4ohm or 2ohm setup?? HELP!

[BAttitude7689]

I have a two channel amp I can hook it up either 4 ohm or 2 ohm {Max Power output @ 4ohm = 2x130W} and RMS @ 4 Ohm = 2x65W} or the other option is {Max Power output @ 2ohm = 2x200w} and RMS @ 2ohm = 2x100

I was looking to buy - Dual 10" Loaded Vented Comp C10 Subwoofer (4 ohms Final Impedance) or (2 ohms Final Impedance) both are

Peak Power Handling: 600 watts

RMS Power Handling: 300 watts

Which do I buy...? and for some reason the 4ohms is more money then the 2ohms

Link for the 4ohms - http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_3874_Kicker+DC104.html

Link for the 2ohms -

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_3873_Kicker+DC102.html

Help me just understand better and whats my better choice

Click to read more...

 

[Colt9699 10+ year member]

I think as long as your amp is brigeable, you should get the 4 ohm impedance and bridge the amp so it sees the 4 ohm final load to get the most power out of the amp.

 

[wErd 5,000+ posts]

what

 

[Colt9699 10+ year member]

what

are you refering to me?

if i havent typed it all out well enuff for you or the OP please ask and I will try to explain it in a better for grade school fashion.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Don't bother, Colt.

I got this...

I have a two channel amp I can hook it up either 4 ohm or 2 ohm {Max Power output @ 4ohm = 2x130W} and RMS @ 4 Ohm = 2x65W} or the other option is {Max Power output @ 2ohm = 2x200w} and RMS @ 2ohm = 2x100

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wave.gif.002382ce7d7c19757ab945cc69819de1.gif

Welcome to the forum. Hopefully your time here will be well spent.

For starters let's take a closer look at the specs for your amplifier. A good rule of thumb to follow in car audio regarding amplifiers, whether they be outboard units or the internal amp found in most headunits, is that Peak or Max wattage ratings are inconsequential and immaterial data. You can ignore them completely and never suffer for it. In no way are they truly representative of any given amp's real-world usage potential and consequently are good for absolutely nothing excepting marketing purposes.

That was a very long-winded way of saying RMS output stats are where it's at and the only figures that bear paying any attention to. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Having explained that we find that your amp is RMS-rated for 65w per channel @ 4 Ohms and 100w per channel @ 2 Ohms.

As pretty much every multichannel, 2 Ohm-stable amp there is will run bridged we can further assume that your amp is, in fact, bridgeable and that's the configuration you'll want to use with the prefab, preloaded enclosure you're wanting to buy.

"Bridging" is a term meaning taking 2 output channels of an amp and combining them into a single, more powerful output. It is common practice for 2-channel amps to be bridged into single-channel amps and for 4-channel amps to get bridged into 2 more powerful channels.

For almost all bridgeable amps the method of doing so is to connect the positive input on whatever is being powered to the left positive speaker output on the amp.

The negative input on whatever is being amped connects to the right negative speaker output from the amp.

This is true for "almost" all bridgeable amps. Some do differ so if you have the hardcopy of your amp's owner's/installation manual or can access it on the manufacturer's website then I suggest consulting it before making any hard connections.

I was looking to buy - Dual 10" Loaded Vented Comp C10 Subwoofer (4 ohms Final Impedance) or (2 ohms Final Impedance) both are
Peak Power Handling: 600 watts

RMS Power Handling: 300 watts

Which do I buy...? and for some reason the 4ohms is more money then the 2ohms

Link for the 4ohms - http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_3874_Kicker+DC104.html

Link for the 2ohms -

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_3873_Kicker+DC102.html

Help me just understand better and whats my better choice

Since your amp is most likely only able to run in bridged configuration properly when presented with a 4 Ohm or higher resistance you're going to want to get the 4 Ohm version. Since that specific enclosure only has the single input you'll basically have to run your amp bridged and the 2 Ohm version of that box would make unhappy things happen to your amp.

 

[BAttitude7689]

wow ur amazing thanx alot for making me understand it all it makes more sense now to me...i have one more ?? it has to do with having (2) amps running off (1) 8 gauge wire. I have my one amp as i explained which is 2-channel 400 total watts running (2) 10's i wanted to add another amp which is 4-channel 300 watts total to run my (4) door speakers. 300watts divided by 4 is 75watts per speaker and my speakers are 150watts max. How can i go about hooking up that second amp withouth running another amp wire from my battery to the trunk am i capable of spliting that wire to use both amps...i have read around you can use a Distributor Block but the orginal power wire is 8 gauge is it safe to use the Distributor Block with 8 gauge wire. I also read I can use that 8 gauge wire run it into the Distributor Block and then use 4 gauge wire to from the block to each amp. Whats my best way going about this

 

[XanderMoser 10+ year member]

First of all, is your 2-channel amp bridgeable? What amp is it? (model number please)

Now, how do you plan on running 2 subs? Remember, your amp can only put out 100 watts into each of 2 channels, at 2 ohms. If it is bridgeable, that would be 200 watts into one load at 4 ohms. If you get two subs, they would each be getting only 65 watts or 100 watts, depending on if they were 4 ohms or 2 ohms.

So, to sum it up, your amp does not have nearly enough power for 2 subs.

Now, what is the model of your other amp that you say is 300 watts? Is this RMS watts? Is the 150 watt rating on your speakers a peak or RMS rating?

Now onto the wire. Before I really answer that I need to know the real ratings of your amps. Because if you have over a certain amount of RMS watts, you will need to upgrade your wire.

Few distro blocks are made for 8 gauge wire. So if you are going to be running 2 amps, I would highly suggest upgrading to 4 gauge power wire, no matter the power specs of your amps. Then you can get a fused distro block that has 4 gauge inputs and 8 gauge outputs.

You would not want to go from an 8 gauge power wire to 4 gauge power wires. Remember, the bigger the gauge number, the smaller the wire. But also remember that when you go from a larger wire to a smaller wire (smaller gauge number to larger gauge number), you always have to have a fuse there. This is to prevent a fire in case the smaller wire shorts out.

To learn more about amp setups and fuses, you can visit http://www.bcae1.com

 

[BAttitude7689]

my 2 channel amp is bridgeable and I would run two sub like i am rite now by bridging it at 4 ohm load. my other amp is older dont have specs. its a "Targa Hexfet 4 channel 300 watts" thats what the amp says...300watts im guessing is the MAX soo if u divided that by 4 is 75 watts RMS. my other ?? would a Capacitor work. run the 8 gauge wire into a cap n out of the cap splice the wire and run to both amps. possible?? or out of the cap run to a distro block like that?

 

[2002XLT 5,000+ posts]

do the big 3 and dont worry about a cap. Actually, with the amount of power you are using, unless your car has old electrical components you should be fine without anything.

 

[BAttitude7689]

im kinda new whats the big 3 and i do have a little bit of an older car....1992 Lexus LS400