A subwoofer is a speaker that produces loud sound effects; in the other case, it is known as a loudspeaker. A passive subwoofer is then a subwoofer that does not have a power supply since it does not have power cables attached to it. These cables provide power to reduce the frequency of sound from the television or other output devices to you in your house for entertainment.
Unlike an active subwoofer that has the amplifiers in it and the speaker to produce its intended sound effects, a passive subwoofer needs a connection to the amplifier and the receiver too to power it. The article below describes how to power a passive subwoofer.
Steps of powering a passive subwoofer
Powering a passive subwoofer is easy as long as you follow the recommended steps. The following ways show how to power a passive subwoofer without any difficulties before contacting a technician.
- Hooking up the RCA cables
RCA cables are cables that connect the amplifier and the sub-woofer. The cables are essential in providing a connection between the passive subwoofer and the recommended amplifier. Further, the RCA cables allow you to know the output after connecting the passive subwoofer and the amplifier. Output exists in different statuses, such as mono or stereo, where mono means that only one cable is in use while stereo means that you need to have two cables to terminate your connection.
- Getting a clear picture of the subwoofer and its components
Before connecting the subwoofer and the amplifier, first, have a clear understanding of the subwoofer, its components, and how it works. Further, know the type of the passive subwoofer if it is either a single voice coil or a dual voice coil. Finally, understanding subwoofers and amplifiers help you know the type of cable you will use and the sets of terminals your subwoofer requires.
- Fixing up the subwoofer and the amplifier
First, switch all the connections before establishing a connection between the amplifier and the subwoofer. Then, after switching all connections, connect subwoofer cables to the amplifier. Finally, connect the subwoofer and amplifier cables to the power source to start the speakers.
Follow the steps below to power on the passive subwoofers
1. Put in the subwoofer to be ready
In this first step, set your subwoofer so that it is ready to connect to the amplifier that sends the bass sound effects to it.
2. Confirm the state of the other speakers in the sub-woofers
Confirming the other speakers in the sub-woofer system helps you locate each speaker and set the recommended frequency of sound it will produce so that one will produce desired base effects while the other one will not.
3. Fix the subwoofer to the small speakers
When fixing the sub-woofer, consider the small speakers in the left or correct position or forward and back position. Moreover, the speakers must have a clear division in that one produces too many loud sounds like the other produces relatively lower effects to the sound.
4. Finish connection through the entire terminal available
In this state, your speakers, which are mainly two to produce warm sounds to your ears, should have a good connection to their subwoofer so that they do not get damaged from the power in the amplifiers. In addition, the subwoofers connection through all terminals should be complete.
Advantages of powering a passive subwoofer
1) Saves money hence is cost-effective.
Passive subwoofers are cheaper in terms of using and maintaining them. Therefore, when powering such woofers, you will use less cash to pay for the power it consumes since it produces lower energy frequencies for its use. Moreover, you can replace the amplifiers in case of any damage, unlike the active subwoofer where when the amplifiers spoil you have to buy a new package for every piece. In all these situations, you save your cash more when powering passive sub-woofers.
2) Lower chances of destroying the system with power
Since the amplifiers that have the cables to transmit energy to the sub-woofer are always not in place after use, destruction of the whole system from power outbreaks is less, and this saves you from repairing your devices now and then.
3) It gives the ability to use different types of amplifiers.
Powering a passive subwoofer enables you to get in touch with different types of amplifiers. In this case, you can connect one and use it after some time, disconnecting it after you have another kind to use. Furthermore, you can change these amplifiers whenever you want until you find one that satisfies your desires.
Frequently asked questions:
- What is the difference between an active subwoofer and a passive subwoofer, and which one is the best to use in a house for entertainment?
Active subwoofers are subwoofers with power cables as an attachment to their components that enable complete the power connection between the sub-woofer and the electricity in the wall. While a passive subwoofer is a subwoofer that does not have power cables to provide power to it; hence, it needs external amplifiers to connect it to access power to function.
- What is the characteristic to consider while choosing an amplifier to use?
When choosing the type of amplifier to use, you should have in mind the exact place you want to have your speaker be in use. Also, check on the subwoofer frequency before choosing it for use since the amount of frequency needed by a speaker in the house is less than 10 to 20 watts in a home surrounding since they will produce louder sounds that are appealing and interesting to your ears.
Conclusion
In the above article, you can clearly understand the meaning of a subwoofer and its types, like the passive and active subwoofers. However, the discussion is majorly on the passive sub-woofers since most people are not in touch with them, and their operation produces sound effects on the environment.
Therefore, follow the ways in the article above, which are brief, or follow the easy steps accurately to fix the power connection in your passive subwoofer in case you are facing a problem with it. Finally, consider following the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid damaging subwoofers and amplifiers when establishing a power connection.
