Bridging Question! HELP!

[UltimateWarrior 10+ year member]

Ok, I have 2 subs and a 4-channel amp. To bridge my subs where do I connect the speaker wires to?

I have three RCA outputs from my head unit which will go to my sub. I am using only front door speakers and the two subs right now. I am going to amp the front door speakers and the two subs only. Here is what my amp looks like as far as connections:

+(CH1)- +(CH2)- +(CH3)- +(CH4)-

(+ ---Bridged--- -) (+ --- Bridged --- -)

So, I imagine I hook my left front speaker to +-CH1 and my right front speaker to +-CH2.

Now, the questions is how to bridge my two subs. Can someone help please? BTW, my amp IS bridgeable and my subs can handle the watts, trust me. My amp is way weaker than my subs. See my profile for model numbers!

Thanks!

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[DFW40 10+ year member]

Is one of the RCA's from the headunit a subwoofer output?

Take one set or RCA's either the "front or rear" outputs and put those into the amp marked channel one and two. Send the two pairs of wires (in stereo) to your front speakers and set the high pass crossover to around 80hz.

Take the RCA output markes subwoofer or rear and input this into channels three and 4. Then you will bridge these channels and have one + and one - . These will go to the two subs. The amp probably requires a 4ohm bridged mode which means you have to wire your subs correctly to get this configuration: see the attached link. Depending on your subs ohm's this may or may not be possible. Set the LP crossover at 80hz. The crossover points need to be adjusted to what sounds good to you and to protect your speakers.

http://jlaudio.com/tutorials/wiring/index.html

 

[UltimateWarrior 10+ year member]

2 DVC drivers with Voice Coils in Series / Parallel

I think this is what I want, right? My Pioneer speaker instructions shows a few ways to hook them up but the one that says 4 ohms bridged mono/parallel shows the two subs combine into one (dot) and then goes to the amp. So, I am assuming (you know what that means) that I combine the + and - from BOTH subs (splice together?) and then hook to CH3 and CH4 on the bridged + and -?

Man, why is this so confusing!! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wacky.gif.cf4a48f9e6dfe9504ffd2c946fd2f340.gif

I think I am getting closer here but I am still a little unclear. I just have two subs which are DVC and a 4CH amp. Why is this rocket science! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/banghead.gif.8606515f668c74f6de0281deb475b6fd.gif

I just don't want to do anything stupid and ruin my new subs. That would royally **** man. So what is the safest way to wire these bad boys? Thanks for your help so far and I'll keep all this in mind. I just want to make very clear to myself how to do this ok? So be patient with me!

BTW, Yes... I do have an RCA output from my HU! 5volts too! hehe AND, my subs are Dual 4 ohms. So hopefully that helps!

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

You want to wire each sub by themselves in series.

Then wire them from the amp together in parallel. This pic in the link is almost exactly what you will be doing.

http://jlaudio.com/tutorials/wiring/index.html#2dvcsp

This link shows the 2 DVC drivers with Voice Coils in Series / Parallel.

 

[UltimateWarrior 10+ year member]

Cool, that I think clears it up. Thanks man. Ok, let me repeat it...

I just mounted my subs earlier in the box. Each sub has it's own output from the back of the box. So, I can hook up both + on CH3+ and both - to CH4-, which would give me a parallel bridge? You see, there is a + and - for both channels. So I am only using one side of the channel, + on CH3 and - on CH4. Cool?

If I did it this way, connect the + and - from one sub to CH3 and the + and - from the other sub to CH4, what would that be? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

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[UltimateWarrior 10+ year member]

You want to wire each sub by themselves in series?

Ok, this is what I want to make clear. Are you saying to connect the + to - in my sub box for each sub?? This logically makes no sense, unless I am reading into this wrong.

Ok, I mounted my subs and connected the + terminal from my sub box to the + terminal of the sub. Same for the other side. Both + and - are hooked up this way. So I thought I'd just have to go from the back of the box from EACH sub positive to CH3 + and then the negative to CH4 - from both subs. Right? But that first statement makes me think I have to connect the + and - from each sub together, then come out from there. Is that correct?? Doh! That sounds like it would blow something. LOL Or, am I reading into this all wrong... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/spank.gif.0d78e34d42ea8780359e903aeb6697d6.gif

Sorry, almost there... just confusing myself I think.

 

[UltimateWarrior 10+ year member]

I think this would help if I knew about ohms and crap but I don't. I never got into audio as a kid and you know, it's hard to teach and old dog new tricks! Grrrrrrrr

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

Did you wire your subs in series inside the box?

You will use one positive and one negative out of the amps channels 3 and 4, the amp guide should show you which ones.

Should look like this:

http://jlaudio.com/tutorials/dvc/point.html

you can run two wires out of the bridged + and -. This puts it in parallel. Just like the diagram on the link.

 

[UltimateWarrior 10+ year member]

Did you wire your subs in series inside the box?

Um, this is my main question. What the heck does that statement mean? For instance, my sub has a + and - terminal, ok? And the inside of my sealed, ported box has a + and - terminal, on BOTH sides. So, what I did was ran a 16 guage speaker wire from the + and - terminals on my subs to the + and - terminals inside the sealed box, for BOTH sides.

What else do I need to do with the subs and box? I already screwed my subs to the box and this is all I did. Did I wire my subs in a series?? Dunno! Again, what does that mean in simple terms? Please describe in detail what to do. Those links to the pictures aren't helping me, sorry!

Again, in detail.... how should I wire my subs inside the box? What wires go to what terminals, etc... I know, I'm a dork.

LOL

From the box makes sense. What I am stuck on is what's going on INSIDE the box. Doh!

Oh yea, is 16guage wire ok between the subs and box terminals or should I get bigger wire?

thanks man!

 

[UltimateWarrior 10+ year member]

Oh yea, and my amp is 2 OHMS stable in stereo mode. 4 OHMS in Bridged. Just thought I'd throw that out just in case there is a better way to hook my subs up.

I think I am getting the series thing. From Sub "A" I have a wire leaving the negative side and going into the positive side on Sub "B". Is that all it is? In a sense, I am linking the two in the box, then from the box I have the two positive leads going to CH3 (+) of the amp and the two negative leads going to CH4 (-).

Is that it?

Um, what about the 2 OHMS stereo thing? Would that make it louder hooking it up this way?

 

[UltimateWarrior 10+ year member]

LOL, they have given up on me... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wacky.gif.cf4a48f9e6dfe9504ffd2c946fd2f340.gif

Ok, how about this question...

What guage wire should I use with all this stuff? For instance, from my two subs to the inside of the box, from the box to the amp, from the amp to the speakers? All the same? If so, what guage?

Later!

(I think I am just talking to myself anymore...)

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