What's new

External Subwoofer vs This?

Sako-TRG

Site Supporter
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Messages
3,659
Location
Gretna Green
Gents,
I’m thinking External sub with Dual left + right speaker terminals so you can hook two pins (not simultaneously playing) to share. This would be cheaper

Or

I know the latter is a cleaner install but it’s more expensive and you may get glass rattling.
Thoughts appreciated 👍
 
External for me. Looking for a good cheapish version as I could do with installing a few. What are people using?
 
This one is 99 quid delivered, it’s only 8 inch but has 200w output:-
 
And into the line in or the high line in? I can't remember (looked it up ages ago). I do remember it needs to be active, like this one.
 
High Level In is what I would do using the speaker terminals then solder onto the existing Pin Speaker posts - Positive / Negative
 
Thanks to all for the advice here.

@Sako-TRG - I've ordered the 10" Fenton for my AC/DC, hopefully to arrive tomorrow. If you want to wait I'll let you know how I get on with it.

Great stuff, yes, please share as I’m most likely going to hook up to my AC/DC + MET....I think it’s def worth the extra few quid to go with the 10 inch woofer.
Let me know how you get on, I was ready to pull pin but then got distracted with calling powder-coating companies to look at getting some of my Pins done 👍
 
Check out what deals Richer Sounds have on. I picked up a nice Cambridge Audio sub for about 120 quid I think.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
 
OK - Fenton subwoofer arrived today so that was good. Looks very smart too.

But I can barely get a peep out of it:

I thought the idea was to tap off the pin's existing speaker connections and connect to the sub's high level inputs - have the pin and the sub connected in parallel.

It isn't difficult to make the connections, it just doesn't do anything. Oddly, while moving the connections from left to right, I found that just connecting the negative input did manage to produce very nice but rather quiet sound. Soon as I connected the positive wire no sound.

I'm having a pause to clear my head but so far, just disappointment.
 
OK - Fenton subwoofer arrived today so that was good. Looks very smart too.

But I can barely get a peep out of it:

I thought the idea was to tap off the pin's existing speaker connections and connect to the sub's high level inputs - have the pin and the sub connected in parallel.

It isn't difficult to make the connections, it just doesn't do anything. Oddly, while moving the connections from left to right, I found that just connecting the negative input did manage to produce very nice but rather quiet sound. Soon as I connected the positive wire no sound.

I'm having a pause to clear my head but so far, just disappointment.
It should be as you’ve done - as a temp test without soldering. Wrap the speaker wire around the terminals or bare wire on the existing speaker. Remember, sometimes Stern put a lacquer over terminals so it may not be getting a connection. Then run the speaker cable to the Left red and black high level only. Ignore the right and the out terminals.
SAM only runs Mono......
 
Thank you for helping but I think I've done all that.

Here it is, connected with crocodile clips. My multi-meter says the connections are good:
Connect1.JPG

And at the other end the wires are straight into the high level inputs:
Connect2.JPG

Like I said, if I just have the negative connected I do get good sound, but very quiet. Soon as I connect the positive there's no sound at all from the sub.

I'll contact the seller tomorrow.
 
This guy on Pinside has an ACDC with a working external Sub (not Polk) and has the cab speaker with wire soldered onto the front part of the terminal which goes to the Red Positive on the external subwoofer. The Negative wire soldered the same way then to the negative terminal.
I know you’ve probably double checked but I’d strip back the wire slightly and attached your crocodile clips to the bare wire....
Worth a try.....5F1A1F95-CCC4-43C4-B8FE-CC5E866981B9.jpeg4E2F2BA9-AB98-49D3-9B6F-D9D1891B24E7.jpeg
 
Thank you for helping but I think I've done all that.

Here it is, connected with crocodile clips. My multi-meter says the connections are good:
View attachment 90093

And at the other end the wires are straight into the high level inputs:
View attachment 90094

Like I said, if I just have the negative connected I do get good sound, but very quiet. Soon as I connect the positive there's no sound at all from the sub.

I'll contact the seller tomorrow.
Striped on the pin speaker is positive not negative I believe.
 
Striped on the pin speaker is positive not negative I believe.
Yes, that is correct....the pictures above I posted from the ACDC from Pinside has the gold speaker cable soldered to the terminal with the stripe yellow black wire which has a + on the terminal. This in turn is wired to the red terminal on the external subwoofer.
 
What does the 'auto' do? Usually it turns on when it detects signal, but on some that only works for RCA inputs, not line level. Try turning that to "OFF" so it is (I assume) permanently on. Or, of course, it might use the R channel to detect - most subs only use one!

Wiring the speakers backwards will make no difference to if it works or not, just puts it 180deg out of phase, but with a sub that is away from the speakers, you never know what phase will work best anyway.

Best thing, as suggested, is to connect it up to some other device and check it does actually work.
 
Thanks again for all the help.

I wired the cables according to the speaker tabs which have + - stamped on them. Mine pin is wired other way around to the one above.

In any case I've tried swapping the cables around, tried the 'Auto' switch in three different positions, and tried the sub on my TWD.

Nothing.

I've sent an email to electromarket support, perhaps they'll come back with something.

I've had a recommendation to try the low level input instead. I know this isn't the usual way but I might just try that. I'll see what electromarket say first.
 
Also try moving both cables to the right high level inputs in case there something wrong with the left channel....
 
Have you got a stereo system you can try it on, just play some music and see what it does, easy then to hook up RCAs and test and then again with speaker level outputs.

Not sure if the pins have crossovers on the speakers (I've never looked) which would remove most of the low freq

Even so, I'd still expect something from the sub, seems like it is faulty and you need to return it
 
I don't have anything with RCA connections or with speaker level outputs except my other pinball. Doesn't work on that either.

I'm waiting to see what response I get from support at electromarket.

If I can't get it working they boast a 60 day no quibble returns policy (returned for any reason) so I should be able to get my money back.

I'd much prefer to get it working.
 
Use a headphone socket from something to feed it, you will need jack plug to phono‘s though.
 
I've been in discussion with the seller and am now convinced it's not working.

I've given up with it. Being collected Monday for a full refund.

Poo!

I am definitely going to try again with another company. If I actually get something working I'll post something here.
 
Back
Top Bottom