Right, after giving it some thought, I have decided on a setup.

I'm getting a vibe blackbox stereo 4 to power my front and rear speakers (its a 4 channel amp in case you hadn't guessed), and believe it has high level inputs (I can link it to some speaker terminals of the head unit, rather than using the RCA).

Along with this, i'm getting a vibe CBR12 active EVO sub for the boot, which I intend to hook up the RCA plugs in the HU.

My questions are, what additional power sources will I require? (I imagine I cant run all that off my battery with it going flat), and how will I have to set it up? Is it a case of power caps, etc, for something more?

Any help would be a appreciated, Chris.

Use rca rather than high inputs if you can because it will be better.

get some nice fat 4 awg gauge cable from the battery to boot, into distribution block and ideally more 4 gauge cable to each amp. Earthed using same gauge.

People say both positive and negative things about power caps.

I believe 2nd batteries are only required if you're wanting to run the system with engine off without draining main battery.

it should run off standard battery fine. If not you can consider various upgrades but i'd install it first and see how it is. Obviously you'd need the engine on when running the system on max or the battery won't stand a chance!

theres going to be no mention on power caps, sick of writing about them. i cant imagine there being any big problem there in terms of power. just use the correct cable as thombeal said, try not to run the system while the car is off for long periods to keep the battery charging and you should be fine

Cheers for the replies guys, just a few more questions.

• My current HU only has one RCA preout, so would it be actually possible to link up the two separate amplifiers using just one? (Providing I don't use the high level inputs as tombeal said)?
• If I were to get an additional battery to help power this, what exactly do you have to do to it? Just stick it in the boot, or does it have to be linked to to the other battery or something? (Sorry about the lack of knowledge, its just i've never really dealt with power stuff before.)

Chris.

shouldn't bother with second battery at all. just use decent power cables.

I think all (or at least most) amps have RCA in and RCA through, so you can use RCA through to take the unaffected signal into a second amp.

sound have sound in and sound out ports on the amp, if not the onli option is to use phono y splitters

dont bother with 2nd battery! upgrade existing one before you do that.

j0nny said:

sound have sound in and sound out ports on the amp, if not the onli option is to use phono y splitters

dont bother with 2nd battery! upgrade existing one before you do that.

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doesn't y splitters half the power? does that matter? amp in and out should boost the power shouldn't it? or at least not lose power.

You wont need a second battery for what you want to to its not a big install tbh. Just use 4 gauge and avoid power caps they are a waste of money.

its phono leads, the used to send sound signals, not power, but it does split this, has less of an effect than if it was power, but if the amp doesnt have a sound out port, which quite a few dont. then that will be his onli option. in fairness theres a few headunits out there which onli have on rca output for sub so needs to be split to go into amp

j0nny said:

its phono leads, the used to send sound signals, not power, but it does split this, has less of an effect than if it was power, but if the amp doesnt have a sound out port, which quite a few dont. then that will be his onli option. in fairness theres a few headunits out there which onli have on rca output for sub so needs to be split to go into amp

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lol, i know the phono is sound signals but its still electrical signal so the signal would weaken if split.

Well if I am correct the vibe blackbox stereo 4 amplifier has an RCA out...thing (not sure of the correct terminology).

If this is the case, could I then just bring the RCA cables from the H/U, plug them into the RCA in for the blackbox 4 (powering the 4 door speakers), and then have another RCA cable going from the blackbox amplifier to the CBR 12 amplifier (for the subwoofer)?

If im being a bit unclear I'll provide an image if necessary.

Chris.

that makes sense to me. should be fine!

Cheers for the clarification thombeal, thanks again

no probs. let me know how u get on.

Right, I've just drawn up a little image (sorry its a bit messy) but have a look and see if that looks about right.

looks right to me.

the amp for the sub is separate isn't it?
have you put a dist. block in remote cable? don't think that's necessary, think you can just split it.

I'd use a fused dist. block for power cable and could earth to the same point too through another block.

Well the subwoofer is actually an active system, so the subs amp is just part of the box. I dont suppose the remote needs a dist block, but the fused block sounds a good idea for the power.

yeah active sub will have amp built in

what i did with remote is take it from HU straight into amp from speakers but split the remote at the front with a switch before routing it to the sub's amp so i can turn the sub on or off by switch rather than playing with HU and as ur HU has the one pre-out you will not have control over the sub from the HU so that might be an idea for you but up to you.

Right, but I thought if you didn't have a a remote wire linked up to the HU all the time, the amplifier will remain on, even when the head unit is switched off?

Surely if a switch is used in the remote wire, then the switch is off, the amp will just have a constant feed of power? Or am I getting it the wrong way round.

chris18790 said:

Right, but I thought if you didn't have a a remote wire linked up to the HU all the time, the amplifier will remain on, even when the head unit is switched off?

Surely if a switch is used in the remote wire, then the switch is off, the amp will just have a constant feed of power? Or am I getting it the wrong way round.

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Yep you are right amp will be on permanantly. An amp is always permanantly live in most cases and the remote wire is what tells the amp to actually activate and turn on. The remote wire is a bit like a switch for the amp when the HU is turned on then a small charge is directed to the remote wire and then to your amp.
So unless you want a flat battery i would put a switch on the remote if it is going to be live permanantly.