2 amps, 1 bass knob, phone splitter?

The Infinity Ref611a amps have an optional remote sensitivity control (aka bass knob) that is linked to it via a 4-wire phone cord or CAT3 cord. It appears that this is fairly standard for most manufacturers. I am currently installing 2 of these amps into a client’s car and have one of the bass knobs. Does anyone know if you can use just a single knob to control 2 amps? Maybe through the use of a phone line splitter? That would cause the amps to be in parallel to one another on the circuit, and I am afraid that it could possibly damage one or both of the amps. Any info or experiences on this matter, whether it pertains to Infinity or another manufacturer's amps would be very helpful. I have sent an email to Infinity, but am still waiting for a reply. When/if they do, I will be sure to post what they have to say. Thanks.

No. It simply won't work, because the amplifiers will be "seeing" each other, electrically... Don't try it. I can't say whether it will damage one amp or the other, or even possibly both, but the results will certainly NOT be wahat is expected or desired.It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

A guy came to my store with the same problem. He had 2 kole 2400w class d's and only one remote gain. He told me he had a phone splitter and was going to use it to connect them both. I told him I didnt think it would work do to the fact that the wire is sending and reciving. Well even though I am the installer and this was only his frist big setup, He did it anyway. He turned it on and the remote led lit up so he smiled but the seconed they cd started to play ....We seen sparks smoke and flame. Poor guy didnt even have for 2 days. So I can say I have seen it not work. The idea of adding proper resistance seems like it might work but that might not work aswell. The safe way would to be either ordering another gain or installing a crossover that comes with one and relying on that.Jeremey1000 Has Spoken

I know you can use one bass knob for multipile amps for Kicker amps...but unsure on others...I know memphis will not work for sure2009 0-1000 Trunk WR 154.0DB 2009 1001+ Trunk WR

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I think you can only do it if they are strappable...I had two Kenwood 9152d's strapped together on one bass controller...'89 Mercedes-Benz 300E

Pioneer DEH-5900UB

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Blowing up in a car accident doesnt worry me, as long as I'm putting out some major dB's when I die...

That pretty much settles it for me, I am going to go ahead and let the client know that it would require 2 knobs, or better yet, none. An Alpine PXA-7201 is being installed also, and it is more than capable of handling the "bass knob" duties. Mostly I was just curious about the possibility of 1 knob controlling multiple amps. It would seem to me that the companies that use this CAT3/RJ11 control link method would foresee the possibility that someone might try to use a splitter. Service and support or even a slight chance of them being held liable in the event someone damages their equipment, would normally cause them to address this sort of thing in the provided literature. When/if I hear from Infinity, I will post their reply. Thank you for your thoughts.

I had forgotten about this thread. It is possible to get "ganged" potentiometers, though. Hell, even Radio Shack has them. Two potentiometers on the SAME KNOB is perfectly safe to do, you would just have to run two control knob cables - one for each amp still. A little creative destruction on your part will be necessary. Simply open one of them up, and use your VOM to measure the resistance of the OEM remote, and buy another ganged pot of similar value. Sure, you're gonna have to build it, but it shouldn't be that difficult a proposition.It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

That is a great idea haemphyst, very elegant. I just might have to try that. I could even use CAT5 to link it to the amps.