Needing some wiring help

[Banditgrrr]

Below is a diagram of what I've installed over the past month. The users here have been extremely helpful in helping me get everything in working order on my boat so I'm reaching out once again since Bazooka tech support is closed for the weekend. I just purchased this Bazooka amplified bass tube. I read through the instructions and it says you can either use high level speaker inputs or you can use low level RCA inputs. I have tried both but get no sound from the sub. I get the power light and I have verified the remote power is wired correctly. Here is what I have tried so far:

1. Connected the "subwoofer RCA's" from the head unit to the tube. I turn the "subwoofer out" on in the head unit and set the gain to 5 (it goes from 0 to 12). I slowly increase the gain on the built in amp on the sub and still do not hear anything.

2. I disconnected the subwoofer RCA's from the head unit and turn the "subwoofer out" to off on the head unit. I then connected the front left and right speaker outputs to the high level inputs on the sub. Again tried to increase the gain and nothing happens.

3. I disconnected the Front RCA connections from the head unit to the Rockford amp as I know they're working and I connected those to the amp. Still no bass coming from the sub.

There is an RJ11 jack on the sub but it did not come with the potentiometer for volume. I would not think this is a requirement as it said it's an optional item and I wouldn't think that would prevent any bass from being heard. I'm at a loss for what to try next. The diagram below shows my connections. The arrows in red are not connected at the same time but I have tried them both separately and neither gives me bass output. Is there something I might be missing? Hoping to get some help as Bazooka tech support does not open until Monday.

 

[Hector]

Try running 12v to the remote wire in the bazooka to verify it’s on.
It should’ve worked when you switched to the front rca.
Is there a switch to select hi or low level input at the bazooka?
Kinda dumb but is your fuse going to the bazooka not blown?

 

[swatski]

Hmmm... at first I thought maybe fade is off but you connected the front RCAs that work, so couldn't be that.

Is there a gain dial on the bazooka? Could it be currently turned down too low to hear anything?

Given a choice I would probably use high level speaker connections for this sub, and make sure you crank the gain/volume up significantly - otherwise you may not hear much sound at low volume, particularly if the source is not bass-heavy.

--

 

[Banditgrrr]

There is no high/low level setting on the sub itself. There is a power LED. I've verified the blue remote line is actually turning the sub on. There is a crossover and gain level knobs. I have them both set to half way for testing. I've connected the RCA's on the sub to both the front and the subwoofer out RCA's on the head unit and I get nothing. Just for the heck of it, I connected it to the Zone 2 RCA's on the head unit and I get bass out of the sub. Unfortunately, the gain level doesn't adjust the base when I'm connected to Zone 2 RCA's. I prefer not to use it this way because I'd be continuously using an external sub volume control as the head unit volume does not adjust the bass volume this way. I'm thinking there has to be something in the settings of the M505 but I have no idea what it could be at Clarion tech support is non-existent. I also just reconnected the gray/green wires on the sub to the front speaker wires on the head unit which I believe is the correct way to wire it for high level but I still get no bass. Not really sure what else to try at this point.

 

[Hector]

Make sure your connecting both high level inputs from the bazooka inputs to the left and right front speaker outputs of the radio. Both need to be connected

 

[Banditgrrr]

Thanks Hector. I tried it with the front right and left connected to both high level inputs on the Bazooka and still no luck. I went through all the settings of the head unit and everything seems to be set correctly. Still nothing out of the Bazooka unless I connect it to the Zone 2 RCA's from the head unit.

 

[Julian]

I gather that neither amp has RCA pass throughs?

 

[Banditgrrr]

Great idea! I just connected the sub to the pass-through on my Rockford Fosgate amp. Still no sound out of the sub. So now I've connected the sub to:

1. Pass through on the Rockford Fosgate
2. Directly to the front RCA's on the head unit
3. Directly to the rear RCA's on the head unit
4. Front speaker wires on the head unit for high level inputs
5. Subwoofer RCA's on the head unit

Using all of these inputs, I get no sound from the sub. The only way I get any sound out is if I connect it to Zone 2 on the sub which leads me to believe the sub actually works. I do not want to keep it wired to Zone 2 because the volume of the sub does not increase/decrease with the volume knob on the head unit. I'm not sure why none of the other inputs work. Not sure if I need to just box this up and return it to Amazon. Frustrated and out of ideas.

 

[Hector]

Try using your phone as a source to feed signal as a last resort. If you have a headphone jack to rca adapter use that, if it works it’s something in the HU

 

[Banditgrrr]

I have a 3.5mm to RCA that I use for my home stereo and I just confirmed it's working there. I just connected the 3.5mm to my ipod and the RCA's to the Bazooka. No sound. I don't understand why I'm getting sound when I connect it to the Zone 2 RCA's but nothing else.

 

[Hector]

I have a 3.5mm to RCA that I use for my home stereo and I just confirmed it's working there. I just connected the 3.5mm to my ipod and the RCA's to the Bazooka. No sound. I don't understand why I'm getting sound when I connect it to the Zone 2 RCA's but nothing else.

Time to send the bazooka back...

 

[Banditgrrr]

The Bazooka is boxed up and ready to ship back. I'm not sure that I want to order another one until I can be 100% sure the head unit is working properly. Is there a way I can test the RCA outputs on the head unit? Front and Rear seem to be working fine since I have amps connected to both of them. I'm assuming I should be able to just disconnect the Front RCA's and plug in the Subwoofer RCA's and make sure I still get sound?

 

[Hector]

The Bazooka is boxed up and ready to ship back. I'm not sure that I want to order another one until I can be 100% sure the head unit is working properly. Is there a way I can test the RCA outputs on the head unit? Front and Rear seem to be working fine since I have amps connected to both of them. I'm assuming I should be able to just disconnect the Front RCA's and plug in the Subwoofer RCA's and make sure I still get sound?

I didn't realize your front and rear rca's outputs are working. Just get a set of "Y" adaptors and connect to the rear head unit outputs. To control the bass volume get the optional bazooka base knob.

 

[Julian]

The Bazooka is boxed up and ready to ship back. I'm not sure that I want to order another one until I can be 100% sure the head unit is working properly. Is there a way I can test the RCA outputs on the head unit? Front and Rear seem to be working fine since I have amps connected to both of them. I'm assuming I should be able to just disconnect the Front RCA's and plug in the Subwoofer RCA's and make sure I still get sound?

Sounds like he's already got the front and rear RCA outputs working on other amps.....so it seems to me like the bazooka RCA inputs and wire inputs are what is broken....