Amp channels

[<v=rus> 10+ year member]

Could some one give me the lowdown on mono channel and multi channel. I know that you can take a four channel amp and bridge it to a three or two.

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[NaTo]

Monoblocks are 1 channel. You can adjust the power by bridging a monoblock too. I have a Clarion APX1300 monoblock which runs at 1x300w @ 4-ohm (running 2 subs) or 1x400w @ 2-ohm (running 1 (2-ohm stable) sub).

Multi-channel amps are more flexible to use, however don't deliver as much power per channel as a monoblock. Monoblocks are used to drive subs rather than speakers (though this is practical and not a benchmark).

Google it and take a look at the specs of differenct amps. Compare a 600w monoblock with a 600w 4-channel and have a look at the differences between the specs.

To fully understand all this, your going to have to do some searching and find out what different specs represent and their meaning, etc.

 

[45auto 10+ year member]

You can't bridge a single mono amp.

But every thing else is pretty much dead on.

Basically, mono amps are made specifically for subwoofers, they only output a narrow band of frequencies which are all in the bass ranges around 1-150Hz, they also use different technology, as most mono amps are class d, which is around 70=80% efficient whereas multi channel amps use class a/b, around 50-60% efficient... Multi channel amps can be used to power speakers or subwoofers, and they provide the full range of audible frequencies 1-20,000Hz.

I'm tired of typing long sentences... Well. Yeah.

 

[NaTo]

You can't bridge a single mono amp.
But every thing else is pretty much dead on.

Basically, mono amps are made specifically for subwoofers, they only output a narrow band of frequencies which are all in the bass ranges around 1-150Hz, they also use different technology, as most mono amps are class d, which is around 70=80% efficient whereas multi channel amps use class a/b, around 50-60% efficient... Multi channel amps can be used to power speakers or subwoofers, and they provide the full range of audible frequencies 1-20,000Hz.

I'm tired of typing long sentences... Well. Yeah.

Yes you can. The Clarion APX1300 that I have has 4 terminals (2 positive, 2 negative). When your running one sub, you can bridge it. I'll post a photo of the setup from the manual providing my digital camera's batteries don't die on me now.

 

[el_chupo_ 10+ year member]

On a MONO channel amplifier, you cant "bridge" the channels. That statement by itself ought to be enough, mono means one. There isnt 2 channels to bridge

Lots of mono amps have multiple terminals to ease install of multiple subs, but its just a different way to present an ohm load to the amplifier, not splitting it up into multiple channels

 

[Famous_78]

Yes you can. The Clarion APX1300 that I have has 4 terminals (2 positive, 2 negative). When your running one sub, you can bridge it. I'll post a photo of the setup from the manual providing my digital camera's batteries don't die on me now.

Theres a diffrence in mono block class d amps and reg mono blocks, some mono blocks have more then one channel, mono class d only has one. IMO

 

[<v=rus> 10+ year member]

so with a mono amp you can run two to three or even four subs?

 

[ccotenj 10+ year member]

Theres a diffrence in mono block class d amps and reg mono blocks, some mono blocks have more then one channel, mono class d only has one. IMO

really? got an example of a multi-channel monoblock? or are you confusing a single case with two monoblocks in it as "multi-channel monoblock"?

by definition, a "monoblock" is single channel...

sure you could hook a two, three, four (or even a thousand) subs up to one (if it had enough juice)... what you hook up to it has nothing to do with how many channels it is...

oy... to think i joined this site to learn something.... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

 

[45auto 10+ year member]

so with a mono amp you can run two to three or even four subs?
You can run up to infinity subs (not the company), technically speaking, whether the amp will be able to handle the impedance load or not is a whole nother story.

You can run as many subs as you want off of a monoblock amp, because it's a stupid amp, and no matter how you hook up the speakers to it's terminals, as long as you have both polarities taken care of, you'll get the same results. Just don't let the overall impedance drop below what the amp can handle, and with most common powerful monoblocks, that's 1 ohm, and well built and underrated ones can dip a little below 1 ohm.

(Tip, don't take your Sony Xplod mono amp, and try and wire it below it's rated minimum resistance, it will Xplode!)

I would love to see a one hooked up to a .002 ohm load, strapped with multiple runs of 3/0, to provide all the juice we can get, a constant 16 volts, all protection circuits disabled, with a knife for a fuse, pioneer deck with bass maxed out, volume at 62, then lets run a 43 hz tone for everyone. Would it really xplode?

Once again, you cannot bridge a mono amp, if you can, it's not a mono amp. Even if it has 384 speaker terminals, you cannot bridge a mono amp.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Theres a diffrence in mono block class d amps and reg mono blocks, some mono blocks have more then one channel, mono class d only has one. IMO

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

WTF?????

Sorry to inform you of this, Famous_78 ~ your opinion would be 100% incorrect.

From our friends at Dictionary.com:

mono

adjective1. designating sound transmission or recording or reproduction over a single channel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

mono [ˈmonəu] adjective

(of records, record-playing equipment etc) using one channel only; not stereo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

mono- or mon-

pref.

1. One; single; alone: monomorphic.
   
2. Monomolecular; monatomic: monolayer.
   
3. Containing one atom, molecule, or group: monomer.
   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As has been stated multiple times already - a monoblock, by definition (see above examples) is a single-channel unit. Consequently it cannot be bridged seeing as the act of bridging an amplifier requires combining two separate channels into a single, more powerful channel.

While it is true that not all monoblock amplifiers are of a Class D circuitry topology this has absolutely nothing to do with bridging or not bridging it - that only has to do with the way the amp in question was built.

Because it is very common for people to run a mutiple-driver substage using a single monoblock amp to power it more and more mono amps are being manufactured with multiple speaker output terminals. This is for nothing more than to aid in ease of installation so that the end user isn't having to try and cram multiple speaker leads into a single set of outputs on the amp.

These multiple sets of terminals lead to the same single channel output circuitry inside the amp. By using both sets of terminals you are not "bridging" the amp. You are simply using the tools the amp manufacturer was kind enough to provide you.

Having rambled on about all of that - re-read 45auto's post found above.

It was dead-on target in its entirety. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[OoMesKoO 10+ year member]

Theres a diffrence in mono block class d amps and reg mono blocks, some mono blocks have more then one channel, mono class d only has one. IMO

Wow.... Now i have definitley heard it all.

Dude....

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/suicide.gif.a649d21efc0d1fd4890a6428166586c1.gif

Seriously...

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

There are "dual mono" amps out there. They tend to be very high end designs and have fullt independant circuitry for each channel as far as power supply, preamp, and gain stages. Some of these are bridgeable within the amp, some are not. They are technically mono block amps because they don't share circuitry between the channels even though they are in the same chassis. Not too many of these aroung any more.

You can also "bridge" some models of mono amps using 2 amps. Most people refer to this as "strapping" but electrically it works the same as bridging a normal 2 channel amp. Bridging in any form does require 2 channels, though.

There is also nothing saying that all mono amps or even Class D mono amps are designed for subs. Zapco makes a full range high powered Class A/B mono amp and Xtant makes a low powered full range Class D mono amp.

 

[thch 10+ year member]

Could some one give me the lowdown on mono channel and multi channel. I know that you can take a four channel amp and bridge it to a three or two.
a channel is simply a distinct audio signal.

concider stereo. two channels. to play stereo you would need two seperate channels becuase the sound out of the left speakers might be different then the sound on the right channel.

then expand this to 5.1 audio. SIX channels, as there are different signals for front and back for both left and right, and there is a low-frequency and a center channel.

then 7.1 audio, even more seperate audio signals.

but its not just seperate signals from the source, but also modifications to them that can make use of multiple channels. think of a car stereo. two channels of audio, left and right, but four speakers. two channels are required, and you could hook up the front and rear speakers to these two channels, but it is desirable to have four channels, as it may be desireable to have a different volume setting for the front and rear speakers.

note that i'm only talking about DISTINCT signals. lets say you have four woofers. there is no need for four channels. at most two channels would be required, and a single "bass" channel would be all that is usually needed as bass is not overly directional.

 

[<v=rus> 10+ year member]

i guess it's like rigging up two amps to one gigantic sub