best way to connect subs to amp
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=111131
Printed Date: June 09, 2024 at 8:32 PM
Topic: best way to connect subs to amp
Posted By: playaslaya
Subject: best way to connect subs to amp
Date Posted: January 30, 2009 at 3:58 AM
Hi, i'm new to the car audio world and was hoping someone out there could help me out. Any help whatsoever would be greatly appreciated. I have two Cerwin Vega 12" DVC HED124 subwoofers, rated at 300W rms and 4ohm per voice coil, and an Ice Power 3600W monoblock amp. Specs that came with the amp manual state that it delivers the following power:
400W rms at 4ohm
800W rms at 2ohm
1500w rms at 1ohm My question is what is the best way of connecting the subs to the amp without causing any damage to any of the equipment while still playing as loud as possible. Thanks in advance.
Replies:
Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: January 30, 2009 at 5:44 AM
The best way to do it is with wire. The following is a diagram that might help you with the wiring of the subs to the amplifier. Option 1 (parallel/parallel) = 1 ohm load
Voice coils wired in parallel, speakers wired in parallel
Recommended Amplifier: Stable at 1 ohm mono | 
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Posted By: aznboi3644
Date Posted: January 30, 2009 at 7:34 PM
I would suggest copper wire
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Custom Enclosure Design
Posted By: 420guy
Date Posted: January 30, 2009 at 9:24 PM
i am an idiot wrote:
The best way to do it is with wire. The following is a diagram that might help you with the wiring of the subs to the amplifier. Option 1 (parallel/parallel) = 1 ohm load
Voice coils wired in parallel, speakers wired in parallel
Recommended Amplifier: Stable at 1 ohm mono |
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Well I was going to agree with this, however it appears as though these subs are 300 watts total not 300 per coil. ( if I read the Cerwin Vega specs right. So that would mean each sub will be getting 750watts = 375/coil. Each coil can only handle 150watts. This will be bad unless you keep the gains waayyy down. It can be done, but the slightest abuse will release the magic smoke. You will need to run them paralel/series to put a 4ohm load on the amp but each sub will only be getting 200watts. IMHO that is the wrong amp to be using with those subs. The wattage for the amp is it RMS or max? You are either going to be badly underpowering or overpowering them and neither is good for them. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you will never get the most of that amp with those subs. This is going to be about the best way of doing it without the risk of damage to the subs. 
Posted By: playaslaya
Date Posted: January 31, 2009 at 2:54 AM
I was thinking that perhaps the voice coils on each sub could be connected in parallel and then connected to each of the two output channels of the amp, thus giving a 2ohm load on each load. Might this be a better option?
Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: January 31, 2009 at 6:38 AM
It is a 1 channel amplifier, there may be 2 sets of speaker terminals on the amp, they are connected together. Doing as you stated, the amp will be in a 1 ohm load. I did not think about the speakers power handling when I posted the diagram. Pay attention to 420Guy, he may be always looking for something to snack on, but he is not an idiot.
Posted By: aznboi3644
Date Posted: January 31, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Just so you know your amp is more of around 400-500 watt amp most likely.
Nothing close to what the ratings are.
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Custom Enclosure Design
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: February 01, 2009 at 10:46 AM
aznboi3644 wrote:
I would suggest copper wire
Aluminum works just as well... ------------- 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."
Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: February 01, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Aluminum wire in an automobile application is not the best choice one could make. It is not nearly as flexible as it's copper counterpart. It also has only 61% of the current handling capacity as copper. And with the massive amounts of current coming from his 1500 watt amp, that may not be such a good idea.
Posted By: playaslaya
Date Posted: February 07, 2009 at 3:45 PM
I have a 1500 W RMS(i think its overated though) monoblock amp connected to two cerwin vega HED124 subs(rated at 300w rms each). The voice coils of each sub are connected in parallel and then the subs are connected in parallel to the amp giving a 1 ohm load.
The problem is that when powered the subs dont play at all. I've double checked all connections, fuses and polarities and everything appears to be connected properly.
The power LED indicator on the amp does come on though.
Please help, i have no idea where i went wrong. Thanks
Posted By: playaslaya
Date Posted: February 07, 2009 at 3:51 PM
My recently purchased amp came with a 'remote gain control' ( it looks like a small volume knob that connects to the amp and can be mounted by the driver). As you can tell i'm not too familiar with this device.
Just how critical is this component to the amp setup?
Would the amp still function properly without it connected to the amp?
Posted By: ragsports
Date Posted: February 07, 2009 at 5:41 PM
The remote gain in not needed at all. You will be fine without it and your amp will function fine without it.
Posted By: ttpayne
Date Posted: February 07, 2009 at 7:50 PM
i want to get the 08 4 ohm dvc alpine type x 12", is each coil 500w, or 1000w rms. i know the ratings are exaggerated but would a 1000w alpine pdx fully powr it?
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legit o puss
Posted By: ragsports
Date Posted: February 10, 2009 at 11:06 AM
A 1000 watt pdx should be fine for that woofer. The PDX line is underated, and that amp will put out more than a 1000 watts. This woofer is 1000 watts RMS total. 500 per coil..
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