I need help with the installation with a Sony amplifier. The amp has a single RCA jack input, however the subwoofer does not have a corresponding input. Do I need to connect my speakers directly to the subwoofer and then route those connections to the speaker connections on the amp? thank you

This link will allow you to download the manual for this system ... from there you may be able to figure out the solution or take it to an electronics expert for further advice.

You need a set of normal rca cables (red.yellow,white) and another single rca cable..
OPTION 1 :If you have a digital satellite receiver, Connect the 3 colour cables to the corresponding colour jacks on VIDEO 2 of your dvd player to corresponding colour jacks on the VIDEO OUT Of your digital satellite receiver...Connect the single stand alone rca cable to MONITOR OUT on your player to the VIDEO IN input of your tv..

OPTION 2 STRAIGHT TO TV: connect the 3 colour cables directly to the corresponding colour jacks on the SIDE of the tv...Connect the single stand alone rca cable to MONITOR OUT on your player to the VIDEO IN input of your tv..

OPTION 3 IF YOUR PLAYER HAS AN OPTICAL INPUT: if this is the case you can just connect a single optical cable to the optical ports on your player and tv and this will enable the sound from your tv to play through your dvd player as well

very good ! there is nothig wrong with your system, buy a stereo to mono RCA jack (Rs10/-) and connect the subwoofer (if single coiled) L+ & R-- of your existing amplifier. NB: Please go through the manual of amplifier
.

Connect front the sub out (single) on the amp to one of the rca inputs on the sub, This will work reasonably well but to make the most from the sub buy a 2 rca to 1 rca cable and use it to connect both rca inputs on the sub to the single output on the amp

As I implied earlier, take a clue from the physical style of connectors for both parts of the subwoofer function in the old and new receivers:

RCA connections are for Line Level signal between components only.

The input (bare wire) at the speaker is for AMPLIFIED signal.

You can't just modify one to fit the other and expect magic to happen. Be glad you didn't do it the other way around and modify an amplified (speaker level) outout into a Line Level input. You likely would have smoked that component.

Your subwoofer is a passive speaker, that is, like any other speaker it needs an amplifier. Many subs are self-powered (amp built-in) and they would mate well with the RCA sub output of the receiver.

Get yourself an Active (self-amplified) Subwoofer and run UN-MODIFIED RCA cables to it, according to its instructions, from the Sub Out of the receiver. Or get an amplifier between your receiver and the sub you have.

You don't say if you've configured the Receiver to know you have a subwoofer (under Multicontrol - SUBW YES). Unless it knows about the Sub it won't send anything out that single "preout". You can get an RCA splitter to run that single output to both inputs in the Sub.

Just as an experiment, temporarily run one a pair of cables from the REC OUT to the Sub's inputs and tune an FM station to prove the Sub amplifier is alive. If it's still silent, it's dead. If there is sound (muffled) you need to go back to the Receiver to figure out why the Sub Preout is signal-starved.

Subwoofer signals should be MONO - not stereo (hence the single Component out on the radio)
Only use one RCA to send signal to your amplifier.

If you use a Y splitter - the signal voltage will be cut in half - deteriorating the quality, and therefore amplifying "dirty" signal.

If you require further help, simply reply to this thread.

Thanks for using FixYa - a FixYa rating is appreciated for answering your Question.

This one Wire should be for the +. Try connecting the + to the Head Unit and - to a Common Ground. At the Worst, You will Blow the Amp Fuse if not Correct. The Lead from the Head Unit is Only an Off and On from the Ignition. Please Rate My Response! Thanks!

they sell these at radioshack, couldn't find it anywhere else.  Here's a link to the item. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102959

just connect your subwoofer mono RCA to your amp sub single out rca connector. you do not need to megre all those 4terminals into one. in fact internal circuit of those 4rca are merging inside to one since the sub uses only a single amp. 4inputs was meant for sources with multiple sub out