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Helix 8-pin sub cable question

midwestdave

New member
Location
Minneapolis
Probably a dumb question, but why does the factory Helix amp/sub have an 8-pin cable going from the amp to the sub? What do each of the pins do? I was kicking around the idea of trying a different JL Audio Micro sub I have laying around (2 wires obviously).

Thanks,
Dave
 

Bäsemödel

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lancaster PA
My guess is it's pos and neg for the two (what I assume are) DVC drivers.
 

midwestdave

New member
Location
Minneapolis
My guess is it's pos and neg for the two (what I assume are) DVC drivers.

Again, I apologize for being dense, but don't most amps just have a POS and Neg for each channel (The helix stating it's mono) and then its just a matter of wiring the sub coils in parallel or series to get the desired Ohm rating. I'm trying to wrap my head around how I could wire up a simple sub out of the 8-output subwoofer pins from the Helix amp.

Thanks,
Dave
 

Joel

Ready to race!
Location
TN
The helix amps the rest of the speakers in the car also, other wires have to be sending the amped DSP'd signal back to them.
 

midwestdave

New member
Location
Minneapolis
The helix amps the rest of the speakers in the car also, other wires have to be sending the amped DSP'd signal back to them.

Thanks Joel, I totally get that all channels are amped through the DSP, but I would think they would run the channels into the amp specifically and back out to the head/speakers. Running the channels out of the DSP and into the sub-enclosure would be odd.
 

Joel

Ready to race!
Location
TN
Have you removed the stock helix speakers and checked the wiring? Ohms of speakers? does final impedance match the JL you want to install?
 

beardedGTI

Ready to race!
Location
Louisville, KY
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport 6mt
I suspect several of the cables are redundant since there likely isn't 4 channels of discreet amplification just for the sub. I'd pull one of subs out and look at the wiring, if it's not immediately obvious what goes where, probe the ends with a continuity meter. That's the only way to be sure to get an accurate pin out.

Remember that this is a calibrated dsp. Changing drivers can throw off calibration for better or worse (usually worse).
 

midwestdave

New member
Location
Minneapolis
Well, I sent an email off the the Helix/Fischer gang to get clarification back and this is what they sent back-

"Hello Dave,



the DSP offers 4 output channels with 40W/RMS @ 2 OHM. The subwoofer has 4 voice coils with 2 OHM each.



The power output is 160W/rms.



It is not possible to bridge the channels.



Best regards



Jutta Sommer




AUDIOTEC FISCHER GmbH

Hünegräben 26

D-57392 Schmallenberg"


So it looks like we have 4 discreet channels going to each of the 4 voice coils....weird. Based on searching on the Interwebs, this setup is always highly regarded as a bad idea. The Helix DSP amp must be able to keep perfect gain and output across all the channels.
 

Bäsemödel

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lancaster PA
i was somehow right! mark this day!
 

beardedGTI

Ready to race!
Location
Louisville, KY
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport 6mt
That's really weird. Using the helix dsp software, I don't recall there being any idenpendent control over these sub channels, it's just listed as one single one. Which kind of begs the question of why they bothered with a 4 channel opamp.
 
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