I recently installed CDT components and a JL 300/2 amp. However I want more bass. Can I just add a sub, like a 10" JL sub, and be ok?

Also, ive never done a sub install before. Whats the wiring like? Im trying to picture in my head how the sub will play off the 2 channel amp that is running my front components.

 

you need a mono amp wired to your back speakers, thus getting the lows notes only, buy yourself a line out converter which connects to back speakers and into you new amp, and you good to go

 

Even with an aftermarket HU? Ive got sub preouts in the back. The mono amp would then only be playing off the rears, since I have the fronts playing off the amp, not the HU, right?

 

ok if you have a aftermarket deck then just run rca's to your amp, ground and power your amp and you should be good, as for the fronts they have nothing to do with your bass, all their doing is playing your mids and highs. so buy the amp and a sub and your music should sound way better than before

 

Yes, I agree.

To the OP, the JL 300/2 is only a 2-channel amp. There are some amps that can run the mids and highs with a separate channel for subs. An example of a 5 channel amp is Soundstream LW5.830. I don't have this amp, but just using it as an example if you want to run all your system with 1 amp.

 

ah, gotcha! Ok, so I have a 300/2 amp right now running my mids and highs. Does this mean that I run RCAs from my 2 channel amp (output) to the mono amp for the sub (input)? And just splice into the remote turn on wire thats connected to the 2 channel amp?

Im not going to switch out of my 2 channel, but instead just add a mono to power the sub. I understand 2 channel / 4 channel / 5 channel / mono.

I just have questions on the install which I just mentioned. All I need is another amp kit, RCAs, and splice into the remote wire and run that to the mono amp?
And how is the sub wired up to the mono?

 

everything you said is right except the input output, the best place to get the most bass and clearest signal is directly from your head unit, that way you can control your sub woofer, as for connecting the sub to the amp do this:

subwoofer depends how many ohms and what amp, but connect the sub in parallel in most cases, red goes to red and black to black to the amp, you can use a splitter that connects the main power to a block and transfers power to multiple amps as well as ground. what head unit do you have?

 

Pioneer F700BT
So run RCAs directly to my HU, (which will only power the rears), so then how does it power the fronts as well? Through the block?

By red to red, black to black - these are just wires that are connected to each other on the subs terminals and the amps terminals?

Lets say im going with the JL 10W3V3 4 ohm sub and a JL 500/1 amp

Lets get a shopping list together as well:
500/1
10W3V3
8 Gauge amp kit
Capacitor
Under strut sub box
Any wiring needed for the sub to amp?

 

thats the same headunit i hooked up on a protege5, lol as for the front they have their own rca out in the back of the deck same with the mono amp, its real simple man

 

It probably is. I just dont understand it that well. I dont understand how the fronts will get power from the sub/amp. I know ill be running RCAs from the subwoofer RCAs on the back of the HU, to the mono amp RCAs input. I got that. Then I run power from the battery to the mono amp, as well as ground it. Then splice the remote wire from the 2 channel amp and run it to the mono amp.
From there, I dont know where the sub connects to the amp, and how the sub/amp powers the fronts.

 

ok just pretend that the front are completely seperate cause they are, this is the way it goes head unit to multichannel amp power/rem/gro wire your front speakers into this amp as well for best results

second headunit to mono amp power/gro/rem then speaker wire to subwoofers, no need for a cap, get the sub box wiring kit like a 4 gauge and wire everything correctly you should be good man...

 

Ok, so just connect the mono amp just like I connected the 2 channel amp, except for the fact that I dont connect the speakers to the amp, but the subwoofer instead.
And ill be able to play the sub off the fronts this way right?

 

the sub is completely alone man you control the sub trough the headuint

 

O right, but since I dont have the fronts hooked up to the HU harness, how will the sub play through the fronts?

 

the fronts are connected to your amp correct? speaker wire leading to the actual amp? and for the sub as long as you have the harness the headuint has rca for a subwoofer amp giving it your lows

 

Yup speaker wire to the amp
So Ill just wire up the amp like I did with the 2 channel except run the speaker wire to the subwoofer?

 

Your HU has 3 RCA outputs (Front/Rear/Sub). The correct way to wiring your amp is you need a total of 3 RCA wires (total of 6 RCA males on each ends).

You are suppose to plug up the 2 RCA wires (4 RCA males on each ends) to your JL 300/2. But since your JL 300/2 is only a 2 channel, you can only connect 1 RCA wire with 2 RCA males on each end or 2 RCA wires with 4 RCA males (but only use a combination of 2 reds/2 blacks/or 1 red and 1 black). Would be best to have a 4 channel, but can still work with 2 channel amp. This is for your Mids and Highs. This is all for 1 amp.

The other amp is your bass amp. You still have 1 RCA wire (2 RCA males on each end). This is connect to your HU that indicate sub output. This is to connect your amp that is to be powering your subwoofer(s). From there, you will wire it similar to your other speakers... by positive on the amp to positive on your sub... negative on the amp to negative on your sub. Some mono amp may have 2 channels so you can bridge them, but that's a whole nother story.

 

I already have the 2 channel wired up. This whole thread is for adding a mono and a sub. Just to clarify.
I currently have RCAs connected to my front output leading to the input on the amp. Now, when adding the mono, I just run a RCA to the sub output (2 males) to the mono amp, and then run speaker wire to the sub?

Heres what I think, tell me if Im wrong:

Im not so worried about how to wire everything, as I got that. Im more interested or curious as to know how will the amp/sub power the fronts? I have my fader balance set all the way to the front (as if I didnt even have rears). The only way the fronts are being powered is through speaker wire via my 2 channel amp. I have my front speakers disconnected from my HU harness. If the sub output is intended to be played through the speakers via the HU, how will my speakers get power from the sub/amp with my setup? I just want to know how, not concerned on wiring.

 

The RCA will be connected on your HU with the SUB output. This is not your front or rear output. You can fade your front and/or rear, but it has nothing to do with your sub output. Your sub output is controlled by the same menu on your HU that you can use to fade and balance (if you hooked up your RCA to the sub output).