionally, some HU's have a sub volume, so if your HU has these capabilities, its menus that's worth a check.


Good Luck

 

This is a good place to start, after reading more throuhly, since you have 4 RCA preouts, most likely they are just front and rear, in most cases you will only have HU sub control if you have a sub preout and that does not sound like the case.

 

turns out 72LS1Vette was right. One of the wires on the sub must have came loose when i was putting it in. Thanks so much for all the help guys. Also i'm not running the sub off of the deck, i have a really old amp made by depth charge.