alpine pdx 4.100 bridged
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=121660
Printed Date: May 13, 2024 at 6:39 AM
Topic: alpine pdx 4.100 bridged
Posted By: licto
Subject: alpine pdx 4.100 bridged
Date Posted: May 03, 2010 at 3:28 PM
Hey all... did a search before asking here but I need some help. I have searched forums on the web and also read the manual like 3 times...... but the manual just sucks for the ...... this is what you need to do to bridge this amp type of instructions. I will just be wiring a couple of focal 165 V1's up to the PDX aiming for 200 watts per channel. I know that Haem is running a PDX 4.150 to a couple of adairs this way, so hoping he can help. Here is one of the forums and the answers are all over the place..... Like if you paint a barn with purple spots, you dont always get peanut butter all over the place. https://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diy-mobile-audio-sq-forum/15193-bridging-alpine-pdx-4-100-a.html As mentioned, no real opinion I can place 100% trust in. 3 main questions....... 1. What speaker wire goes where...... (I will guess this....... (Term #1 +L Term #2 -L) (Term #3 +R Term#4 -R)) Should these be reversed, 2. The manual mentions Y cables from both RIGHT and LEFT so all 4 inputs are driven. Is this really needed.......?? 3. When the above are satisfied...... what position should the input channel selector switch on the amp be in........ ?? https://vault.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/PDX-4.100%20OM.PDF Hope I have included enough info.......
Replies:
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: May 03, 2010 at 11:58 PM
I agree... The manual for the PDX amps suck.
Yes, you are correct. To bridge, channel one and channel three positive terminals are the speaker positive. Channels two and four negative terminals are speaker negative.
According to the manual, you must also use RCA "Y" cables, to drive both channels. 1/2 and 3/4. This makes no sense to me, as you can run all four channels with only two RCA outputs from the deck, by setting the input switch to 1/2. I am using the 1/2 switch setting and only two inputs (the two top ones) with perfect results.
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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: ianarian
Date Posted: May 04, 2010 at 3:58 AM
Is this not due to the switching of the input jacks when changing from 4ch to bridged stereo(2ch)....? That has to be the reason 4ch amps label their inputs 1,2,3,4 nowadays...
CHECK THIS-->
4ch mode---(1&3=L,2&4=R)-#1-Input/terminal always Front Left...#2 Input/terminal always FR....#3 is RL and #4 is RR ALWAYS..
Bridged mode (L=1&2, R=3&4)...YES all four rca inputs have to be connected.... HERE is where you need Y adapters. Front becomes Left and the Rear becomes right... Think-your bridging L+R of the front, so both inputs need to be connected, the amp has to be utilizing 3/4 input selection.
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This is what I do for FUN!
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: May 04, 2010 at 9:04 AM
I don't disagree with your assessment, however, if you can use a switch, in this case indicating that amplifier channels 3 and 4 are accepting signal input from input jacks labeled 1 and 2, and the manual even SAYS that this switch is provided for JUST such a purpose, WHY THEN can you not use those inputs in a bridged configuration? What does Alpine feel is different in bridged mode? It very obviously simply drives the input stages of 3 and 4 in parallel with 1 and 2, right? This is exactly the same thing as using external "Y" adapters, except one less physical connection...
If the input signal to channels 3 and 4 are the same as 1 and 2, and you can drive those channels in stereo mode WITHOUT any "Y" adapters, there should be no reason to have to use any adapters for bridged mode. Yes? This is my confusion. I cannot see that I am wrong here, as I am running perfectly fine with this very configuration... Maybe a call to Alpine is in order...
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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: licto
Date Posted: May 04, 2010 at 6:11 PM
OK, thanks to both of you for your replies........ This is what I am going to do......... Wire up speakers per directions Put the RCA appropriately on 1 and 2 inputs red and white Set switch to 1/2 so that what is driven into 1 and 2 is mirror copied over to 3 and 4....... as mentioned in manual is states this eliminates the need for a Y adapter End of day....... by having a speaker wire on 1+ and 3- this doubles the difference of potential possible and makes the 200 watts available to that channel. Wow, I don’t think I have ever seen more confusion over something that is so simply done by so many other manufacturers.
Posted By: ianarian
Date Posted: May 04, 2010 at 7:37 PM
Oh 1&3? I have not looked at the manual yet... It all makes sense if it bridges to 1&3....no wait a minute, CR@P lemme take a look:
Input Channel Selector Switch
a) Setting this switch to “1 + 3/ 2 + 4” will sum
the CH-1 and CH-3 input and send it to
CH-3 while the CH-2 and CH-4 inputs are
summed and sent to CH-4.
WTH? Dammit, I wont waste any more time thinkin bout this....Anyone call? I wanna know whatkindafuggindoodieisthis.
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This is what I do for FUN!
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: May 04, 2010 at 9:11 PM
I hope you mis-typed... 1 and 3 are positive! 2 and 4 are negative...
You typed 1 + and 3 -... Check that!
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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: ianarian
Date Posted: May 05, 2010 at 1:07 AM
haemphyst wrote:
I hope you mis-typed... 1 and 3 are positive! 2 and 4 are negative...
You typed 1 + and 3 -... Check that!
Haem: is it safe to say that bridging has to go through a 2ch L/R output? His mis-type is indicating that he is bridging 2ch, its just that they are both technically receiving L input only. ------------- This is what I do for FUN!
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: May 05, 2010 at 11:05 AM
It doesn't matter which channels get the input signal, really, as long as they both get a signal. The PAIRS are the important function here. 1/2 are a bridgeable pair, and 3/4 are a bridgeable pair. Yes, there must be a two channel output to bridge, but they have to be an allowed bridgeable pair.
With the switch set to 1/2, you are already "turning the amp stereo", I guess you could say. The colors on the RCA jacks are really only there to help the installer know the signal paths. They're reference only.
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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: licto
Date Posted: May 05, 2010 at 2:48 PM
I was lost, but now I am ......... well......... Here is the deal ACCORDING TO ALPINE........ and it may seem to be simply some of the points that you guys have already stated.......... I was F'ed up on the whole wiring of the speakers.... I get it now. Someone dropped the idea in my head that when you approach bridging of this amp....... Just think of it as Qty 2....... two channel amps. Bridge 1 and 2 by choosing + of chan 1 and neg of chan 2....... and the same goes for 3 and 4. Just like Haem tried to clear me up on. Next..... again according to alpine......... switch position. A...... is used for making this a bridged subwoofer amplifier ONLY..... no fade and no stereo B.... is used for a for regular ol 4 doors 4 speakers each chan gets 100 watts etc..... AND......... BRIDGED MODE STEREO..... Eg... 1 and 2 LEFT 3 and 4 RIGHT C....... is used when you want to run 4 doors 4 speakers and only have 2 RCA's out of the deck and DONT want to use a splitter. Next.... ALPINE SAYS YOU HAVE TO USE Y SPLITTERS IN EXAMPLE B FOR BRIDGED MODE STEREO. I thank you both for working with me here...... and driving me to a final answer. I hope this info adds to or ????'s what you may have currently have set up for a second look.
Posted By: ianarian
Date Posted: May 05, 2010 at 11:16 PM
Hah, sounds like you're squared away licto.
"I hope this info adds to or ????'s what you may have currently have set up for a second look."
HUH? You're thinking maybe I made my 4ch to a 2ch improperly?
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This is what I do for FUN!
Posted By: licto
Date Posted: May 09, 2010 at 10:52 PM
NO, not at all...... just wondering if Haem might want to take a second look at how he has his set up......... if he is not using the Y splitters, it may be putting pressure on one side of each of his channels...... just a thought. Still very much appreciate all the help you guys gave me on thinking this one out. Nothing like toasting a good piece of gear for no reason....... Regards...... LICTO!!
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: May 10, 2010 at 9:46 AM
I'll look... I seem to recall actually trying "Y"s before, and it not making any difference, but I'll check again!
Hope yours is working out!
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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: ianarian
Date Posted: May 10, 2010 at 6:18 PM
I went down this road before... Except back then it was in the manual. Looks like nothings changed except...... it's no longer in the manual...heh
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This is what I do for FUN!
Posted By: licto
Date Posted: May 11, 2010 at 1:08 AM
Interesting thing is...... the new PDX amps have no friggin switch at all..... hahahhahahahah
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