Can I run at 1 ohm?

[venoxcide]

Hi, I have a Pioneer GM-D8604 4 channel amplifier.

Currently I have it pushing two speakers and 1 subwoofer fine.

However, I want to add two more speakers to it, but I don't know if I'll be causing damage because my two current speakers are 2 ohm and on channel a.

The sub is 4 ohm and on channel b.

Heres the amp specs:

From my understanding if I put two more speakers on channel a, the impedance becomes 1 ohm, and so I'm not sure if the amplifier is capable of doing 1 ohm for channel a but still keep 4 ohms for channel b for the sub to work properly.

I've looked at wattages and such and the speakers will be fine in that area but I just want to be sure that the amplifier is capable of this.

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[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

4-channel amplifiers are normally designed to operate at different impedances on each pair of channels. However, instead of wiring two pairs of 2 ohm speakers in parallel I would instead wire them in series at 4 ohms. The amplifier will probably run cooler, sound a little better, and you won't hear the difference of being down ~25W RMS per channel.

 

[SMS 10+ year member]

Well if you get two more 2 ohm speakers just wire them in series for a 4 ohm. is that amp really 1 ohm stable in stereo?

 

[venoxcide]

See this is why I ask on these forums because I wasn't aware if I wired in series I would get a 4 ohms final impedance.

Series is one lead from the amp to the positive of one speaker and then the negative of that speaker to the positive of another one and so on until I get back to the amp yes? (atleast thats what I got from a quick search)
@SMS - I guess so since it says 1 ohms x 4 channels on the specs. I just wasn't sure it would be able to do that AND push the sub at 4 ohms also, but if wiring in series will keep the final impedance at 4ohms then that does sound better. Although looks like its going to be a bit of wiring work.