[TheGiantHogweed]

I have just ordered a subwoofer pre-amp from Ebay. I am still waiting for it to arrive but I am now starting to wonder if it will do the job I am after. Here it is:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-DC-12V-24V-Low-pass-Filter-NE5532-Subwoofer-Pre-Amplifier-Preamp-Board-Part-/322087512841?hash=item4afde96b09:g:8jgAAOSwO~hXH0pZ
 
 
I have the Wharfedale 9.0 speakers with the Pioneer A-209R as the amp. I use these speakers with my PC. I currently have a passive Pioneer SSLW500 subwoofer that does make quite some difference to the sound. However, what I am powering that subwoofer with is now starting to give up.
 
The way I have this set up will appear very strange indeed. My A-209R doesn't have a subwoofer output so I use the headphone socket on it. I have a cable going from that to my FiiO E5 which I happen to have spare. I use this as the subwoofer volume control. Then, from the E5, I have a cable going to an amplifier similar to this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200W-Mini-12V-Hi-Fi-Amplifier-AMP-Stereo-Audio-for-Auto-Car-Motorcycle-Radio-MP3-/122002980324?hash=item1c67f1bde4:g:GPgAAOSwrhlXTs1E
 
This amplifier has a low pass filter in it which at least means I only get the low frequencies coming out of the subwoofer. I have had my set up like this for over a year and have actually been quite surprised by how reasonable it sounds considering the price of everything and the fact it is getting amplified 3 times!
 
Just recently though, the amplifier has started to produce a continuous hum so I started to look into another way of powering my subwoofer.
 
That is when I came across what I have just bought on Ebay. I'm just not sure how it will preform when the input to it is coming from my A-209R headphone socket. Will it maybe get amplified too much like it did before with my other amp or should using a pre-amp sort my issues out?
 
The reason why I had to use my FiiO E5 before was just because the volume from the sub was far too loud without it.
 
 
 
Just to say, I got the subwoofer new for £4.99. That is extremely good value considering it is from a brand such as Pioneer. It is still that price at the store I got it from.
http://www.richersounds.com/product/subwoofers/pioneer/sslw500/pion-s-slw500
 
I only got it because it was cheap and that's why I don't want to spend much for an amplifier or pre-amp for it.
 
I just don't think I fully understand the meaning of a pre-amp. If anyone could give an explanation of what a pre-amp is comparing it to other amps, I would much appreciate it.
 
 
Thanks.

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

I happen to have got it through the post today. That was much earlier than expected. However, probably because I didn't know exactly what I was getting, it turned out not to work. It was very, very quiet so wasn't suitable.
 
I think I will go for something like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vibe-Optisound-Gaming-Subwoofer-Black/dp/B008PC0OBA/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8
 
One of the very few active subwoofers I have seen with an analogue connection.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

It doesn't work because it's just a preamplifier, you don't have the actual amplifier board. You can get a complete subwoofer plate amp instead:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BASH-300S-300-Watt-Subwoofer-Plate-Amplifier-Amp-Home-Theater-sub-bass-NEW-/271970068837?hash=item3f52ade965:g:daoAAOSwxN5WZXpN
 
Note that the form factor on this is supposed to be mounted on the sub cabinet. It's tough finding one for home audio (ie high power mono with preamp and low pass filter) that isn't in this form factor because that's what most home audio subs are. Regular form factor subwoofer amps are expensive - Polk had one with 500w output. They're all high power units because their market really are high power custom installs (because if you're building an HT with a sub built into a wall, you're not going to go cheap or low power anyway).
 
A cheap way to power a passive sub at home is to get a mono car amplifier, and then get a 12v power supply. As in something that plugs into 240v/120v and then converts it to 12v to 14v, but hey, you can just get a cheap car battery and a wall charger for it.

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311630209444?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
I have just ordered this. I am currently using a 12v power supply as that is what my previous amplifier used. The one I have now is one like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200W-Mini-12V-Hi-Fi-Amplifier-AMP-Stereo-Audio-for-Auto-Car-Motorcycle-Radio-MP3-/122002980324?hash=item1c67f1bde4:g:GPgAAOSwrhlXTs1E
 
I only use it as for my subwoofer, nothing else. The only problem with it is that the dial that controls the volume of my sub even at the minimum position is still far too loud. This will probably be because the volume coming from my headphone socket of my Pioneer A-209R is pretty loud. I assume that the one I have just bought should work since it isn't a preamp. With this board, it looks like it has a subwoofer volume dial. It also has an overall volume which will hopefully mean if I turn that dial fully down, there will be no sound. I then should be able to set it to the correct volume. I will then just use my remote for my other amplifier with my speakers to control the volume. I'll just have to hope this board has a low pass filter in it as my sub doesn't.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311630209444?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
 
I have just ordered this. I am currently using a 12v power supply as that is what my previous amplifier used. The one I have now is one like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200W-Mini-12V-Hi-Fi-Amplifier-AMP-Stereo-Audio-for-Auto-Car-Motorcycle-Radio-MP3-/122002980324?hash=item1c67f1bde4:g:GPgAAOSwrhlXTs1E
 
I only use it as for my subwoofer, nothing else. The only problem with it is that the dial that controls the volume of my sub even at the minimum position is still far too loud. This will probably be because the volume coming from my headphone socket of my Pioneer A-209R is pretty loud. I assume that the one I have just bought should work since it isn't a preamp. With this board, it looks like it has a subwoofer volume dial. It also has an overall volume which will hopefully mean if I turn that dial fully down, there will be no sound. I then should be able to set it to the correct volume. I will then just use my remote for my other amplifier with my speakers to control the volume. I'll just have to hope this board has a low pass filter in it as my sub doesn't.

 
Hook it up via the Tape Rec output on the back (just one side), it will get the same volume as the source, and then adjust with the subwoofer amp's volume knob. Downside to that is that if you change the volume you have to adjust two knobs.

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

   
Hook it up via the Tape Rec output on the back (just one side), it will get the same volume as the source, and then adjust with the subwoofer amp's volume knob. Downside to that is that if you change the volume you have to adjust two knobs.

Yep, I first did that. And the problem was that I had to do just what you said. I think what I have just bought is more likely to work though as I am thinking one of the dials on it will allow me to turn the volume fully down. As I said, if that is the case, then I will be able to set the volume how I want it and use my A-209R volume dial for everything. At least then I won't have to keep messing around with the dials on this board.
 
Thanks for your help though. When I have asked this sort of stuff before on other audio forums, all the answers I seem to have got is to spend loads of money on something better. Since I was very happy with this when it was working and the sub + amp only cost around £15 in total, I didn't think it would cost too much to make me happy with the sound again.

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

I have now received my order. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311630209444?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
It works perfectly. The total volume dial does control the subwoofer volume output too which my previous cheap amplifier didn't. As it also has a dial for the subwoofer itself which allows stops it from being very sensitive as my volume input is already pretty loud.
 
It doesn't make my subwoofer distort at all like my previous amplifier sometimes did either.
 
 
It may be much harder finding a suitable amplifier for passive subwoofers that don't even have a low pass filter in them but I am still amazed that my Pioneer SSLW500 is being sold brand new for £4.99!