Amp Wiring Question

So, I have 2 amps to hook up and one of them has amp pre-outs, so can I run only one set of RCA cables from the head unit and jump from the pre-outs to run the other amp??
Pardon me if this is a stupid question, but I know nothing of hooking up 2 amps.

 

What are your amps driving? Subs or regular speakers?

 

Well, both. I have a 4-channel Alpine MRV-F300 for the speakers and a Alpine MRV-M500 mono for 2 subs.
Need to get all that wired up.

 

The only way this would work with a stock headunit is with high-level inputs. I assume you have an aftermarket headunit.

The signal going to the speakers is different than the one going to the subs. You'll need to run 2 sets of RCAs. If you are able to use high-level inputs, then you could get the signal from all 4 speakers to the 4 channel amp, then jump that over to the mono amp, but that's a lot PITA wiring, and both amps would have to be able to accept high level inputs.

Your best option is to run 2 sets of RCAs. If you still have the stock HU you'll have to figure out high-level inputs.

 

Your going to want to buy something called a 'line driver' this will split the rca cables giving you three channels from the one channel on your head unit.
You'll now have three sets of rca jacks to hook up to amps: Front, Rear, Subwoofer

That extra rca connection on your amplifier is for 'strapping' two amps together for more power to that channel.

 

Stock headunit with one of those add-an-amp adapters from Amazon. It converts high-level to RCA, but only one set of RCA connections are provided.
Thanks for the advise so far. I'm pretty new to all this stereo stuff, but I'd really like to be able to do this myself. Please keep it coming.

 

Ah yes, line converter also an option! And way less messing with wires than tapping into the speaker level inputs.

 

This is what I have. So, what's the best way to get the 2 amps hooked up from here??

 

Connect the speaker outputs from your factory radio, the signal that passes straight through the doohiky, to the speaker level input of the F300. This is a higher-voltage signal that must use the amp's speaker level inputs if it's not attenuated. Connect the M500 to the outputs on the little black box. This is a lower voltage signal that will let you use the M500's RCA inputs. Maybe turn the pots to the stops counterclockwise on the converter as a starting point.

 

Ok...this is I, pretty much, understand. So, plug adapter to radio, plug the factory speaker harness in, but cut it to a pigtail. Then hook those speaker level wires to speaker level input on M300. Then use the RCA outlets to run the M500. Correct??
So, as long as I am running new speaker wires all the way to the speakers from the amp, I can leave the harness, that I cut, out of the mix altogether, right?

 

I looked at the manuals for your amps.
The Pre-Out on the M500 is full range.

Run the two RCA cables to the Subwoofer.
Run two Y cables from the subwoofer pre-out to the four inputs of the F300.
Adjust filters on subwoofer amp.
Adjust gain on F300 for front/rear balance.

http://support.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/OM_MRV-M500_F300.pdf

Fritz

 

What have you cut already? These adapters are made so that you don't have to cut anything.

 

There's that too. You'll lose fader control from the dash, but if that doesn't bother you it's an option.

 

Thanks a lot, Fritz for taking the time to do that!! This is what I was hoping to be able to do, but I wouldn't have known what "full range" meant even if I had read the manual.
And, I haven't done anything yet...this audio stuff is for my son's truck. He wanted "radio stuff" for Christmas.