2 ohm or 8 ohm?

hi there I'm new to this forum and i have a question about how to wire my stereo i am putting in a 1966 vw convertible bug.

Should I run my front speakers in series or in parallel at 2 ohms or 8 ohms. I plan on using 4 (6-1/2 2way speakers. 2 in the kick panels and 2 in the doors. i plan on running the 4( 6-1/2s off of 2 channels and the 6x9s off the other 2 channels of the 4 channel amp . I also have 2(4ohm 6x9s and 2( 4ohm 12" subs in a box in the back. i am running 2 amps a 700 watt 2 channel bridged mono @ 2ohms and a 425watt 4 ch for the 6-1/2s and 6x9s.

what i want to know is... is it better to run the front speakers at 8 ohms or 2 ohms and what is the differance in sound quality for each set up?

thanks

DYohn] wrote:

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hy do you need to use two speakers in parallel on the front main channels?  I say use one set, and if you MUST use two, get a 4-channel amp for them.

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i really wanted to have speakers in the kick panels and in the doors and i only have room for the 2 amps under the hood.  the amps will fill the whole space between the gas tank and the wire cover. I had speakers in just the doors on my last bug and i didn't like the front stage at all. but i liked how it sounded with the doors open so i am hoping that having both doors and kick panels will give me what i want.

i will start with just the kick panel speakers for now at 4 ohms because i still have to fab up my custom fiberglass door panels and run the wires throught the door jam. i am also going to do custom power windows and have to fab that up too.

i am still not sure which one to use 2ohm or 8 ohm. I am not sure if they will play loud enough at 8 hom to compansate for the subs at 2ohms

12s in a bug is already over kill for the bass. i had 10s and only 300 watts in my last bug and it hit really hard

DYohn] wrote:

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  You may end up with cancellation issues inside the car, .

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if cancellation is a problem, couldn't  i just reverse the polarty of the second set of speakers to make them out of phase? the speakers are about 16" apart center to center and about 10" higher in the doors

i am still working on installing the custom wiring harnass in the car and it may be a week or two before i can start the install on the amps and speakers. but the custom box is finished for the subs and 6x9s.

1redvert wrote:

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DYohn] wrote:

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  You may end up with cancellation issues inside the car, .

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if cancellation is a problem, couldn't  i just reverse the polarty of the second set of speakers to make them out of phase? the speakers are about 16" apart center to center and about 10" higher in the doors

i am still working on installing the custom wiring harnass in the car and it may be a week or two before i can start the install on the amps and speakers. but the custom box is finished for the subs and 6x9s.

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If only it was that simple...  The problem is that the cancellation nulls happen at different times for different frequencies.  It's not about polarity it's about acoustic wave interactions when there are multiple sources for the same signal.  It's one reason why SQ vehicles not only use only one set of front mains, they use no main signal speakers in the rear at all.  While the seats are often enough to break up the nulls between front and rear, it's not always the case.  And with two sources of the same signal in the front, you're asking fro trouble.

Anyway, I always say multiple main sets is a bad idea. But if you want to try it, and your amp can handle the load, then try it.

thanks for all of the input you have really been great!!!. i have already bought the 2 pairs of 6-1/2s, but i will dummy wire the door speakers and try it and see if i like how it works and sounds in the next few weeks. but it will sound different when i put my interior in later.

what if i just used the 6-1/2 in the door as a mid bass by cutting the tweet out  and running a high pass filter . do you think that would still give me the same cancelation problem?

Pull the wires between the amp and speakers then you can easily try it out both ways.  I would start with 8 ohms and see if it fits your needs.  If it doesn't, a quick rewire will get you to 2 ohms and you can try that.

I like the idea of using a dedicated 4 channel amp at 4 ohms!  I've seen the commercials, there is PLENTY of room inside those bugs for one more amp!

i am an idiot wrote:

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DId somebody say there was only room for 2 amps under the hood?

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I am sure i could build an amp rack for 3 or even 4 amps but not for for this car. every thing has been planned a certain way for this car and the way i want to set it up, there is only enough room for the 2 amps and the power/ground block in betwwen.  more than likely i will have to just stay with the one set of speakers in the kick panels and run them 4 ohm. but i really had my heart set on running the speakers in the doors too. maybe i will just mount a set of tweeters in the doors and go with that insted.  i would show you what i was going to do if i could post picts

plus i have already built the aluminum amp rack for the 2 amps i have now

I bet I could put at least 4 amps in the same space.  It's all about WHICH amps you use.