Car Stereos: Installing a Bass Tube to a Amplifier, sony cd player, rca cables

Question
QUESTION: How do you install a Bass tube a 4 channel amp and do i need to hook up RCA cables to my Rear Output on the amp and the rear output on the head unit.

ANSWER: Hi William,

Sorry about the delay in answering, but I probably will need to get a bit more information before I can give you a good answer.

Can you tell me the brand and model of the bass tube, the amplifier and the head unit?  Is the amplifier going to be used for other speakers as well, or just for the bass tube?

Depending on the impedance of the bass tube, your best option is probably to bridge two channels of the 4-channel amplifier and use them to drive the bass tube.  In this case you'd probably use RCA cables from the head unit's rear output (assuming it doesn't have a subwoofer output) and connect them to the rear inputs on the amplifier (assuming you're bridging the rear channels).  But without knowing more about the equipment, I can't give you very detailed information.

Thanks

Brian

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The Amplifier is a Pioneer 600w GM-2006 model,an is running my front speakers.The head unit is a Sony Cd player 52 Wattsx4 MP3/WMA, AUX wireless remote, Model#CDXGT33W.And the Bass tube is a Plyle Model:PlyeTube 8 Unpowered.Eight inch speakers in the bass tube.

Answer
Hi William,

Thanks for the extra information.  It looks like your setup should be fairly simple.

You'd want to run two sets of RCA's, from the front and rear outputs on the head unit to the front and rear inputs on the amplifier.  I believe the Sony deck has the ability to designate the rear output as a "subwoofer" output; this is ideal, because it would allow you to adjust the volume of your bass tube through the head unit controls.  Your car's rear speakers can still be connected directly to the rear speaker wires at the head unit.

You'll want to connect the speakers and bass tube according to the "3-channel" wiring diagram in the amplifier's owner's manual. If you don't have the manual, you can get a copy through this link:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pio/pe/images/portal/cit_11221/386037901GM6300

The 2/4 channel input switch on the amplifier should be set for 4-channel; and the crossover filter for the rear channels should be set for the LPF setting.  You can set the front channel crossover for "OFF" or "HPF"; if your front speakers are 6-1/2" or smaller, I'd use the HPF setting.

Hope this helps!

Brian