If you've added an aftermarket amplifier and subwoofer to your car, you're on your way to getting great bass in your ride. One of the crucial steps in making your system work properly is wiring the amplifier to the subwoofer. If you don't do this correctly, your subwoofer won't operate properly and the sound quality will suffer as a result. By examining the aftermarket amplifier and subwoofer you've installed and following some simple guidelines, you'll connect the subwoofer correctly and get the best possible sound.
Instructions
1. Cut a length of speaker wire long enough to go from your amplifier to your subwoofer. Thicker wire carries the signal better: use at least 14-gauge wire for the best sound.
2. Strip the insulation off the speaker wire leads on each end of the speaker wire. Take off enough of the jacket so that about 1/2 inch of bare wire is visible.
3. Insert one end of the length of speaker wire into the terminals for the subwoofer. Place the positive lead into the positive subwoofer terminal---it will be red or marked with a plus symbol. Insert the negative lead into the negative subwoofer terminal---it will be black or marked with a minus symbol.
4. Connect the other end of the speaker wire into the speaker output terminals of your amp. These will be marked "speaker," or occasionally, "high-level." These are usually set-screw terminals---loosen the screw, slide the bare wire in, and then tighten the screw down to hold the wire. Be sure that the positive lead is in the positive terminal, and the negative in the negative.
Tags: speaker wire, amplifier subwoofer, aftermarket amplifier, aftermarket amplifier subwoofer, bare wire, lead into, length speaker