Basic active subwoofer installation information.

[Merton69]

New here, so hello to All.
At the young age of 53 I have just bought myself my first car (bl*ody divorce!!).
I have recently bought an InPhase Active Subwoofer that will hook up to my Civic '09's factory Head Unit. Got to keep things cheap as court fees are ££££'s.
Anyway, I have been told that I need an IOC and saw an excellent one on Amazon (SCOSCHE LOC2SL Line-Out Converter with Bass Control) that includes a wire that will connect to the SW's power input that will switch it off and on the the car is switched off and on so it doesn't drain the battery.
Does this mean I don't have to run a power cable from the battery as the instructions suggest please?
Note: The instructions are on the understanding it is an aftermarket car stereo and not a factory head unit.

Click to read more...

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Will this be okay please?

It will work.

 

[Merton69]

Okay, again, thanks.

I will purchase some.

Thank you All for your top knowledge and expertise.

All gratefully appreciated.

 

[Merton69]

Will this be okay please?

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Will this be okay please?

It will work.

Will this be okay please?

That'll work.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Thanks Doxquzme for your reply.

I am UK based and can't get the Kicker at a cheap price.

I am not after loud super clear audio, just a more bassy sound to enhance the factory audio set up.

Hence, keeping it cheap.

As for your setup, the circled input in that reply is where the LOC (built into the amp) is located. You don’t need a LOC other than that. All you do is take the leads off of a pair of existing speakers (or tap into them from the HU, then run them to the powered sub. The LOC you mentioned is garbage, need it, don’t need it, and don’t get this one. The only thing that the Kicker LOC affords you is the ability to (as is the case with the built in LOC on the sub) tap into speaker wire anywhere there is on (L&R speakers, Frt. or Back), behind the HU or wherever and turn the powered sub on and off without having to run a turn on/off remote power from the HU. If you have a set of rear speakers you can tap into, using the Kicker LOC allows you to tap into those speakers, run them to the amplified sub without the need to take the HU out for anything else. Both configurations (w or w/o) an aftermarket LOC still require you to run power from under the hood (reasonably speaking) back to the powered sub. Here it is in the UK, $35.00, still on the inexpensive side of things.

Amazon product ASIN B07VKFSLKN
In a nut shell, this aftermarket LOC if you don’t want to pull the HU to use the HU remote turn-on lead, no LOC if you ar able to pull the HU and run the lead yourself.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Thanks Doxquzme for your reply.

I am UK based and can't get the Kicker at a cheap price.

I am not after loud super clear audio, just a more bassy sound to enhance the factory audio set up.

Hence, keeping it cheap.

As for your setup, the circled input in that reply is where the LOC (built into the amp) is located. You don’t need a LOC other than that. All you do is take the leads off of a pair of existing speakers (or tap into them from the HU, then run them to the powered sub. The Sosche LOC is garbage so if you go that eroute, don;t buy that one. The thing that the Kicker LOC affords you is the ability to (as is the case with the built in LOC on the sub) tap into speaker wire anywhere there is on (L&R speakers, Frt. or Back), behind the HU or wherever and turn the powered sub on and off without having to run a turn on/off remote power from the HU. If you have a set of rear speakers you can tap into, using the Kicker LOC allows you to tap into those speakers, run them to the amplified sub without the need to take the HU out for anything else. Both configurations (w or w/o) an aftermarket LOC still require you to run power from under the hood (reasonably speaking) back to the powered sub. Here it is in the UK, $35.00, still on the inexpensive side of things.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kicker-46KISLOC2-Stereo-Line-Output-Converter/dp/B07VKFSLKN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BA10LZSO9JL6&keywords=kicker+LOC&qid=1692757606&sprefix=kicker+loc,aps,391&sr=8-1

In a nut shell, this aftermarket LOC if you don’t want to pull the HU to use the HU remote turn-on lead, no LOC if you ar able to pull the HU and run the lead yourself.

 

[Merton69]

Hello All again.

Hope this post finds you all well.

This little project had to go on hold (as explained) but hopefully soon will all go ahead.

Just one question please:-

The speaker cables coming out of the SW will travel along the side of the car and into the HU.

But I don't know what cables I will have to splice to join the speaker cables to???

The fascia is apparently a very long winded job just to get to the HU, so I don't want to go in blind.

Does anyone have an idea which cables are the speaker cables coming out of the HU, that I splice into to connect the SW speaker cable please?

This is the only stumbling block (and time set aside) stopping me from going ahead.

Thank you.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Remind me of the configuration again. HU speakers output to the Kicker LOC? Which sub and what amplifier for the sub?

 

[Merton69]

Remind me of the configuration again. HU speakers output to the Kicker LOC? Which sub and what amplifier for the sub?

Thanks for replying Doxquzme.

It's a InPhase Active Subwoofer and rather than clogging up the forum with more gumph and images, page 2 has the configuration and some images.

Hope this helps. Thank you.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

So, assuming that you aren't using an LOC and are using the hi-level (speaker) inputs, use the speaker leads off of any of the R/L speakers (front or rears) in the car. It is important to use both R/L leads from a pair of R/L speakers so the sub amp can sum the signals from both sides of the music source.

In a nutshell, if you have access to the rear or front speakers, then use a lead from one left and one right, off the speakers themselves if that easier, to the subwoofers level inputs.