Please help - Setting up receiver and subwoofer as part of sim cockpit with bass shakers

[Redders84]

Hi

I would really appreciate some know-how on the audio for my home sim cockpit set up. I purchased some aura bass shakers for immersion, and want them to play off the audio coming out of my PC. The more I look into this, the more parts I find I need...

I purchased two of these:
http/www.parts-express.com/aurasound-ast-2b-4-pro-bass-shaker-tactile-transducer--299-028

Then I purchased this subwoofer amp to power them:
http/www.ebay.com.au/itm/361231065659?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I was hoping to be able to plug my pc audio into the RCA low level input, and then convert the aura wiring into an RCA plug and use it in the output. This doesnt seem to work though, and I think I need to change or boost the signal from the PC audio line.

To this effect im wondering if I need to buy an AV home theatre receiver, and input my PC audio to it, then run an RCA from the subwoofer pre-out into my subwoofer amp, which then connects to the aura bass shakers... something like this...
http/www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/redfern/radios-receivers/sony-fm-stereo-receiver-str-495/1098512993

Would this be the best way? Would adding a headphone amp between the PC audio and the subwoofer amp do the same job? (more convenient as smaller). Is there a better way, or something I am missing here?

Also, my method for connecting the bass shakes is to convert audio cable wire into an RCA jack and plug it into the amp... Im really not confident about this step either (neg and positives separate or together, plug into just one channel on the amp...?) and would appreciate any advice on this also.

Many thanks

 

[chris-L]

Not sure why you're trying to use RCA jacks for the bass shakes. You should be using speaker wire from the high level output of the
subwoofer amp to the speaker input connectors on the bass shakes. Hookup like this : PC headphone audio output jack cable runs to
line in RCA connectors on subwoofer amp (use mini-stereo to RCA cable). Regular speaker wires run from high level out to the bass shakes.
Adjust volume control on subwoofer to highest position then use volume adjustment at PC to control loudness. You may have to fiddle a bit with the comparative volume settings of the amp and PC. If you find there's a little hum/buzz in the background with no music applied try lowering the
volume input control at the amp until hum/buzz disappears. The amp spec showed it looking for minimum 21mv input for the auto-turn on
circuit which the PC should be able to put out easily. Specs didn't say how much input is needed to run full power out but you should still be able to get some reasonable response with the setup you have if you wire as explained. Try it. If still having problem, get back and clarify if you only get low volume or no volume. CRITICAL : DO NOT CONNECT + AND - SPEAKER WIRES TOGETHER . THEY SHOULD BE ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER. NO BARE WIRES TOUCHING BETWEEN EACH OTHER AT EITHER THE AMP OR THE BASS SHAKES.

 

[Redders84]

Hi

Thank you for the response. The manual for the sub amp says that if you plug into the RCA, then the speaker wire input/outputs will not work.

According to that, my only option is to plug everything through the high input speaker wire sets, or everything through the RCA plugs.

 

[chris-L]

That doesn't seem correct. The whole point of having the RCA inputs on the amp is to take in a low level signal and boost it up to a much higher level (amplify it) output which then would HAVE TO BE routed to the speaker wire outputs. RCA in to RCA out will not amplify the signal, this is more of a pass through circuit. So hook it up as I explained above. You can't hurt it as long as you don't touch bare speaker wires together. It will either work or not. Sometimes manuals have misprints. All the provided data on the amp link you provided indicates it should be able to be hooked up as I explained above

 

[americanaudiophile]

The transducers connect to a single pair of speaker wires that is not on the connection panel. You should see some wires on the other side. Probably no terminals just wires hanging loose. You can splice the wire speaker wires both transducers to this 2 conductor wire, keeping the plus and minus connections the same for both. Make sure that the plus and minus do not touch. The amp should not be plugged in until you are finished. Start with the sub crossover at about 50hz and the level at about 9:00. Adjust the level and crossover until the effect is what you are happy with.

 

[chris-L]

uh, yeah, that's a good point americanaudiophile. thanks.
I forgot this amp is designed for a box.
The ACTUAL amplifier speaker output wires are the red and black ones on the photo of the rear.
Looks like black/red-stripe is spkr +
The rest of suggestions are spot on too.

 

[Redders84]

Thank you both, I do know the wires you refer to. Do you think the PC audio (running off motherboard sound) will have enough in it for the amp to use via a 3.5 to RCA cable? Otherwise, a receiver or pc headphone amplifier/external sound card would be needed?

 

[Redders84]

Would you mind explaining this step:

"You can splice the wire speaker wires both transducers to this 2 conductor wire, keeping the plus and minus connections the same for both. Make sure that the plus and minus do not touch."

Based on your recent advice, I was planning to wire them parallel, and just attach the negative end to the black connector on the back, and positive to the red one. Is that possible?

 

[ien2222]

Would you mind explaining this step:

"You can splice the wire speaker wires both transducers to this 2 conductor wire, keeping the plus and minus connections the same for both. Make sure that the plus and minus do not touch."

He was explaining how to hook them up, specifically in parallel.

However, I'd actually be cautious. The transducers are rated at 4 ohms already, if you do parallel then the load to the amp will be 2 ohms which may create problems. Give the people you got it from a call/email and see if it can handle it, otherwise you'll need to connect them in series which will give you an 8 ohm load which shouldn't be any problem.

 

[chris-L]

another good point, thanks ien2222
the suggestion to wire in series makes good sense in this case in order to keep the ohms load up and better protect the amp from
damage due to too much current. So, to hookup in series do this : SPK+ output wire of amp to + input on first Aurasound. - of first Aurasound
connects to + of second Aurasound. - of second Aurasound connects back to SPK- at amp. Again no bare wires should touch between each other anyplace.
I would start out initially just using the 3.5mm to RCA cable from the PC to the amp and try it out now that the transducer/speaker wiring issue is solved. The amp's specs don't define how much voltage input is required to run up to full power out, so just try it and listen to how well it
works. If you have to turn the PC volume all the way up and the amp's input volume all the way up to hear much, then you may need an in-between product, like a preamp, to boost the signal strength. I would think something capable of delivering 1.5V output signal (check specifications) should be sufficient to drive that power amp to full power. An audio preamp or mixer typically can do this. Tape record ouput on a home receiver will not run that high ; you would need a preamp output from that receiver. It's hard to mathematically judge the performance just on specs of the equipment but at least voltage in/out specs help determine if equipment is compatible.Judgement will have to be determined in real time use and will depend on the aurasound transducers efficiency in converting electric power into mechanical power and how far those vibrations travel within the enclosure/furniture you have attached them to.