Powered Sub to Passive? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

JohnnyCarson · 10-15-2004, 06:57 PM

Hopefully one of you audio gurus will know...

I have a JBL-DPS10 subwoofer that the amp has died on. Is there anyway to use it as a passive sub and if so how?

Paradise Lost · 10-15-2004, 08:09 PM

To my knowledge, no. An amplifier takes sounds waves from whatever device is inputted
into them and does what the name implies, which is amplify the wave into an audible form,
then the wave streams through to the speakers, which transform the wave into noise
through vibration of the speaker. They hold no real power. I'm assuming these aren't
hooked up to your computer, and you'll most likely have to buy a new amp.

Hope this answers something!

brandon11983 · 10-15-2004, 10:01 PM

That soundn't be too hard a transformation at all. Just unscrew the amp panel from the back of the unit, and plug speaker wires into the terminals on the woofer. You could either drill a small hole in the amp panel for the wires or run them out the port.

gcbrowni · 10-16-2004, 04:22 AM

Are you sure that will work? When I built my sub there were lots of dire warnings in the instructions about sealing it air tight? But I agree, just remove the amp and hook the wires in to the woofer.

JohnnyCarson · 10-16-2004, 04:43 AM

Cool...I'll give it a try. There is a port on the back that I can run the wires through.

Kurant · 10-18-2004, 11:24 AM

If you have a high end amp that had a cross-over into it, it won't be an issue, otherwise, your going to get muffles voices, and high frequeces unless the X-over is passive, and between your amp and sub.

JohnnyCarson · 10-18-2004, 11:38 AM

I got it hooked up and it is working, although not as loud as it was when it was powered. Hey, some sub is better than no sub!

Kurant--not sure what you mean by high end amp that had a cross over into it. The receiver has a setting yo adjust the crossover frequency. I have everything under 100 going to the sub.

Kurant · 10-18-2004, 12:27 PM

That's what I'm referring too. Without that, you'd have muffled voices and all over sounds coming out of it. Basically, a woofer playing a full range of frequencies, it would sound terrible.

10-15-2004, 06:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
JohnnyCarson Upright	Powered Sub to Passive? Hopefully one of you audio gurus will know... I have a JBL-DPS10 subwoofer that the amp has died on. Is there anyway to use it as a passive sub and if so how?

10-15-2004, 08:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
Paradise Lost "Afternoon everybody." "NORM!" Location: Poland, Ohio // Clarion University of PA.	To my knowledge, no. An amplifier takes sounds waves from whatever device is inputted into them and does what the name implies, which is amplify the wave into an audible form, then the wave streams through to the speakers, which transform the wave into noise through vibration of the speaker. They hold no real power. I'm assuming these aren't hooked up to your computer, and you'll most likely have to buy a new amp. Hope this answers something! __________________ "Marino could do it."

10-15-2004, 10:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
brandon11983 Stereophonic Location: Chitown!!	That soundn't be too hard a transformation at all. Just unscrew the amp panel from the back of the unit, and plug speaker wires into the terminals on the woofer. You could either drill a small hole in the amp panel for the wires or run them out the port. __________________ Well behaved women rarely make history.

10-16-2004, 04:22 AM	#4 (permalink)
gcbrowni Tilted Location: Indianapolis	Are you sure that will work? When I built my sub there were lots of dire warnings in the instructions about sealing it air tight? But I agree, just remove the amp and hook the wires in to the woofer. __________________ From the day of his birth Gilgamesh was called by name.

10-16-2004, 04:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
JohnnyCarson Upright	Cool...I'll give it a try. There is a port on the back that I can run the wires through.

10-18-2004, 11:24 AM	#6 (permalink)
Kurant Junkie Location: Don't worry about it.	If you have a high end amp that had a cross-over into it, it won't be an issue, otherwise, your going to get muffles voices, and high frequeces unless the X-over is passive, and between your amp and sub.

10-18-2004, 11:38 AM	#7 (permalink)
JohnnyCarson Upright	I got it hooked up and it is working, although not as loud as it was when it was powered. Hey, some sub is better than no sub! Kurant--not sure what you mean by high end amp that had a cross over into it. The receiver has a setting yo adjust the crossover frequency. I have everything under 100 going to the sub.

10-18-2004, 12:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
Kurant Junkie Location: Don't worry about it.	That's what I'm referring too. Without that, you'd have muffled voices and all over sounds coming out of it. Basically, a woofer playing a full range of frequencies, it would sound terrible.