Difference bet. Active & Passive Sub

**Boy Torotot** · October 24th, 2005 05:41 PM

Hi guys! Can you enlighten me on the differences between active and passive sub? Pros and Cons. Connections, with and without amp. I'm, not sure which one to get... :question:

**jbr230** · October 24th, 2005 06:33 PM

active sub yung may built in amp. sa active, kung ano tunog nun, yun na un. no room na yun for upgrades. kung kuha ka ng tlgang sub tpos ibobox, mas matotono and ma tune mo. mas cuztomizable kung baga. and mas madali magupgrade if ever pagsawaan mo. hassle free ang active kasi sasaksak mo na lang un. pro mas masaya kung magresearch ka tlga about the right sub for u.

**Boy Torotot** · October 25th, 2005 10:55 AM

with passive sub, would i be required to have an amp to drive that? or would the power from the HU be sufficient(i doubt). let's say i'm talking about a 10" sub.

with active sub, i guess i wouldn't need an amp for that, and can be directly connected to the HU. But if in the future, i install an amp, is it still okay to connect the active sub to an amp?

my main concern is that i don't have an amp yet(not in the next few months) to drive a passive sub. plus, an active sub is easier to remove and install in case i need the trunk space...i heard.

**nicolodeon** · October 25th, 2005 11:15 AM

Passive subwoofers most often require an amp to drive it. The amp should have enough power to drive the subs so that it would produce the...extreme bass at low frequenciest hat you would want. So, your amp needs to pump out enough juice for the sub without draining the power on the amp.

As for connecting passive subs to HUs, it depends. Some earlier model HUs have built in amps and outs for subs. However, the output of the internal amp is not powerfull enough to drive modern passive subs and the other speakers in your audio system.

For the active sub, you basically don't need to connect it to an amp because it has it's own power sourcr but it would be beneficial if you do connect it to an amp: connecting an active sub to an amp takes much of the load away from the amp/receiver, therefore giving it more juice to power your other speakers.

The "ease of disconnection" really depends on how you would setup your ride. If you did not plan it correctly, taking into account the possibilities of removing/adding/changing equipment, then you'd probably need to sweat a little before you do any of this stuff.

There are two major kinds ogf sub design: front-firing and down-firing. For most automotive audio setups, the front-firing design would be in use. The down-firing sub is mostly used for HTS.

**caloyski5** · October 25th, 2005 11:51 AM

tip: always upgrade from the HU outward. .(HU->amp->speakers/sub)

i would opt for an amp first before adding a sub. . dont like those active subs. . no flexibility e. .

**ILuvDetailing** · October 25th, 2005 12:25 PM

plus if you want good sound quality it is a must to have an amplifier. HU alone won't cut it. Try looking for 2nd hand components, it will be worth your time and effort.

**ssaloon** · October 25th, 2005 05:44 PM

yup, if on a tight budget, just browse the ads section at www.kotseaudioclub.com

daming sariwang 2nd hand stuff don. that's where i got my rear fills and 2 amps :D

**Boy Torotot** · October 26th, 2005 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by nicolodeon

For the active sub, you basically don't need to connect it to an amp because it has it's own power sourcr but it would be beneficial if you do connect it to an amp: connecting an active sub to an amp takes much of the load away from the amp/receiver, therefore giving it more juice to power your other speakers.

ah ok.. so i can still connect an active sub to an amplifier. thanks for clearing that up.

**Boy Torotot** · October 26th, 2005 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by ssaloon

yup, if on a tight budget, just browse the ads section at www.kotseaudioclub.com

daming sariwang 2nd hand stuff don. that's where i got my rear fills and 2 amps :D

yep, thanks.. already been browsing in the advertise section from time to time. kaya lang, being a newbie, nahihirapan ako pumili which is which. baka naman pwede kayo makapag-suggest what specs i need to get, for SQL(create na lang ako ng new thread for this para di naman masyadong OT).