Best way to wire new amp and subs?

[Blazer1 10+ year member]

I have 2 RE Audio 10's 2ohm DVC and a Soundstream PCX2.540 amp and need to know the best option for hooking everything up.

Here are the specs for the amp;

Picasso Series 2-Channel Class AB Car Amplifier

RMS Power Rating:

4 ohms: 180 watts x 2 chan.

2 ohms: 270 watts x 2 chan.

Bridged, 4 ohms: 540 watts x 1 chan.

Total RMS power output: 540 watts x 1 chan.

Fully Regulated MOSFET PWM Power Supply

Power and protection LED indicators

Tuned Bass EQ (0-18 dB bass boost at 50 Hz)

Tri-Guard amplifier protection

2/1 Channel operation

Should I bridge the amp and run the subs at 4 ohms for a two ohm load on the amp or can I use both channels and wire the subs at 2 ohms?

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[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

I assume the subs are DVC4, and therefore have a 2 ohm final load each, correct? If so, then just wire to 4 ohms and bridge the amp. It's easier to make sure each sub gets equal power that way and it's the same amount of power either way.

 

[Blazer1 10+ year member]

No, the subs are dvc 2ohm.

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

With both subs being D2, you don't have many options. You can run each sub on it's own channel at 1ohm, which isn't gonna work out for you as you were more than likely kill the amp, but it's not a definite. You can run them on their own channel at 4ohms and only give 180watts to each, which *****. Then you can bridge the channel at .5ohm(that will seriously kill the amp), bridge at 2ohms, which is still below stable impedance, or bridge at 8ohms where each sub will once again see 180watts. So for your sake, the only option that's really going to work is bridging the channels at 8ohms. That being said, you may want to do more research and find out if equipment is compatible prior to spending the money, unless you got all this free.

 

[Blazer1 10+ year member]

Yea,....I should have done more research. I purchased this for my son for Christmas and don't know much about it. I had received some advice from guys on the forum about amps and subs but at the time I was planning on using only one sub but latter decided on two,...little did I know at the time the number of sub,voice coils and ohms is very important!

So what are my options? I am currently running each sub wired at 4 ohms bridged for a total single channel load of 2ohms,.....I think that is how it will work out. Is this my best option without de-rating the amp? What are the chances it runs bridged at 2ohms fine? Is there anything we can do to help it run 2ohms bridged?

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

Your only option for running the subs on the same channel are .5,2,and 8ohm. The most power you're going to see total is 270watts to the pair without jeopardizing the amp. Having a very beefed up electrical will help the amp run at lower impedance, but a 2 ohm difference is a fairly large number when the amp already isn't very efficient. Not sure what those subs are rated, but ditching one sub gives you the option the bridging it at 4ohms to send 540 to that single sub.

 

[CL1CKCLACK 5,000+ posts]

after imp rise youll be fine running that amp at 2 ohms bridged

 

[Blazer1 10+ year member]

I wired it bridged at 2ohms and it has ran all day without any problems and the amp has never got hot, warm but never hot. I am going up on my wire size from 4/0 to 2/0 because the wire seems to be getting warmer than the amp,...I am really uncomfortable with the wires getting warm. It is really rocking these 10's!!! LOL

 

[CL1CKCLACK 5,000+ posts]

I hope you mean 4 awg too 2 awg. Because 4/0 is huge wire. and 2/0 is smaller then 4/0

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

If you have 4gauge wire there's no reason for it to be getting hot. That amp isn't capable of cooking 4gauge wire, especially if you have it fused properly(which you should).

Are you running any other amps besides the Soundstream?

 

[matt_bennett05 10+ year member]

If you have 4gauge wire there's no reason for it to be getting hot. That amp isn't capable of cooking 4gauge wire, especially if you have it fused properly(which you should).
Are you running any other amps besides the Soundstream?

Yes. And make sure you have good grounds and go ahead and look into the Big Three also

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

Also make sure all wire terminations are good(this includes grounds as mentioned), but in general make sure all wire is snug and tight in their ring terminals and where they're secured to. I've seen wire get hot due to an improper termination at a distro block.

 

[Blazer1 10+ year member]

I found the problem,..I also thought it was strange that 4 gauge wire was getting hot so I looked closer at the amp wire kit I purchased and it seems that it came with 8 gauge, not 4! No wonder the wire is getting hot.

 

[matt_bennett05 10+ year member]

I found the problem,..I also thought it was strange that 4 gauge wire was getting hot so I looked closer at the amp wire kit I purchased and it seems that it came with 8 gauge, not 4! No wonder the wire is getting hot.

Yepp time for a wiring upgrade