Forgot how I wired my subs...

S

SuzukiGS750EZ

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Dec 30, 2008
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4,563
Hey guys. Been many years since i installed my amp/subs and i've not done any audio installs in forever. I have two 12" subs that are dual voice coil at 4 ohm. So i wired them in parallel. That would make the Ohms load at 1 ohm right? dual 4 ohm voice coils x 2 subs in parallel makes them 1 ohm? My subs are 400watt RMS (400x2), and the amp wired down to 1 ohm pushes 1000 watts RMS. Am i remembering this all correctly?
 
If they're dual voice coils and rated at 4 ohms and you wired 2 in parallel, thats 2 ohms.
If thats what you are saying. Parallet divides, series adds.

Larry
Tinkerer
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
Hey guys. Been many years since i installed my amp/subs and i've not done any audio installs in forever. I have two 12" subs that are dual voice coil at 4 ohm. So i wired them in parallel. That would make the Ohms load at 1 ohm right? dual 4 ohm voice coils x 2 subs in parallel makes them 1 ohm? My subs are 400watt RMS (400x2), and the amp wired down to 1 ohm pushes 1000 watts RMS. Am i remembering this all correctly?
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For the wiring yes, spot on. As for the power handling. Single or DVC are rated for the speaker not the coil. So each speaker has a power handling of 400 watts. IE your 1000W amp will generate enough power to over drive them. HOWEVER and this is a big however, most speakers are blown from noise, not overpowering. One must remember that power and freq are not linear in neither the amp nor the speaker. For simplification purposes, you will overdrive the but depending on power loss of the speak wire (length and gauge), power capability of the vehicles charging system, box construction/ design, layout/ isolation, etc. Odds of doing it are slim unless you you crank it all the time, but at which time, the noise would be your greatest enemy.

But your theory is spot on, just was not sure of the 400x2, comment. I assumed 400 times 2 speakers, not 400 times 2 coils, IE each.

FYI, a great online primer/ continuing education/ quiz site is www.the12volt.com. Back when I did this for a living, I was stuck with MECP cert exams, and some the only books on the subject, mainly the loudspeaker design cookbook. Which is still great FYI
 
I always like to over power my speakers a bit and back off on the gain until loud and clear.
This way you are feeding a clear signal that doesn't sound fatigued when cranked up.
 
They were wired to two ohms apparently, i had on both speakers (but seperately) + to + and - to - then the + to the + on the boxes output and same with the -. Then had both sides go to the amp (like a two channel amp, both speakers had positive and negative inputs on the amp. What i should have done (which i have done now) is ran the right side output to the left side output, and then the leftside output to the amp (if you don't follow just ask). Anyways, they're at 1 ohm now and much more stable. I was pushing wattage for 1 ohm to the speakers wired at 2 ohms, which would explain the clipping. Much more solid and no clipping now.
 
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