Dsc 4125 2 ohm vs 4 ohm 6.5 components

[kerpit 10+ year member]

I am seeking help on deciding how to wire my component speakers. I have 3 sets of 4 ohm 6.5 components and was planning on wiring each set in parallel to a single channel. So i would use only 3 channels and they would each be running at 2 ohms each. Is there a sound difference or can the dsc 4125 still play clean at a 2 ohm load wired like that? I've heard people say that at 2 ohms there is a possibility the sound will be a little brighter and lacking midbass. I'll most likely have to wire it up both ways and find out!

Thank you for the help

Brian

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[tommymilan311]

How are you wiring it? Say, if you connected the front speakers parallel to one channel you'd lose stereo. If you connected your front right and rear right parallel you might lose surround (if that is important to you). If you have a 2 sets of fronts, or two sets of rears, it would make sense to wire your 2 front (or rear) rights parallel to one channel as you'd keep stereo and surround. I wouldn't connect right and left because you'll lose stereo and I wouldn't do front and rear because you'll lose surround.

What is your speaker orientation going to be? front-center-rear or front-front-rear or front-rear-rear?

 

[kerpit 10+ year member]

This is in a boat. I'm not too concerned with losing stereo. I have 3 sets, so 6 speakers which is making it difficult! And i don't want to cut holes for another pair! The way i have had it wired before is by using three channels. Each set (2 speakers) wired in parallel to achieve a 2 ohm load per set. Each set is using it's own channel. Just leaving one rear channel empty. I've used this wiring configuration before. My main concern is that i have heard that at 2 ohms it usually puts a load on the amp and causes it to lose mid bass.

 

[tommymilan311]

I can't say that for sure. I'm still somewhat new.

Also, you could connect your front speakers to the front channels at 4-ohm and then connect your other speakers parallel at 2 ohm and utilize all 4 channels. Through brief research it looks like that'll be okay and is doable. And it'll solve your midbass problem to an extent. I personally don't think there would be a very big audible difference in mid bass from 4-ohm to 2. You'd be able to keep stereo and surround as a by product too, which never hurts. For equal sound you'r gain on the 2-ohm side would have to be lower than on the 4-ohm side.

Did you check your crossovers to make sure your not cutting midbass out?

 

[tommymilan311]

Here is a little tid bit I found while researching this. It seems you may be a bit backwards.

At 2 ohms you tend to have more projection of sound (louder), which causes poorer sound quality. At 4 ohms you will have less mid bass frequencies then at 2 ohms; however the sound quality is slightly improved.

And then it goes on to say this:

If you’re not an audiophile, does this matter? Honestly, no it does not. Do not let this be a make or break when looking for sound system components. Two of the same subwoofers, just with different impedances, will produce almost the same sound if they are run at the same wattage. The difference in sound is so slight that it has little impact, especially when dealing with subwoofers, that you likely can’t tell the difference.

Here is the linik: Difference between 4 and 2 ohms

 

[kerpit 10+ year member]

thanks for the help...i'm searching the site like crazy now too. I did think about doing the 4 ohm/2 ohm thing and just turn the gain down on the 2 ohm set to match. I'm not really missing mid bass. Just before i wired this boat up i was wondering if i should change how i've always had it. Another question i don't have the answer to is how many speakers can one channel play safely? Impedance aside, more speakers are going to cause more current draw from the amp (output side) right? Because i could do a series/parallel circuit with 3 speakers on 2 channels and get a 3 ohm load per channel...?

 

[tommymilan311]

thanks for the help...i'm searching the site like crazy now too. I did think about doing the 4 ohm/2 ohm thing and just turn the gain down on the 2 ohm set to match. I'm not really missing mid bass. Just before i wired this boat up i was wondering if i should change how i've always had it. Another question i don't have the answer to is how many speakers can one channel play safely? Impedance aside, more speakers are going to cause more current draw from the amp (output side) right? Because i could do a series/parallel circuit with 3 speakers on 2 channels and get a 3 ohm load per channel...?

Eh, that's kind of tricky. You got 4 channels, I'd utilize them. Think of it as 4 amps in 1. From your specs it says 125 at 4 and 250 at 2. If I had to guess I'd say 180-190 W at 3. But I think you have more than enough power to power your speakers at 4 ohms and the pair on each channel at 2 ohm. What speakers do you have or plan on getting? I have alpine type-Rs and they are 110 watt 4-ohm speakers. This amp would still be more than enough to power em.

 

[kerpit 10+ year member]

3 sets of massive audio ck6 then a ported sa10 off a soundqubed amp. Just being in a boat i have to have them cranked so loud to hear them when i'm swimming. So the loudest i can get is preferred. I think i'll wire up a pair at 4 ohm and then a pair at 2 ohm to see if i can hear any audible difference in sq/distortion and i can use my db meter to check loudness. Decide from there. Thank you so much for your help! Just for the hell of it i'm going to call mb quart tech line and see what they say about sq difference of their amp for 2 vs. 4 ohm.

 

[tommymilan311]

3 sets of massive audio ck6 then a ported sa10 off a soundqubed amp. Just being in a boat i have to have them cranked so loud to hear them when i'm swimming. So the loudest i can get is preferred. I think i'll wire up a pair at 4 ohm and then a pair at 2 ohm to see if i can hear any audible difference in sq/distortion and i can use my db meter to check loudness. Decide from there. Thank you so much for your help! Just for the hell of it i'm going to call mb quart tech line and see what they say about sq difference of their amp for 2 vs. 4 ohm.

You can check with them. I did see through my research that some amps act differently depending on resistance. Looking at the speakers looks like you got the amp to get max output out of those, 4 ohm or 2, so you should be all good with power. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Good luck, post back let me know how it sounds when you got it all hooked up. I've been interested in buying a boat by next summer, but I was unsure how audio would sound. Need tunes in EVERYTHING now.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

Do it as planned, you'll never notice a difference. Though personally I'd split the 3rd pair and use both channels.