In 2021, having to hook an amplifier without the usage of rca jacks is more commonplace than you might think! When it comes downs to wiring up an amp (aftermarket) to an installation of your car stereo system, there are three different roads that you may take in this regard.
Keep reading to learn about the 3 common ways for How to Hook Up Amp without RCA Jacks or you can use to hook up amp without rca jacks:
3 Common Ways: How to Hook up Amp without RCA Jacks
These happen to be the 3 most popular ways you can use to hook up rca for amp minus the RCA jacks. Depending on your vehicle’s system, you can use any of these approaches:
Installation Using Inputs of High-Level Amp
Since factory radios do not feature dedicated outputs for “preamp outputs” or amplifiers “RCA”, majority of the outboard power amplifiers boast high-level inputs. These inputs allow you to tap into your factory speaker wirefor the purpose of signal flow.
These happen to be called high-level inputs since the level of voltage is considerably higher than that of a conventional pre-amplifier output connection.
This one happens to be one of the most common ways you can use to hook up amp without the need for rca jacks. In these particular inputs and as mentioned above, the voltage happens to be more than a conventional RCA (Radio Corporation of America) input referred to as the “High-Level Input”. What you should know is that these inputs provide you incredible and very clear quality of sound!
Most people often ask how to how to wire high level input on amp. If you would like to hook up your amp by leveraging this method, you need to run the “red power Wire” from your amp via the firewall of your vehicle, using the fuse holder to link to the battery connect.
Establish connection to the battery and head unit after you mount the fuse holder. (Keep in mind that the head unit has no rca outputs). In addition, route the “Blue Turn-On Wire” and “Red Power Wire” under door panels or seats to the main amplifier.
Now the next step for us is to get audio signals for every subwoofer or speaker that we wish to operate on the amplifier. For each sub or speaker you would like to link with amp, strip back the left and right speaker wires that are color coded for identification, and then link the wire that leads to your amplifier. You are all done now!
Linking Speaker Wire to the RCA Adaptor for amp
Linking the speaker wire to the RCA adaptor is actually another very popular means of connecting amp without rca jacks. By making use of this method and adding rca outputs to factory radio, you can add on an amp to your car’s or vehicle’s old audio setup.
The advantage of this is that it will provide a boost to your audio and make your sound clear, rather loud and bump up the bass as well!
If your amp is able to accept a higher level input on the RCA’s (check out the specifications of your amp) you can hook your adapter up to the speaker wire harness of your car or any other vehicle you have and then plug directly into RCA cable input, of your amp.
The good news for you is that this particular method is very easy and recommended for beginners who have never made such a connection before in their car!
Using Line Output Converters to Hook up Amp
Let us first look into what a line output convertor really is before we explore this method of connecting amp without rca jacks. A Line Output convertorfeatures a high-voltage resistor and a transformer, and connects to your amplifierby making use of a conventional RCA patch cable.
This device’s transformer ought to be grounded, with majority of the line output converters coming equipped with a wire for that particular purpose.
Also, line output converters often come equipped with a certain adjustable gain feature, so the output that feeds an amp can be adjusted to a particular extent (this is great for making sure that subwoofers are not over driven when managing the trim levels of an amp’s output).
So how do you hook up a line output converter? The very first thing you will have to do is hunt down the precise leads that connect your car’s factory installed amp and radio to the speakers. In most of the vehicles, these wires are situated right behind head unit.
From that point, you will make use of wire strippers to strip a single inch of the insulation of the wires – from every wire – so that the LOC’s right channel can be linked to the right speaker and the LOC’s left channel can be linked to the left speaker.
After this, the subsequent step is to solder the wires of the converter to the speaker wires and next seal away the connection using either a heat shrink procedure or electrical tape. The Line Output Converter must then be firmly secured to your car at some point of attachment before you insert RCA cables in it and run those to your amp.
Now the final steps entail balancing some of the levels so that every sound you hear is extremely clean. This starts with adjusting the gains of your amplifier to a midway setting and next turning on the radio so that you may tweak the volume to what you think is a listening level that is very comfortable!
Final Word
The truth is that installing an amp without RCA jacks is rather prevalent. Sure, majority of the systems come equipped with RCA jacks, and this makes your life simpler, but if you happen to find yourself in the problem, do not be put off!
Whether you opt to connect your wire of speaker with an RCA adapter, or via high-level inputs on your amplifier, or via line output converters, it simply takes some research and securing the correct parts.
Once that is over, you will be happy you did it as the monumental difference a top quality rca amp makes to your particular sound system is amazing!
I hope this article helped you to find out How to Hook Up Amp without RCA Jacks…! Please comment your feedback.
FAQs
How to hook up an amp to a factory stereo?
You can hook up an amp to a factory stereo using speaker-level inputs and car stereo rca converter. The ideal means to connect it to a factory stereo system is by tapping into the speaker outputs of the factory stereo for the amplifier’s input signal.
Then send outputs of the amp back to the harness of the stereo and on to speakers via the wiring of the factory.
How to hook up amp to factory radio?
According to most experts, using a line output converter as described in this article is most likely the best way you can use to hook up amp to factory radio and for rca hook up stock radio.
How to hook up high input on amp?
You can do this by using hooking your adapter to the rear speaker wire’s harness of your vehicle and then plugging into the RCA cable input of your amplifier.