In my quest to make more work for myself, I came up with the thought the other night that I have a lot of music with steady low end that sounds horrible with subs. I figure it would be cool to have a 'sub disconnect' I know the obvious, I could put the subs on a seperate amp and that would work just fine, but I only have one 4 channel amp that runs my subs and my front speakers. How could I wire a switch in there to cut power from the subs? And if anyone is really clever, it would be nice to switch from my subs to my 6X9's when I flip the switch. Give me your thoughts guys!!!

 

????????

 

You could install an in-dash (or under dash) crossover in the RCA's going to the amp.
This way, you could set the crossover to "Full Pass" and it will sound like it does now.
Then, when you want to shut the sub off, switch it over to 100Hz or so to cut the lows out.

My Kenwood x911 has built in x-overs, so I just toggle through the menus to switch the cutoff during certain songs/albums.

what kind of deck do you have?

Thomas.

[This message has been edited by Stoopalini (edited May 08, 2001).]

 

I have an Alpine din and a half, only two preouts, too bad. Actually, I'll just post my sig, you can see everything there.

------------------
1986 Camaro Z28
White w/ T-tops
Tinted Rear Window
ENGINE
305 H-code
Gasket-matched heads and intake, ported and polished
Comp Cams 224 @.050
.472 lift I/E
Dual Snorkel Air Cleaner w/ K&N filter
Accel 8.8mm wires
TRANNY
700-R4 w/custom built 3000 stall converter
tranny cooler
EXHAUST
Flowtech Headers
No cat
Dynomax muffler
STEREO
Alpine CDA-855
Kenwood 4X6's, 6X9's
MTX 4240 amp
2 Sony 12" X-Plod's
Alpine 8440 alarm
Uniden 6599 Radar Detector

Take 'er easy, and if
she's easy, take 'er twice!!!

 

On my system, I just hold down the CD Eject button for 4 seconds and my sub turns off.
My Alpine Deck has 3 outputs though.


High Speed Run: 157mph
Best 1/4 mile run: 14.94@91.67mph
WS6 Trans Am.

View My Ride @ thirdgen.org

 

I know exactly what you are talking about. My cousin has a kill switch for his subs in his Altima. I am not sure how exactly it was connected. I will try to see if he knows how the guy did it that hooked it up.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but why can't you put in a normal switch you would put in for any other type of electrical device. Take the line after the amp and put it through a switch,like from radio shack or something.

 

I've seen little switch type things at local stereo shops that is actually more of a bar that you can slide up or down, and you can basically control the "volume" of your subs. Shouldn't cost too much...

 

Friend of mine's got a standard switch in his power to his amp to cut his off. . . at least, that's if i understand right.

 

would this kinda idea effect the quality of the bass?

------------------
Trent
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89 Firebird
305 v8
automatic
ttops

 

I would just get an Equalizer, but that costs more money... I have a 1/2 din EQ from alpine, it isolates the subs on their own RCA (EQ has one input from deck, three outputs), and it has a crossover and a volume / level control. So i can move the sub volume down to normal and kill them whenever i want. Its nice for fine tuning stuff like Bush, or some hard rock that doesnt have as easily defined bass as dance and house music.

 

you could kill the wires from the amp to the sub with a switch but that is some good size wiring go to the front of the car. Try finding a relay. You can run the big wires into it and then smaller wires to the front. The relay is like a electrically operated switch with a remote that switches power on and off the larger wires when you turn on or shut off it's power(much less then the speakers) with a switch mounted in...lets say your overhead or center console. My aftermarket fog lights had it and so do many other things in your car. Check with an autoparts store.

 

I dont know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but why not just put a kill switch on the sub amp's remote power line? run the wire to the dash, put a switch on it. that way you just knock out that one amp. an amp wont turn on unless you have the +12v, ground, and +12v remote.

 

just put (almost) any switch you wnat on the remote wire (blue) it's what tells the amp when to turn on.

 

I'm trying to do this the poor man's way. My problem is that I only have one 4-channel amp. I don't want to kill my front speakers that are wired to the high output, just control my subs on the low. I thought of cutting the sub wires after the amp and trying a switch there, but that's some pretty thick wire to be splicing into. I don't really want to fry anything just yet either. Too much work to replace my anti-theft install.