How Many Channels and How to Wire???...

[jerlands]

I have 8 speakers, 4 are in parallel (squawker and tweeter) then R/L door and R/L rear. I'm uncertain how many channels I need to adequately handle this?... I'd like to get by with 4-channel but am uncertain the best way to do it...

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[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

I'd like to get by with 4-channel but am

A four channel is all you need, you can even use a two channel in a pinch. The tweeters are supposed to have a built in crossover which is a simple capacitor. You connect each tweeter parallel with a squawker for a total of 4 sets. Connect each set to a channel. Set amp's crossover switch to full or off. You are set.

 

[Bobbytwonames 5,000+ posts]

A four channel is all you need, you can even use a two channel in a pinch. The tweeters are supposed to have a built in crossover which is a simple capacitor. You connect each tweeter parallel with a squawker for a total of 4 sets. Connect each set to a channel. Set amp's crossover switch to full or off. You are set.

What is a squawker? For real. I've never heard that term. (Midrange speaker?)

 

[jerlands]

A four channel is all you need, you can even use a two channel in a pinch. The tweeters are supposed to have a built in crossover which is a simple capacitor. You connect each tweeter parallel with a squawker for a total of 4 sets. Connect each set to a channel. Set amp's crossover switch to full or off. You are set.

what i need the amplifier to supply is... 1.) rear deck speakers L/R 2.) door speakers L/R 3.) paralleled squawker (front dash corner) with door tweeter L/R... that's three sets of speakers and I'm not certain how to hook 6 wires (3+/3-) to 4 posts (2+/2-)...?

 

[jerlands]

What is a squawker? For real. I've never heard that term. (Midrange speaker?)

squawker is a term used possibly by Lexus alone... it's a corner mounted dash speaker... they parallel it with a door mounted tweeter...

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

they parallel it with a door mounted tweeter...

There is your answer for wiring it. Wire it parallel into the front speakers. So it will be 3+ and 3- on each front channel. Just to make sure it will be ok; those squawkers and tweeters have built in crossovers? If not, you could acquire four 2way passive crossovers. The other method would be to wire the woofers to the rear channels and set rear x-over to full/off. Wire tweeters and dash to front channels and set x-over to around 4kHz.
Regarding the term squakers, I thought it was an spellcheck intrusion and decided to roll with it. I also had never heard it applied to speakers. Come to think of it, it may be the same as the term "whizzers". Just a speaker with a cone in the center.

 

[jerlands]

There is your answer for wiring it. Wire it parallel into the front speakers. So it will be 3+ and 3- on each front channel. Just to make sure it will be ok; those squawkers and tweeters have built in crossovers? If not, you could acquire four 2way passive crossovers. The other method would be to wire the woofers to the rear channels and set rear x-over to full/off. Wire tweeters and dash to front channels and set x-over to around 4kHz.
Regarding the term squakers, I thought it was an spellcheck intrusion and decided to roll with it. I also had never heard it applied to speakers. Come to think of it, it may be the same as the term "whizzers". Just a speaker with a cone in the center.

i'm sorry but this makes no sense to me... i have to distribute out to the speakers... i have 6 wires to deal with... i need some type of schematic to comprehend what you are saying...

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

i need some type of schematic

Ok, this only applies if you can verify that the midrange and tweeter have an inline capacitor
(X-over)

 

[jerlands]

what i'm finding is complications... most amplifiers today will blow my stock speakers out of the water. i'm looking at 25 watts per channel or so... i've spoken with someone at crutchfield and we sort of came to the conclusion it's probably best to resource a usable stock amplifier (since it appears i've blown mine out) and use an active line converter to drop the signal voltage to the amplifier... what i did was to install a new head unit without thinking about the consequences... it put out speaker level voltages to the amplifier and blew it out...

 

[Bobbytwonames 5,000+ posts]

I have 8 speakers, 4 are in parallel (squawker and tweeter) then R/L door and R/L rear. I'm uncertain how many channels I need to adequately handle this?... I'd like to get by with 4-channel but am uncertain the best way to do it...

Get a 4 four channel and run the front door speakers off of the amp and run the rear off of the head unit.

 

[jerlands]

Get a 4 four channel and run the front door speakers off of the amp and run the rear off of the head unit.

why the rear off the head unit?...

 

[jerlands]

Get a 4 four channel and run the front door speakers off of the amp and run the rear off of the head unit.

i have 4 wire (channel?) into the amplifier from the head unit.... Front R/L and Rear R/L... the amplifier outputs 6-channel then... what magic it does I don't know...

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

what i did was to install a new head unit without thinking about the consequences... it put out speaker level voltages to the amplifier and blew it out...

I see. Swapping out for OEM is definitely easier.

i have 4 wire (channel?) into the amplifier from the head unit.... Front R/L and Rear R/L... the amplifier outputs 6-channel then... what magic it does I don't know...

If you use a 4 channel amp, best bet is to use that dash as a midrange. I suspect those dash are part of a 3 way setup. And to protect speakers, you attenuate with the gain.

 

[jerlands]

I see. Swapping out for OEM is definitely easier.
If you use a 4 channel amp, best bet is to use that dash as a midrange. I suspect those dash are part of a 3 way setup. And to protect speakers, you attenuate with the gain.

my preference is always to go the most efficient route... the use of an older amplifier sets me back a little but so does investing in more than i really want... at minimum I now can see the option of using the head to power two channels... thanks...

 

[jerlands]

I see. Swapping out for OEM is definitely easier.
If you use a 4 channel amp, best bet is to use that dash as a midrange. I suspect those dash are part of a 3 way setup. And to protect speakers, you attenuate with the gain.

i've just learned of an amp that will accept 4-channel in and deliver 6-channel out... AudioControl LC6i... though i may have to attenuate the gain on all channels... oops... that is a converter...