Only one SUB OUT on the Android Headunit

But the sub has two SUB connections.

Do both the sub sockets need to be connected?
Should the sub be connected to the speaker output?

Connecting a Sub

Adding a subwoofer to your Android head unit will allow the unit to bring more bass sounds to the music. Typically, car speakers are quite small in physical size, meaning the bass response (low frequencies) tails off too soon. Connecting an SUB can compensate for this lack of sub-bass from the front and rear car speakers.

SUB Controls

Separate controls for the sub-output allow you to customize the sound of your Android head unit. You can tune just the sub-output to achieve the sound you want. A graphic equalizer is a great way to achieve this. Choosing an Android head with a DSP can also help adjust the sound stage to perfection.

SUB OUT

If you have two SUB OUT RCA connectors on the rear of your Android head unit, then connect these by those RCA/Phono cables to the two SUB IN connections on the sub.

If your Android head unit has only one SUB OUT, but your sub has SUB_IN_L and SUB_IN_R or just two RCA sockets, how do these connect?

Not the speakers

Connect your sub to the Android head unit speaker cables only if you have no SUB_OUT.

If the Android head unit has one SUB_OUT, you should use this connection to get the extra level of control that the head unit can deliver to the SUB. If you only connect one RCA cable, you won’t get the full benefit of your sub.

The trick

The trick to connecting the single sub-output to the two subwoofer inputs is simple. Use an RCA splitter to share the single SUB_OUT with the two SUB_IN connections. A typical RCA splitter, shown below, will allow the Android head unit with only one sub-output to feed a dual input sub.

SUB Splitter

With the SUB Splitter, the single RCA plug will fit the single SUB OUT of your Android head unit. The other end of the short patch splitter lead has two SUB OUT connections, which will accept the RCA plugs and the leads that will take the signal to the sub. You have easily turned a single sub-output into a dual sub-output with no loss of sound quality.

Quality concerns

Adding a splitter to your Android head unit to run the sub won’t affect the sound quality if good cables are used. Cheaper cables are easily damaged during a tight-fitting installation, and there is no signal degradation as it travels through the simple splitter. Having your SUB_IN_L and SUB_IN_R driven by a single, combined output on the Android head unit will sound better than only connecting one lead.

Why split at the head unit end?

Splitting at the head unit end is preferred for two reasons. If the android headunit being fitted replaces an install that uses the two input sub, there should be two sub leads that the head unit ends. Secondly, running two cables is as easy as running one if this is a fresh sub-install. It is so much better when the Android head unit gets upgraded in the future to a two-sub output version, and the cables are already there. It won’t make any difference to the sound level or sound quality and does increase the number of cables fitted. But we see this as an investment for future upgrades.

Pie-Man
Pie-Man
Android guy who loves his android head units as much as he loves his cherry pie.

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