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how to run a car sub in house

#1
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4/26/09 at 5:31pm
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is it possible to run a car sub in a house and if so how?
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#2
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4/26/09 at 7:11pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

'Car sub' and 'home sub' are just marketing terms. A sub doesn't care where it is run as long as it is in the correct enclosure and powered properly. The enclosure is determined by the driver's Theile/Small parameters and the goals of the designer. In reality, there are some subs that require such a large enclosure that they can be considered strictly home subs and some subs that do not produce very low bass so they can be considered car subs.

The subs I use in my theater are similar to the Audiopulse Axis 15's. They are currently in 3.5 cubic foot sealed enclosures powered by a Behringer EP-2500. I use a Behringer Feedback Destroyer as a parametric EQ to tame the inductance hump at 55hz and boost the low bass at 17hz.

Sometimes in the past people have asked this question and they were really asking how to run a car amp in the home. That is a waste of time and money. There are numerous pro amps and plate amps that can power almost any sub on the market.

-Robert
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#3
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4/28/09 at 4:21pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

i am looking to put a jl 13w7 in my house is there an amp that i can plug into my wall to power the sub the thermal power on this sub is 1500 watts i looked up your amp u use and cant tell how to power it.
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#4
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4/28/09 at 8:27pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
i am looking to put a jl 13w7 in my house
This has been done a few times but not many. There are many, many subs on the market that will out perform a JL for less money. Have you modeled the sub in WinISD or Unibox to see what type of enclosure works best?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
is there an amp that i can plug into my wall to power the sub
Dozens if not hundreds. You should choose your amp based on the enclosure design and the impedance of your sub.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
the thermal power on this sub is 1500 watts
Thermal power ratings are almost useless in home theater subs. Most of the time they will run out of excursion long before reaching their thermal limits. But this is enclosure dependent.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
i looked up your amp u use and cant tell how to power it.
The Behringer and all pro amps plug into a standard 110v AC wall socket. You connect the audio inputs to the LFE output of your receiver using RCA to 1/4" mono plug adapters. You connect the amp's speaker outputs to the subwoofer driver. Plate amps work the same except no adapters are needed and the amp mounts on the box. Pro amps give you more power for the money. Plate amps are easier to configure and make for a cleaner looking enclosure since you never see the amp.

Please, please start using capitalization and puctuation. It makes things much easier to read. Also, don't send me personal messages with technical questions. That is a disservice to this forum because no one can search the PM's.

-Robert
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#5
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4/29/09 at 1:02pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

i would just use a ported box i dont need to max it out but what type of amp do i need i dont need a good one just one with decent power. shoot me a link please aas you see to be the only one that can help
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#6
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4/29/09 at 1:06pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

First thing, you have to get the car inside the house.
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#7
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4/29/09 at 6:53pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

Plate amps:
Parts-Express.com - Search Results
Elemental Designs

Pro amps:
Shop Pro Audio, Live Sound, Live Power Amplifiers | Musician's Friend

I can't recommend one without knowing the voice coil configuration of the driver and your enclosure design.

-Robert
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#8
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4/29/09 at 7:33pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

JL Audio Products: Subwoofers / 13W7

there is the specs i would run a sealed box then a ported box maybe later but just base ur info off a sealed box
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#9
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4/30/09 at 7:23am
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

I'd put it in a 100L to 150L, sealed box. Power it with one channel of a pro amp like a Behringer EP-2500. If you go with something from QSC, Crown or Carvin then keep it around 1,500w into a 2 ohm load.

Your sub has dual 1.5 ohm voice coils. That makes choosing a home amp very difficult. Plate amps won't drive that load for very long without overheating. Pro amps shouldn't be bridged into that load unless you go with a very expensive model. Even then, I wouldn't do it.

As I mentioned earlier, JL is great sub but not a great value. I modeled an Elemental Designs 19Ov.2 (18" driver for $250) and it will get 5db lounder than the JL in the same 150L box with the same input power. I get similar results with the Exodus Audio Maelstrom-X and it has XBL^2 built into it.

-Robert
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#10
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4/30/09 at 9:59pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

so all i would need is the amp that plugs into the wall the sub and the box with some wire and i would be good to go? i want to put this sub in my car when i am old enough to get one next yearthanks again
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#11
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5/1/09 at 4:52am
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
so all i would need is the amp that plugs into the wall the sub and the box with some wire and i would be good to go?
That is a little simple, but yes. But like I said, the W7 is a difficult load to drive so plate amps are out of the question. Does your receiver have an LFE output?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
i want to put this sub in my car when i am old enough to get one next yearthanks again
You are welcome. Thank you for giving a hint about your age. I understand your posting style now. It is exactly like my 15 year old niece. It also explains your fixation of JL. In a few years you will understand value vs. marketing. When you decide to upgrade to something better and a lower price, come back here and I'll help.

-Robert
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#12
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5/1/09 at 5:02am
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

yeah what could i plug it into to get audio i couldnt use an ipod or imac i have a onkyo reciever
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#13
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5/1/09 at 9:13am
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

I'm really not sure what you mean in your last post. You can use an iPod and/or an iMac as a source if they are connected to the appropriate input of your Onkyo.

-Robert
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#14
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5/1/09 at 10:48pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

so i need to plug my amp into the onkyo reciever?
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#15
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5/1/09 at 10:56pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

i already have a logitech sub with 188 watts at 8 ohms the whole amp has a rms a 500 watts is there a way i can push more watts to the sub? the 13 w7 is a dual 1.5 ohms sus so is it rated at 1.5 or 3? also i would have 376 watts at 4 ohms would 376 watt unde power it so bad that it wouldn even work right?
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#16
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5/1/09 at 10:59pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

if i wired my amp down to 1.5 ohms how many songs could i play before i would have to shut the amp off due to over heating
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#17
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5/2/09 at 4:00am
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
so i need to plug my amp into the onkyo reciever?
My system as an example. All of my audio/video sources like my DVR's, XM radio, CD player, etc. are all plugged into my Pioneer receiver. The Pioneer is connected to 5 (and soon to be 7) speakers by speaker wire. The LFE (subwoofer) output is connected to my equalizer and then to my Behringer amp by subwoofer cables. The amp is connected to my two subs by speaker wires.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
i already have a logitech sub with 188 watts at 8 ohms the whole amp has a rms a 500 watts
There is no standard way of measuring wattage on a PC system. Take those specs with a grain of salt.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
is there a way i can push more watts to the sub?
Get a more powerful amp.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
the 13 w7 is a dual 1.5 ohms sus so is it rated at 1.5 or 3?
The specs are the specs. Each of the two voice coils are 1.5 ohms nominal (average). If you wire them in series you will present a 3 ohm load to whatever amp you use. If you wire them in parallel you will present a .75 ohm load to whatever amp you use. The price to value ratio as well as the voice coil combination make this a very difficult sub to work with in a home enviornment. Have you bought this sub yet? Why are you choosing this sub?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
also i would have 376 watts at 4 ohms would 376 watt unde power it so bad that it wouldn even work right?
We are back on the Logitch amp? If so, then no you won't have 376 watts at 4 ohms. Not all amps double their wattage when you half the resistance. Some only get a 50% gain. Others will go up in smoke because they were never designed to drive a lower impedance load. And there is no such thing as under powering something. You did look at the other JL specs? The sensitivity is rated at 1w/1m. They fed a 1w signal to the sub and measured how loud it was. 1 single watt and the sub worked.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
if i wired my amp down to 1.5 ohms how many songs could i play before i would have to shut the amp off due to over heating
Which amp? The Logitech running at 3 ohms (voice coils of the JL wired in series) - I have no idea. My guess is that the amp was purpose built to drive the sub it came with so no flexibility of driving lower impedance loads was built in. It will either shut down or burst into flames. Other amps - I don't know. Some of the pro amps I linked to may drive each voice coil as a stereo load but it will require you to use a QSC or Crown amp. Those are the more expensive models.

Let me ask again, why this sub?

-Robert
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#18
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5/2/09 at 9:46am
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

what exactky do i need i would buy an amp and all the stuff but i dont know how to wire it. is there a diargram u can send me? could u please speak in my retard language.thanks again for all the help
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#19
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5/2/09 at 6:05pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

What model Onkyo do you have? I'll need that to get started.

-Robert
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#20
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5/2/09 at 7:40pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

tx-ds494 there is no way that i could run it off anything but the onkyo right
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#21
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5/3/09 at 6:50am
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
tx-ds494
Hookup diagrams for your receiver - link. In the picture below, you see a cable between the receiver and the sub. That is a subwoofer cable. Any of those cables will work to connect a subwoofer's plate amp to your receiver. But I recommended a pro amp. You would need an adapter like this since pro amps don't have RCA jacks, they have 1/4" mono phono jacks.


Is this good enough to get your started on connecting everything?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jordan572
there is no way that i could run it off anything but the onkyo right
I'm again confused by the "question" so here is the best that I can do. The Onkyo is the control center for all of your source components - DVD, CD, radio, iPod, x-box, etc. The link above tells you how to connect your sources. The Onkyo also has amplifiers that power multiple speakers and a line level output to be sent to a sub amp.

-Robert
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#22
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5/3/09 at 11:13am
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

so buy an amp what wattage would i need for a 1500 thermal power wired at dual 1.5 ohms. i want a behringer like yours i just dont think i need a 2500.any ways i buy the amp connect the subwoofer out cable to the amp the buy that cord from radio shack that connects to the 1/4 inch headphone jack and plug the other cable to the amp. then the amp is all good and them run speaker cable from the amp to the sub and then i should be good?? thanks again i really appreciate your help
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#23
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5/3/09 at 11:53am
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

sorry i re read my post and it didnt seem clear alright buy the amp then buy the 1/4 headphone jack to rca cable. plug in the amp to the subwoofer[what cable do i need?] them plug the 1/4 jack to the reciever with the rca cable connect to the amp. then run speaker wire form the amp to the subwoofer. that should do it then right? also i have a onkyo cd player connected to my onkyo reciever i should be able to play cds to my subwoofer then right? also there is no ipod hook up on my reciever right? al lot of questiond thanks
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#24
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5/3/09 at 1:01pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

The Behringer is the best value in pro amps. They aren't as robust as a QSC but then again, you aren't going on tour with this setup either. Also, should only use 1 channel of the amp. At 2 ohms, the EP-2500 puts out 800w continuous at 20hz. So at 3 ohms, you are looking at around 600 true watts. That is more than enough to shake a house. You can wire up each channel of the amp to each voice coil on the sub but you will be pushing a load that the Behringer is not designed for. At best it will get hot and shut down. At worst, you will fry the output transistors and your amp becomes a very large boat anchor.

Plug the sub cable into the LFE out of the Onkyo. Plug the other end of the sub cable into the RCA jack of the Radio Shack cable. Plug the 1/4" mono plug of the Radio Shack cable into Channel 1 of the amp. Connect speaker wires from channel 1 speaker connectors on the amp to the sub. Wire the sub in series. I'll leave it to you to find one of 1,000 diagrams on how to wire a dual voice coil sub. And a correction, that is NOT a headphone jack. That is a 1/4" mono plug. There is a very big difference even though they look similar.

No your Onkyo doesn't have an input labeled iPod. It doesn't matter. My receiver doesn't have 3 inputs labeled DVR but I have 3 DVRs connected to it. Just get a cheap docking station off of Ebay. I picked up one for my wife for $15 shipped this week. Connect the line output of the docking station to the CD input on the Onkyo with a 1/8" stereo to dual RCA cable. I'm not sure how it will sound though. It really depends on the bit rate of the music that you have. I'm extremely picky and want CD quality. I do not like the sound of compressed music in the house. But in my Nissan and my wife's Lexus, we both listen to compressed music since it is not a great listening environment and we sacrifice quality for convenience.

-Robert
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#25
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5/3/09 at 1:11pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

where is the lfe out does it say on the back of the reciever what cable do i need to connect the reciever to the amp i know i need the cable from radio shack that carries the sound right but what cable do ineed to connect to the reciever to the amp
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#26
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5/3/09 at 1:47pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

Ignore the cables mentioned earlier. All you need is Radio Shack part number 42-2373. Your other answers are in the pic below.
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#27
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5/3/09 at 2:51pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

those two cables u labeled then would be connected to the amp right? how many watts would a europower ep4000 put out at 3 ohms
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#28
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5/3/09 at 3:07pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

sorry i see that it is only one cable i just need that won cable i was thinkin the ep 4000 would put out around 1100 -1200 watts at 3 ohms
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#29
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5/3/09 at 4:02pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

that cable fromradioshack would connect to the amp then right
?
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#30
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5/3/09 at 8:42pm
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Re: how to run a car sub in house

is there any sight that tell the weight and size of the amp i am going to buy the ep4000 because the amp will be running T 3 OHMS SO I WANT TO HAVE ENOUGH power to the sub and not fry my amp and there is a 20 dollar difference but i cant find a sight that show the lengh width height and weight
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