Pioneer 4500 Equalizer --- no sound

[Discseven]

Have a Blaupunkt Laguna CD43 working fine on the bench with Kicker speakers (mid & tweeters with cross-overs between Laguna & speakers.) When connecting a Pioneer EQ-4500 between the Laguna and cross-overs>speakers... no sound.

Connections = from Laguna's 3 pole plug, the red and blue are united to + 12v. Black goes to ground (at same 12v battery.) Black cable from Laguna with RCA cables goes to equalizer's "Input". Equalizer's "Output Front" goes to cross-overs>speakers. Equalizer lights come on when unit's powered. Equalizer ON/OFF button turns graphic display lights ON/OFF.

I tested eliminating the small cross-over box from one speaker circuit (and disconnected other speaker circuit entirely.) Still no sound. Swapped RCA cables around and played with equalizer's front-to-rear fader... still nothing.

Spoke with Crutchfield where I got the speakers from about this. Fellow advised me that an amp was needed between the equalizer and cross-over>speakers. I've had a vintage Blaupunkt and an equalizer with NO amp and it worked... so hearing this system "needs an amp"... I have to question the sale's fellow's agenda. But the guy may be right---I don't know.

Before I get into a new amp and/or shipping the 4500 off for diagnosis... am asking for help here to see what else I can do.

Below is diagram on top of the Laguna.

[dad911]

The manual shows amplifiers between the equalizer and the speakers.

[SiberianDVM]

If this is a passive EQ (no built in amp) then yes, you will need power amps between the EQ outputs and the speakers.

[rwest]

If you’re sending the signal through RCAs, you are just sending the signal without any amplification. So yes, you need amplifier(s) to drive the speakers.

[rwest]

On the radio’s diagram, it even calls the RCAs preamp outputs. Think of it as a blessing, separate amps are almost always of better quality than the built in amp of a head unit.

[Sooner or later]

It only has pre outs. How are you hooking up the speakers when it only has pre outs?

[Gogar]

Yes, you just may be confused. If you're using the RCA out of the Blaupunkt into the pioneer and out of the pioneer to speakers then nothing will happen.

If you're using the gray/black and white/black speaker outs, INTO the pioneer, then out to the crossovers then you also will hear nothing.

If you're hooking gray/black and white/black into the crossover and spearkers then it will work like it used to.

The pioneer is meant to be part of a larger system with a power amp after it, into the crossovers and then the speakers.

If you are only using one set of speakers you could unhook the gray/black and white black. Then do

Blaupunkt RCA - Pioneer - Power amp - Crossover - speakers.

And then get into the blaupunkt and make sure it's supposed to be sending noise to the RCA, which it probably is.

[Discseven]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Yes, you just may be confused. If you're using the RCA out of the Blaupunkt into the pioneer and out of the pioneer to speakers then nothing will happen.

If you're using the gray/black and white/black speaker outs, INTO the pioneer, then out to the crossovers then you also will hear nothing.

If you're hooking gray/black and white/black into the crossover and spearkers then it will work like it used to.

The pioneer is meant to be part of a larger system with a power amp after it, into the crossovers and then the speakers.

If you are only using one set of speakers you could unhook the gray/black and white black. Then do

Blaupunkt RCA - Pioneer - Power amp - Crossover - speakers.

And then get into the blaupunkt and make sure it's supposed to be sending noise to the RCA, which it probably is.

Delayed continuing this audio project given my wideband challenges. Those WB nearly resolved, am back to this audio puzzle. Just ordered a Blaupunkt amp and will have it tomorrow. Will wire it in as you suggest Gogar. Post what comes of it.