As you are reading this tutorial, I guess you have an idea regarding the passive subwoofer. Conversely, suppose, if you are a beginner, then for your better understanding, I want to give you a short note about the passive subwoofer. These are called because they are necessitated to be Audio/Video recorders or peripheral amplifiers.
The subwoofer, in other words, the loudspeaker, generally fabricates louder sound effects. On the other hand, the passive subwoofer includes power cables connected to it. A passive subwoofer’s power cables trim down sound frequency from any output device like a television, getting pure amusement and increasing it.
They are first and foremost used in routine installations wherever the passive subwoofer might be swelled in a wall. Passive subwoofers are autonomous amplifiers and speakers that are coordinated for the most exemplary performance.
In a passive subwoofer, both the amplifier and speaker are housed in the identical attachment. To power the passive subwoofer, you need to hook it up to a peripheral amplifier.
For your assistance, I have assembled a lot of information and relevant, manageable steps so that you can quickly realize how to power a passive subwoofer effortlessly.
Why Do You Need To Power A Passive Subwoofer?
The functionality of passive subwoofers areas like an old loudspeaker unit is manufactured exclusively of their built-in amplifiers. You have already known that the passive subwoofer necessitates additional power to imitate little frequency sounds.
That’s why the audio/video receiver or amplifier is required to be capable of sending adequate strength to maintain bass effects. Therefore, it is highly suggested to power a passive subwoofer to the amplifiers.
Is It Unsafe To Unite A Passive Subwoofer To A Receiver?
Honestly, sometimes it might get hazardous as passive subwoofers require a massive power range to imitate the bass. For that reason, perhaps the receiver might not convey the necessary power for your passive subwoofer to task in the best possible way.
Therefore, you have to bear in mind that you are supposed to blow the receiver if you are not adequately cautious concerning your passive subwoofer. The chances are increasing for the worse quality gadgets that are growing older day by day.
9 Steps On How To Power A Passive Subwoofer
Treating your passive subwoofer as a loudspeaker, you can easily attach it to the Audio/Video receiver. Just you need to make an association to the passive subwoofer straightforwardly to your Audio/Video receiver through the speaker connector. Additionally, you can power the passive subwoofer with a peripheral amplifier. And the powered subwoofer is linking to the pre-out.
Indeed, to power, a subwoofer is not a big deal. The ways are too simplest, and you can easily do it if you follow my recommended steps. I would rather say, if you don’t face any intricacy, there is no need to contact a technician.
First Step – Make A Clear Conception:
- Take an overall and crystal clear concept about the passive subwoofer and its significant components.
- You need to know before connecting how the subwoofer and its drivers or pieces of equipment are working.
- It has two types. These are dual voice coil and Voice coil. So, you need to understand their styles and distinct functionality.
- These will let you know the varieties of coils or cables and sets of terminals you must join with a passive subwoofer.
Second Step – Set-Up The Passive Subwoofer:
- Follow the back portion of your receiver carefully. You might have seen a setting that illustrated “no” or “yes” coupled in a straight line to the passive subwoofer.
- That means whether you get a passive or an active subwoofer.
- For the surety, whether it’s a passive subwoofer, just confirm the setting is “yes.”
- If it is “yes,” then go to the Next Step.
- You must tell the receiver to throw all of the bass information during the “sub-out” link on the back.
- At this instant, the complete information has been transferred behind into the passive subwoofer.
Third Step – Confirming The State Of The Other Speakers
It would be best if you authenticated first that other speakers in the passive sub-woofer system are active or not. Otherwise, one speaker will produce your required bass effect, but another might not give proper feedback.
- These also assist you in locating each speaker and their recommended frequency of sound.
Fourth Step – Make A Connection To The Front Speaker:
- Connecting the passive subwoofer to the system, you can hook up the subwoofer into your front right or left speakers.
- Selecting the setup, make sure that the speaker’s lines are set “Large.” The adjacent speakers are set to “Small,” and indeed, the passive subwoofer is set to “no.”
- If you want to link your passive subwoofer to the receiver straight, just only set it to “yes.”
Fifth Step – Hooking Up The RCA Cables :
- The RCA cables are used to link the passive subwoofer and the amplifier.
- These cables are vital to endow with a link to the suggested amplifier and the sub-woofer.
- The RCA cables will let you know the Output after joining the amplifier and the passive subwoofer.
- The Output is of two different types. These are 1) Stereo 2) Mono.
- Mono indicates that only one cable is used to get the required Output.
- On the contrary, to expire your connection, you have to use a Stereo where two lines are required to get the Output.
Sixth Step – Verify The Other Speakers:
- Other speakers joined to the entertainment system make sure that, don’t set them to “small.”
- You need to know that a “small” setting tells all of your speakers to shrink all bass.
- Then it is sent to the passive subwoofer.
- If the passive subwoofer failed to read the information somehow, certainly you will get no bass at all.
Seventh Step – Join The Passive Subwoofer To The Small Speakers:
- While joining the passive subwoofer, make sure that the small speakers are in any four positions. These are :
- Left position or
- Correct position or
- Forward position or
- Back position
Additionally, the speakers need to have an apparent division so that if one speaker generates too many loud sounds, conversely, another speaker will cause moderately minor sound effects.
Eighth Step – Fix up the amplifier And The Passive Subwoofer:
- Firstly, before setting up a link between the passive subwoofer and the amplifier, switch all the connections.
- Secondly, after accomplishing switching connect an amplifier to the subwoofer cables.
- In conclusion, to initiate the speakers establish a connection to the passive subwoofers and amplifier with the power source.
Ninth Step – Establish The Connection To All The Terminals.
- In this stage, the connection of the passive subwoofers during the entire terminals ought to be complete.
- Remember that, at the time your passive subwoofer is entirely linked with all the terminals, the settings ought to be “no” and “large.”
- At this moment, please make sure that whether the passive subwoofer is internally attached to the entire speakers but not the receiver.
Finally, when you get a warm sound to your ears produced from the speakers, you are probably sure that all the connections are okay. Furthermore, it’s pretty confident that the power does not damage the passive subwoofers in the amplifiers.
The Benefits Of Learning Power A Passive Subwoofer Effortlessly :
You are amazed to see the many advantages of learning how to power a passive subwoofer efficiently.
Cost-effective Benefits :
- The passive subwoofers are relatively cheap to use.
- At the time of powering passive subwoofers, you have to pay a minimal amount of cash.
- It produces very minimal energy of frequencies to use.
- They are comparatively cheaper to maintain.
- In case of any damage or destroys, you can easily replace the new amplifier, whereas, in the active subwoofer, you need to buy a complete package of amplifiers.
- Hence, the passive subwoofers can save your pennies while powering them.
Durability – Minimal Chances Of Decaying The Power Of Passive Subwoofers :
- The devastation of the entire system of power breaking is minimal.
- It saves money for repairing the device on an instance.
Offering To Get Versatile Types Of Amplifiers :
- When you power the passive subwoofer, it gives you chances to attach to the versatile amplifiers.
- You can easily connect with it and use it.
- After some time using the previous amplifier, you may disconnect it.
- If you get another kind, you can use that alternatively.
- Consequently, knowing about how to power passive subwoofers to the amplifier is very beneficial. Because when any amplifier does not fulfill your requirements, you may use it and change it until you get a better amplifier to apply.
Pros And Cons Of Passive Subwoofers
Passive subwoofers offer several advantages over active subwoofers, including lowered installation costs and more straightforward wiring. However, there are also some disadvantages to consider before making a purchase. Here are the main pros and cons of passive subwoofers:
Advantages
- Lower installation costs.
- Simpler wiring. Passive subwoofers usually require only a single power cable to connect them to an amplifier, rather than multiple cables as with active subwoofers.
- Offered in sealed and ported designs, passive subs can cover a wide range of frequency responses.
Disadvantages
- Passive subwoofers typically lack the power and output capabilities of active subwoofers.
- Due to their passive design, passive subs may not produce as loud a sound as an active subwoofer with the same wattage rating.
- When choosing between active and passive subwoofers, your specific needs and budget are the main factors to consider.
- A passive subwoofer might be a good choice if you’re looking for an affordable solution that will still provide good sound quality.
However, an active subwoofer will be better suited if you want the maximum power output possible from your speaker system. On the whole, passive subs are a good value for those looking for an affordable subwoofer solution with some added convenience. However, an active subwoofer will likely be a better choice if you’re looking to acquire the most out of your speaker system.
Passive Subwoofer Pros:
- Lower installation costs.
- Simpler wiring.
- Available in sealed and ported designs to cover a wide range of frequency responses.
- Generally affordable compared to active subwoofers.
Passive subs don’t require any powering up once installed, making them an ideal solution for installations where space is at a premium or power cords are difficult to install.
- May produce a louder sound than an active subwoofer with the same wattage rating.
- Can use in both home theater and music applications.
Possible Downfalls:
- May not produce the same bass level as an active subwoofer with the same wattage rating.
- Limited power output may limit their use for larger speaker systems.
- May not be able to handle extremely high volumes.
Tips :
While powering the passive subwoofers, you need to follow certain precautions to maintain security or avoid possible electric shock. Because you may injure from their outlets if you are not careful, these are as follows:
- Ensure that the pieces of equipment of your video or audio system or any devices are unplugged.
- If possible, must wear protective gloves or goggles.
- Otherwise, it will be detrimental for you as you have to be working with soldering iron directly.
- You also have to be very cautious regarding the actual length of the wire.
- If you accidentally cut down the wire, please skip that wire and take another fresh one.
- Try to ensure to cut down both sides of the wire at equal length.
- If not, your cable conversion probably faces troubles with integrity and quality, both of that may create problems.
Sum-Up
In this blog tutorial, I have discussed in detail how to power a passive subwoofer professionally. Most people don’t have any idea, so I have tried my best to make the entire conception crystal clear regarding this topic.
Although the overall procedure is pretty simple, you have to learn it carefully, and elaborately. Following my pre-mentioned easiest nine steps and following them flawlessly, I hope you might be capable of fixing any issues concerning the power connection in your passive subwoofer.
In conclusion, please try to go after the manufacturer’s instructions as well. It will help to circumvent detrimental passive subwoofers and amplifiers when setting up a power connection. I hope now you know how to power a passive subwoofer effortlessly.
FAQs
1. What Is The Difference Between Passive And Active Subwoofers?
Ans: Passive subwoofers rely on the speaker system to produce sound, while active subs require an external power supply to operate. Passive subwoofers are generally less expensive than active subs, but their limited power output may limit their use for larger speaker systems.
2. What Is A Passive Subwoofer?
Ans: A passive subwoofer is a type of speaker that relies on the system itself to produce sound. It means that there are no electronics or moving parts inside the subwoofer, which makes them less expensive and simpler to install than active subs. Passive subs can be found in sealed and ported designs to cover a wide range of frequency responses.
3. What Are The Benefits Of Passive Subwoofers?
Ans: The main benefit of passive subwoofers is their simplicity. They don’t require any powering up once installed, making them an ideal solution for installations where space is at a premium or power cords are difficult to install.
Passive subs can also be used in home theater and music applications, producing louder sounds than active subs with the same wattage rating.
4. What Is An Active Subwoofer?
Ans: An active subwoofer requires an external power supply to operate. It means that you’ll need to connect it to a wall outlet or power strip, and the subs will be able to produce louder sound levels than passive subs with the same wattage rating.
Active subs are generally more expensive than passive ones, but their greater power output allows them to handle larger speaker systems without distortion. They’re also ideal for home theater applications where high volumes are required.
5. What Are The Benefits Of Passive Subwoofers?
Ans: The main benefit of passive subwoofers is their simplicity. They don’t require any powering up once installed, making them an ideal solution for installations where space is at a premium or power cords are difficult to install.
Passive subs can also be used in home theater and music applications, producing louder sounds than active subs with the same wattage rating.