Hi all.
I have 09 Ridgeline. Has nav unit and factory sub behind the rear seats. To get to it takes several hrs labor.
Sub does not do its job too good. It's a plastic ported flat 8 inch driver enclosure. Word is, it has dedicated amp somewhere in the head unit. Overall, it's a maybe decent mid range speaker. No true bass.
Following the routine, I had RCA converter installed by Fry's(no comments) installer. This is what I have:
Here's the problem I have:
I have tried FOUR powered subwoofers in that car, ALL of them sound very boomy and will not produce good bass. Two of them are in my other cars, and one, Basslink200, is connected via a converter - not the same one - and does beautiful job with low rambling bass.
No, I do not want it loud, I simply want supplement bass. Any of those I tried work for me great otherwise.
But in this car, Ridgeline, for some reason, they all sounded like tin cans.
As a result, I came to suspicion that it may be two things: either door audio feed is crappy and does not provide good low range for amp to pick up, or that converter is junk and cuts off range.
To my best knowledge, factory sub does NOT have any high pass filter either. But, it does have dedicated OUT line with volume control off the nav unit screen.
As a last resort, I want to build a box, and go with amp and 10 incher (space underneath the rear bench is confined to 10 x 10(8)x length is ample. 10(8) means - 10 inched deep at the top, but 8 inches at the bottom due to floor shape. Height is 10 inches max, or seat will hit it.
So I started working on idea of disconnecting the factory sub completely, and running its wires to the amp. Apparently, it only makes sense to go through current converter, using sub feed, instead of door speaker feed. I am hoping, it will have better low range being dedicated sub line.
I located and determined the subwoofer wires in general harness that goes to the truck rear. Easy access from same driver side rear door step, just pop the panel. Leeds are YLW/BLK + and LT/GRN -.
So I got to all those wires yesterday, and then realized something: when they installed converter, they spliced Hi in wires together. Like this:
With that being done, no telling which one is + or -.
What I am really afraid of is to fry the HU by crossing polarity on those wires. As otherwise, it's very easy job - connect sub wires to converter wires, connect amp, plug in RCA plus and be happy.
Honestly, I have replaced many door speakers and installed several powered subs into my cars, and never really paid any attention to speaker wire polarity. But this one, I simply want to "proceed with caution".
Suggestions?
I have 09 Ridgeline. Has nav unit and factory sub behind the rear seats. To get to it takes several hrs labor.
Sub does not do its job too good. It's a plastic ported flat 8 inch driver enclosure. Word is, it has dedicated amp somewhere in the head unit. Overall, it's a maybe decent mid range speaker. No true bass.
Following the routine, I had RCA converter installed by Fry's(no comments) installer. This is what I have:
Here's the problem I have:
I have tried FOUR powered subwoofers in that car, ALL of them sound very boomy and will not produce good bass. Two of them are in my other cars, and one, Basslink200, is connected via a converter - not the same one - and does beautiful job with low rambling bass.
No, I do not want it loud, I simply want supplement bass. Any of those I tried work for me great otherwise.
But in this car, Ridgeline, for some reason, they all sounded like tin cans.
As a result, I came to suspicion that it may be two things: either door audio feed is crappy and does not provide good low range for amp to pick up, or that converter is junk and cuts off range.
To my best knowledge, factory sub does NOT have any high pass filter either. But, it does have dedicated OUT line with volume control off the nav unit screen.
As a last resort, I want to build a box, and go with amp and 10 incher (space underneath the rear bench is confined to 10 x 10(8)x length is ample. 10(8) means - 10 inched deep at the top, but 8 inches at the bottom due to floor shape. Height is 10 inches max, or seat will hit it.
So I started working on idea of disconnecting the factory sub completely, and running its wires to the amp. Apparently, it only makes sense to go through current converter, using sub feed, instead of door speaker feed. I am hoping, it will have better low range being dedicated sub line.
I located and determined the subwoofer wires in general harness that goes to the truck rear. Easy access from same driver side rear door step, just pop the panel. Leeds are YLW/BLK + and LT/GRN -.
So I got to all those wires yesterday, and then realized something: when they installed converter, they spliced Hi in wires together. Like this:
With that being done, no telling which one is + or -.
What I am really afraid of is to fry the HU by crossing polarity on those wires. As otherwise, it's very easy job - connect sub wires to converter wires, connect amp, plug in RCA plus and be happy.
Honestly, I have replaced many door speakers and installed several powered subs into my cars, and never really paid any attention to speaker wire polarity. But this one, I simply want to "proceed with caution".
Suggestions?
