Newbie: Recommend me a range of Amps

[UCbizerkeley 10+ year member]

So, at current my setup is:

JL 500/1 amp

(1) 12" Type R dual 2-ohm

I am getting another 2-ohm Type R any day now. But I literally don't understand how the Ohms / wirings work, and which amps work at what ohms with which subs. All I know is that 2x 2-ohm subs can run at 1ohm or 4 ohm, and 2x 4-ohm subs can run at 8 ohms or 2 ohms (which makes me think that if I get a mono 2 ohm amp, I should have the 4-ohm subs. yet I have read this is incorrect here on the forums...? this is partially why I am confused)

I will be selling the JL in Classifieds and looking for another amp. I figure I'll get a decent price on the JL since it is in very good condition, and will apply that to a higher wattage amp. My price range is therefore 200-300, and will try to get something out of the classifieds here or off eBay.

(Related question - the single Type R is about a year old, but in VERY good condition, it sat for awhile in my garage. Would another used Type R compliment this, or ought it be new again?)

Thanks for the help everyone

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[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Okay - your Dual 2 Ohm single Type R by itself can be wired to 4 Ohms with the coils in series or 1 Ohm with the coils in parallel.

If you were to get another just like it your three options would be 8 Ohms, 2 Ohms, or 1/2 Ohm.

Save this link into your favorites. It is an unendingly handy reference guide. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Plug in how many subwoofers you're running and what voicecoil configuration those subs are and it will give you both the final nominal resistance loads available to you and how to wire the subs to achieve those loads.

 

[UCbizerkeley 10+ year member]

Thank you so much! That clears up much already. So it seems like I need to find a mono amp stable to 2 ohms w/ roughly 1200watts....aye? I hear Type Rs (again, from here i should say) are underrated

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

There are more than a few Type R users who put considerably more wattage into them successfully than their RMS ratings would lead you to believe they'll take.

I wouldn't recommend getting insane with it and driving 1kW or so more than their ratings suggest but yes, going over the 500w recommedation to a certain extent assuming the power is clean power shouldn't be an issue. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Qbenjamin 10+ year member]

Watch your gain settings, if your going to surpass the manufaguers rating and you should be OK.

 

[UCbizerkeley 10+ year member]

any recommendations of particular amps?

 

[SlamSession 10+ year member]

UCBizerkely, the Alpine Dual Voice Coil 2 ohm Type R subs are rated at 500 watts rms.

Don't go by the Peak Power rating, because all that means is what the speaker can handle in one short burst of power(watts) lasting no more than a second or so, not countinous power handling. Go by the RMS(root means square) rating, it's closer to what the speaker can actually handle continously.

Two of those Type R's wired in series (connecting the two voice coils of each driver in series [+ to -] and the drivers themselves in parallel [+ to +]) you can see what I'm referring to in JL Audio's speaker wiring tutorial, I've provided the website for that:

http://mobile.jlaudio.com/support_pages.php?page_id=145

Your two subs wired in series will put a 2 ohm load to the amplifier. The JL Audio 500/1 amplifier is rated at 500 watts rms x 1 channel @ 1.5 to 4 ohms. That is ideal if you will be running only one sub. The subs can handle 500 watts each, so that's 1000 watts rms. What I recommend is the Alpine PDX-1.1000 which is rated at

1000 watts x 1 channel @ 2 ohms which is exactly what you would need once you get that second Type R sub. Good Luck.