amp and sub wiring
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=29620
Printed Date: August 28, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Topic: amp and sub wiring
Posted By: '93blazer_brad
Subject: amp and sub wiring
Date Posted: April 03, 2004 at 5:49 PM
I have a Rockford Fosgate 360.2 amplifier and I just ordered a Cerwin Vega DVC 12" sub. I was wondering what is the best way to wire my sub and amp? Any diagrams would be a big help. Thanks
Replies:
Posted By: '93blazer_brad
Date Posted: April 03, 2004 at 5:52 PM
I forgot to add in that the sub has 4ohm voice coils. I wasn't sure what my amp can handle for wiring and whatnot. should i wire them in parallel or series?
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: April 03, 2004 at 6:02 PM
Unfortunately that is not a good match. Your Rf 360.2 amp can only be bridged in mono into a 4-ohm load or greater. This means yu will have to wire your sub in series as an 8-ohm load, or connect each voice coil to one channel (whcih is the exact same loading on the amp.) Your amp will deliver 90 watts to each voice coil in this mode. 
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: April 03, 2004 at 8:08 PM
Dyohn is bang on, you would be best to return the sub for the dual 2 ohm coil version (if they have one) or a single 4 ohm voice coil sub. If you are going to keep this sub, wire it exactly how it was described above.
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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: April 03, 2004 at 8:46 PM
I bought the very same sub and worried that it wouldn't get enough power when I realized that I was going to go with only one sub. Instead of the hassle and expense of returning (on-line buy), I kept it, and it BANGS at an 8 ohm impedence. The amp gain is barely up, and the 45Hz boost on the amp is just barely nudged at all, I only have it on because its there. While it is reasonable to wire to the fullest capabilities of the amp, your 8 ohm load bridged to the amp will be the equivalent to 4 ohm stereo. That keeps the amp cool running that way, not pushing it to the limit. MY CV sub is the HED 200 wrms, and the 2 channels I have it connected to have an output of maybe 150 wrms bridged this way. All that to say that if returning it for a SVC won't work for you, (like if you got a cheap closeout deal like I did), then you will probably be pleasantly surprised at the bump you get from the trunk.
Posted By: '93blazer_brad
Date Posted: April 05, 2004 at 4:55 PM
hey thanks guys, i bought this sub off the internet, so i won't be returning it. The good news is, i've got my system in a 93 s10 blazer, so it'll be a little louder than in a car. i guess i'll just wire it just like the picture above, it should be sufficient for my purposes. Thanks for the help.
Posted By: Clean Install
Date Posted: April 05, 2004 at 7:43 PM
good luck with the install....... ------------- If we learn from each success and
each failure, then we can improve ourselves
Posted By: Ravendarat
Date Posted: April 05, 2004 at 7:52 PM
I have never had a problem with the rockfords running two ohm mono when their not pushed real hard. I would classify this match as not running hard so I personally would try to run the sub in parrel and see what happens. All you do is connect both possitives of the sub to the positve left channel on the amp and both negatives to the right negative on the amp and see if it over heats. If it doesnt, which I would be money on, then you are good to go.
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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer
Posted By: '93blazer_brad
Date Posted: April 17, 2004 at 8:19 PM
Excellent, the sub is working great. Its hella loud in the open cab of the blazer. Thanks for the help everybody. Peace
Posted By: flynntech
Date Posted: April 18, 2004 at 12:57 AM
If the sub will put out 360 x 2 in stereo, why not just wire it like that? That's 720 watts total to the sub. Wiring an 8 ohm load to the amp bridged will drop it's power to 360 to the sub. If the rockford amp can actually handle a 2 ohm mono load, go for it. The worst that can happen is the amp overheats and burns up.
Posted By: Ravendarat
Date Posted: April 18, 2004 at 1:01 AM
8 ohm mono and 4 ohm stereo will produce the same amount of power. The amp is actually 180 watts by 2 at 4 ohms, not 360
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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer
Posted By: kickerstang
Date Posted: April 18, 2004 at 7:36 AM
exactly, the 360.2 means the amp is a 360 watt 2 channel amp, not a 360 x2 amp. and wiring the amp in 4 ohm stereo is exactly the same as wiring it in 8 ohm mono.
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what!?!?! you want some??
Posted By: '93blazer_brad
Date Posted: May 19, 2004 at 11:51 PM
Just for a quick update to anyone who cares... the old system is out and I just got a Rockford Fosgate 700s amp and a Rockford Power HX2 in a big-ass box, its pretty sweet
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: May 20, 2004 at 1:11 PM
Another quick update as well, the 360.2 is actually rated at 180w x 2 @ 2ohms not 4, it is rated at 360w x 1 @ 4 ohms and 90w x 2 @ 4ohms. If this is a punch series amp, do not run it a 2 ohms mono, it will grenade on you. If it is a power series amp, like Ravenderat pointed out it can handle 2 ohm mono for a limited period of time if it is not asked to do too much. If you plan on giving your sub a workout, wire the sub in series as we originally suggested, in all cases it is the safest way to run your sub.
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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
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