Pioneer HU Powering Subwoofer?

[kewe]

First of all - ICE neewbie alert

I have a Pioneer DEH-5000UB HU and believe it can power a seperate subwoofer without the need for an amp?

I have been keeping an eye open for a cheap boxed subwoofer to test it out and managed to get a sony xplod XS-AW200X 8" Active Subwoofer for £5, rubbish I know but thought i'd give it a try at that price.

The question is I thought I should be able to just connect the RCA's into this subwoofer from the HU without connecting any power and the subwoofer would work, after switching on the SW control from the HU, but it doesn't?

Am I being a bit stupid or does this only work with a passive sub rather than an active sub, or maybe doesn't work either way at all?

 

[truCido]

Yeah its got something called direct sub drive...never used it myself though!! Would of thought it would of been connecting the output to the sub and then enabling it in the SW like you said...you sure the sub works? lol

 

[kewe]

Yeah its got something called direct sub drive...never used it myself though!! Would of thought it would of been connecting the output to the sub and then enabling it in the SW like you said...you sure the sub works? lol

dunno, the seller said it was working when removed from his car and the fact I'm not using the 'active' part of the sub would make me think it should be OK as it's really only the speaker itself I am connecting to - I think?

No real way to test it though I believe.

 

[Mylo]

the rca output will be low level, the active sub won't work without 12v powering it

 

[truCido]

the rca output will be low level, the active sub won't work without 12v powering it

You sure?? Because I'm sure the Pioneer feature means that basically the headunit acts as an amp.

A passive sub you could connect directly to any speaker cables i.e. rear speakers, an active sub has to be amp'd

 

[Mylo]

if I'm reading it right, the op is pluging the rca from the head unit into the rca's of an active sub. The input will go through the amp stage not straight to the sub.

May well be way off mark though as I'm shattered

 

[kewe]

if I'm reading it right, the op is pluging the rca from the head unit into the rca's of an active sub. The input will go through the amp stage not straight to the sub.

May well be way off mark though as I'm shattered

Yep that is exactly what I am trying to do.

So if the active part of the amp is blocking the RCA getting to the sub, then this method would not work, I would be better with a passive boxed subwoofer?

 

[truCido]

ohhhhh sorry, your connecting the RCA leads straight into an amp?? i.e. into the box?

Combine the MOSFET 50Wx4 power amp and EEQ Plus technology to get Direct Sub Drive, another unique Pioneer technology feature. It enables you to amplify your front speakers by 2 x 50 W and add a 70 W amplified filtered subwoofer (in 2 Ohm mode) in the rear to enjoy outstanding full power bass without an extra amplifier. It's an easy solution for lovers of booming bass.

And from the manual

If you switch the rear output setting to REAR SP :SUB W, you can connect a rear speaker lead directly to a subwoofer without using an auxiliary amp.

 

[BigWill]

You sure?? Because I'm sure the Pioneer feature means that basically the headunit acts as an amp.

A passive sub you could connect directly to any speaker cables i.e. rear speakers, an active sub has to be amp'd

Isn't it passive means needs to be powered by a seperate amp and active means it's already powered by an internal one?

 

[truCido]

Isn't it passive means needs to be powered by a seperate amp and active means it's already powered by an internal one?

yeah thats what I meant!

 

[kewe]

ohhhhh sorry, your connecting the RCA leads straight into an amp?? i.e. into the box?



And from the manual

Yep, that's what I am trying to do. So the RCA leads come out the back of the HU and connect straight into the Back of the Sony Xplod subwoofer RCA plugs. Thats the only connection I have to the 'box'. So that's kinda not the right way to do it?

 

[truCido]

Ah ok so you have something like this:

If yeah then, you will definately need power and earth to it!!

 

[BigWill]

yeah thats what I meant!

Sorry mate, I'm half asleep tonight

 

[kewe]

Yes that's the very thing.

What if I swapped it for a passive subwoofer, would the RCA only connection work with that?

The Sony Xplod has a strange looking connector on the rear for power, so I'm not sure how I'd connect into it as there is no interface cable.