Quick Stereo ZXM and amp question

I am running two amps one for the house speakers and the other for the sub and tower speakers. The tower amp is a Alpine PDX5. Right now the ZXM is only running to the house amp and the tower channel of the PDX. The sub bypasses the ZXM going straight from the head unit SW outputs to the PDX sub channel.

Can I use a Y splitter and run the sub through the ZXM as well as the tower channel and then have pre-amp volume control of the sub tied into the tower? Would the SW control on the head unit still work properly? Or should I just scoop up another ZXM and run the sub through it so I have three zone control?

The ZXM only has one input. If you use a y splitter on the output of the ZXM to run both your tower and sub then you will loose the ability to control the sub separately from the towers.

So no, the SW control from the head unit would not still work.

What are you trying to accomplish? If it is just to get preamp volume control use can use something like the Pac Audio LC1. It would be a cheaper way to get preamp volume control. It will not give you the amplified preout signal that he ZXM does though.

http://www.pac-audio.com/productDeta...&CategoryID=28

Foster

Beejwest,

You have a few options, depending on what it is you want to achieve.

If you want sub tied to the in-boats (or towers) then yes, Y the output of which ever zone, and run each leg to the appropriate amp. Personally, I prefer to have the sub linked to the in-boats in a case like this when there are only 2 volume zones and the sub amp does not have a sub level control option. This is much easier to accomplish when the sub and in-boats are on the same hybrid amp. Theres a 2nd benefit to this, considering the towers and sub are the 2 hardest worked zones in boat audio. Relieves some load on the amp, when its driving sub and in-boats, rather then sub and towers.

If you want 3 zone control with the sub being the 3rd zone, then you could get a 2nd ZXm and just use the module and one control knob, or, use a simple line level POT in line on the sub RCA.

Thanks! I like the pac audio idea. Right now my wife complains when a rider falls and she's driving. She can't turn down the sub! It sounds like a muted disco party from several blocks away with the sub being the only speaker at full volume lol. We just need a way to turn it up and down. The pac should do the trick!

So right know, you've the tower zone turned up and the sub turned up and cant turn the sub down without going to the head-unit? Just change the input mode on the PDX.5 so the sub gets its signal from the 1/2 inputs. Now, its controlled along with the tower level via the zxm.