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Wiring subs

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Wiring subs - 9/5/2005 11:46:32 PM

v6stang1335

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will an amp rated at 4 ohms power a sub rated at 8 ohms?

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RE: Wiring subs - 9/6/2005 4:20:43 AM

02BlueKnight88

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Yes....your amp will power the 8 ohm speaker. The ohms usually tell you how high of an ohm speaker you can attach to it, how many and it's also determined by how many watts it produces. In your case you could get away with two 8 ohm speakers, depending on how many connections on your amp you have. Just make sure the wattage capacity of your speaker isn't below the amount of watts you are gona pump through it with the amp. If you ever max out the volume on your stereo you run the risk of blowing the speaker if it can't handle the full amount of power that the amp can produce. If it is really under the wattage of the amp then you can run that risk at even lower volume levels from the max.

(in reply to v6stang1335)

Post #: 2

RE: Wiring subs - 9/6/2005 4:27:05 PM

bonesninja

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Joined: 7/5/2005
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quote:

ORIGINAL: 02BlueKnight88

Yes....your amp will power the 8 ohm speaker. The ohms usually tell you how high of an ohm speaker you can attach to it, how many and it's also determined by how many watts it produces. In your case you could get away with two 8 ohm speakers, depending on how many connections on your amp you have. Just make sure the wattage capacity of your speaker isn't below the amount of watts you are gona pump through it with the amp. If you ever max out the volume on your stereo you run the risk of blowing the speaker if it can't handle the full amount of power that the amp can produce. If it is really under the wattage of the amp then you can run that risk at even lower volume levels from the max.

the number of connections on an amp has nothing to with how many speakers you can connect to it. for example if you have a mono amp that can be ran at 1 ohm and you have 6 dvc 4ohm subs you can use series parallel connections and end up with a 1.3 ohm load on the amp. to answer the original question-yes if a amp is rated at 4 ohms that means that any 1 speaker that is rated for 4 ohms or greater can be ran. for multiple speakers you must consider the ohm rating of each and then figure which wiring configuration will work.

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/support_pages.php?page_id=145 is a great site to explain wiring options.

watts are important too but not nearly important as loads. most ppl know when to stop turning it up just by listening to it.

(in reply to 02BlueKnight88)

Post #: 3

RE: Wiring subs - 9/6/2005 4:36:46 PM

Derf00

Posts: 5470
Joined: 2/22/2005
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quote:

ORIGINAL: bonesninja

quote:

ORIGINAL: 02BlueKnight88

Yes....your amp will power the 8 ohm speaker. The ohms usually tell you how high of an ohm speaker you can attach to it, how many and it's also determined by how many watts it produces. In your case you could get away with two 8 ohm speakers, depending on how many connections on your amp you have. Just make sure the wattage capacity of your speaker isn't below the amount of watts you are gona pump through it with the amp. If you ever max out the volume on your stereo you run the risk of blowing the speaker if it can't handle the full amount of power that the amp can produce. If it is really under the wattage of the amp then you can run that risk at even lower volume levels from the max.

the number of connections on an amp has nothing to with how many speakers you can connect to it. for example if you have a mono amp that can be ran at 1 ohm and you have 6 dvc 4ohm subs you can use series parallel connections and end up with a 1.3 ohm load on the amp. to answer the original question-yes if a amp is rated at 4 ohms that means that any 1 speaker that is rated for 4 ohms or greater can be ran. for multiple speakers you must consider the ohm rating of each and then figure which wiring configuration will work.

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/support_pages.php?page_id=145 is a great site to explain wiring options.

watts are important too but not nearly important as loads. most ppl know when to stop turning it up just by listening to it.

That web site is okay but I noticed it only gives an overview of Parallel wiring options which WILL lower your OHM load. You could also go the other way. Series which raises your OHM load.

Series involves: Positive from amp to positive of the first speaker, negative from first speaker to positive of second speaker, negative of second speaker to negative of amp. If you have four 4OHM speakers you can wire them to a single Mono amp by using a combination of both wiring techniques and make the amp think there's only one 4 ohm speaker hooked up (See figure 3A of the link below).

http://www.termpro.com/articles/spkrz.html

(in reply to bonesninja)

Post #: 4

RE: Wiring subs - 9/6/2005 4:40:56 PM

Derf00

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quote:

ORIGINAL: v6stang1335

will an amp rated at 4 ohms power a sub rated at 8 ohms?

Yes but the output that is rated at 4ohm will roughly half (since 8 ohms has twice the resistance). THD will be roughly half as well.

(in reply to v6stang1335)

Post #: 5

RE: Wiring subs - 9/7/2005 6:27:25 AM

02BlueKnight88

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You still can only connect so many speakers to one amp. It will only power so many speakers in a series parallel. That is what I was getting at when i was talking about connenctions...wrong choice of words but he didn't really ask about different ways too hook up his speakers so I figured i wouldn't get into that too much.

(in reply to bonesninja)

Post #: 6

RE: Wiring subs - 9/7/2005 2:58:18 PM

sowaxeman

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From: Indianapolis, IN
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I must pick your answer apart on one point - the watts of the amp does NOT have to be equal to or less than that of the speaker. In fact, it is the opposite. You will MORE LIKELY blow a speaker by UNDER powering and driving too much THD (distortion) to the speaker!! Distortion blows speakers, not power - well, that and factored in with folks that think the input gain control knob equates to more power

. I have always used more power out of my amp against what the sub is rated at. Just cross it over correctly, load the amp correctly (regarding ohms law, series or parallel, etc) and you will have a very clean low end spectrum!

< Message edited by sowaxeman -- 9/7/2005 2:59:14 PM >

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Post #: 7

RE: Wiring subs - 9/7/2005 3:32:29 PM

Derf00

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quote:

ORIGINAL: 02BlueKnight88

You still can only connect so many speakers to one amp. It will only power so many speakers in a series parallel. That is what I was getting at when i was talking about connenctions...wrong choice of words but he didn't really ask about different ways too hook up his speakers so I figured i wouldn't get into that too much.

I see why you responded the way you did but I try to give a full well rounded answer, otherwise some people think the options posted are all that exist and then they pull some other question out of their butt that is not related to the original post. I try to nip that stuff in the bud is all.

(in reply to 02BlueKnight88)

Post #: 8

RE: Wiring subs - 9/7/2005 4:18:06 PM

bonesninja

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Joined: 7/5/2005
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quote:

ORIGINAL: sowaxeman

I must pick your answer apart on one point - the watts of the amp does NOT have to be equal to or less than that of the speaker. In fact, it is the opposite. You will MORE LIKELY blow a speaker by UNDER powering and driving too much THD (distortion) to the speaker!! Distortion blows speakers, not power - well, that and factored in with folks that think the input gain control knob equates to more power . I have always used more power out of my amp against what the sub is rated at. Just cross it over correctly, load the amp correctly (regarding ohms law, series or parallel, etc) and you will have a very clean low end spectrum!

never has a speaker ever been blown by under powering it. speakers can be blown by an amp clipping however. and yes power will blow speakers...not sure where your info comes from but i guarrantee you that there is not a speaker made that will not blow EVENTUALLY because you overpower it daily. for the most part--how much power it can handle is directly related to the enclosure it is in--especially subs. a big ported box does not need as much power to reach its thermal limits as does a smaller sealed box. you really should take some time and research your info before you cause one of these guys to blow their new equipment.

(in reply to sowaxeman)

Post #: 9

RE: Wiring subs - 9/7/2005 8:50:16 PM

02BlueKnight88

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yeah...haha...what bonesninja said......blow a speaker by UNDER powering it......WTF!?!?!

(in reply to sowaxeman)

Post #: 10

RE: Wiring subs - 9/9/2005 10:08:16 AM

sowaxeman

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From: Indianapolis, IN
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Yeah - I might have phrased that wrong

By underpowering, I meant the folks that try to get rocking sound out of a 200W speaker by pushing it with a 100W amp as an example. The volumes they are looking for will most likely be distroted, thus increasing the chances of blowing the speaker. Read closer - I did say underpower by driving too much distortion.

And you are correct in saying clipping. Clipping is totally different than over powering based soley on the ratings. If dialed in correctly, powering a 100W sub with a 200W amp will not blow it. The proof is in my F150. I have a bridged Kenwood amp pushing around 400W, and the sub enclosure is rated at 250. It is crossed over and dialed in correctly, and sounds killer, going on 6 years now.

Sorry for my confusing answer there.

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Post #: 11

RE: Wiring subs - 9/9/2005 2:41:54 PM

bonesninja

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no problem--sorry if i sounded harsh

(in reply to sowaxeman)

Post #: 12

RE: Wiring subs - 10/14/2005 7:36:51 AM

Soaring

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Sounds like to me, that you guys need to understand something about OHMS law. Here is a calculator that might get you hooked up right.
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/baconbacon/page2.html

(in reply to v6stang1335)

Post #: 13

RE: Wiring subs - 10/15/2005 8:00:17 PM

bonesninja

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Soaring

Sounds like to me, that you guys need to understand something about OHMS law. Here is a calculator that might get you hooked up right.
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/baconbacon/page2.html

no i'm 100% sure that i know all about it thanks anyways tho i don't need any calculators to hook up speakers-i'm thoroughly versed in car audio installation.

(in reply to Soaring)

Post #: 14

RE: Wiring subs - 10/17/2005 3:03:53 PM

sowaxeman

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Joined: 3/31/2005
From: Indianapolis, IN
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Soaring

Sounds like to me, that you guys need to understand something about OHMS law. Here is a calculator that might get you hooked up right.
http://www.angelfire.com/pa/baconbacon/page2.html

I assume you be reffering to v6stang1335 since he asked. We obviously know ohms law since we correctly answer that (2) 8 ohm speakers can be driven by a 4 ohm amp

Ah, the good ole days of learning ohms law and electronics/circuitry