parallel wired subs power distribution

Been reading up on different ways to wire speakers to an amp, and have a few questions on how power is distributed when wiring 2 subs in parallel with a mono amp.

The components:

1-mono amp that delivers 1000W RMS at 2 ohms
2- 4ohm single voice coil subs rated at 500RMS

Is wiring up the components in parallel the best way to get the most out of them without overpowering?


From doing the math here's what I came up with so far. A 1000w amp makes 44.7 volts at 2 ohms (Volts= √(Power x Resistance))

Now the part I'm curious about is that if two 4ohm subs are wired in parallel so the amp sees a 2ohm load, what kind of power is each sub seeing? ....is this correct?

The amp is generating 44.7 volts total to both subs wired in parallel, so the each sub would see 500W. (volts)2/Resistance)
44.7*44.7/ 4(original ohms rating for each sub)
=500W for each sub

 500 watts each sub is correct

Correct!

Two 4ohm woofers wired in parallel will give the amplifier a 2ohm load, halving the impedance. All of the amplifier's power will be split evenly amongst all of the woofers connected in this way. There are some exceptions, like using parallel-series which you have to be careful about, but that's beyond the scope of your question. Your 1000w RMS will be split in 1/2, because you're driving two woofers, and each will see 1/2 of the total power, thus 500w each.

Wiring woofers in parallel is a good way to lower the total impedance to the lowest your amplifier is stable at, this will give you the highest power output. If however you need to raise the impedance, wiring in series is the way to go.

So yes, you did that right.

-Justin

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Malcom: "This is the captain. We have a...little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and then...explode."
Jayne: "We're gonna explode? I don't wanna explode.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm studying to take the basic installer's test in a few weeks, and just have been making up situations and figuring stuff out by ohms law etc..etc.. just to make sure I'm looking at things correctly. Don't work at a shop, so I'm doing it on my own for now. Considering getting an apprentice position once I pass. Just figure it looks good and shows some kind of drive to go in already have passed the basic test.

Since it won't let me edit the previous post let me throw in something else here. Teenkertoy brought up series-parallel wiring, so let me know if this is right:

Same mono 1000WRMS amp
2- 4ohm Dual voice coil subs rated at 500RMS

Amp is still producing 44.7 volts total to each sub, but with the voice coils on each speaker wired in series that brings the impedance up to 8ohms on each sub. Then wiring the subs in parallel brings it back down to four ohms.

Now the total power draw of each sub will be 250WRMS.
(volts)2/Resistance)
44.7*44.7/8 (8ohms resistance because the 4ohm DVC were wired in series making the speaker 8ohm resistance)

That correct? You don't figure it out by using the original 4 ohms resistance in the calculation because you altered that number by wiring the DVC in series.

And if the original subs were at 2ohm DVC each speaker would receive 500WRMS.

Exactly right. This is why most people go for 2ohms per coil when using a pair of dvc woofers, to get maximum power from the amplifier.

Looks like you're in good shape.

-Justin

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Malcom: "This is the captain. We have a...little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and then...explode."
Jayne: "We're gonna explode? I don't wanna explode.