Question about 4-channel amps

[XanderMoser 10+ year member]

I am figuring out everything for a new audio system for my car. I have decided to use 6.5 components for the front and a sub in the back. My question is whether I can use a bridgeable 4-channel amp to run 3 channels. Can I run the fronts off of the front channels, then bridge the rear channels for the sub? I know that the amp has to say it can be bridged. But does that automatically mean I can use two channels seperately and bridge the other 2? Or could that harm the amp? I could just get a 2-channel and a single channel amp, but I thought a 4-channel would be more convenient...

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[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Yes, you can do that.

Just make sure whatever sub you buy can be wired to the amp's stable bridged load.

 

[MBrock4u 10+ year member]

Yes you can do that. I decided quite some time ago that I would get a 4 channel amp, and run a seperate amp for the sub. A 4 channel is nice, because it will give you the option to expand your system. That was my thinking. I amp everything!

 

[XanderMoser 10+ year member]

Okay, thanks. Just one more thing I remembered though. I saw that some 4 channel amps say that they are "Tri Mode Capable" without an explanation. I assume that my situation is what they are referring to. So if an amp does not state that it is tri mode capable, I can still do what I want with it so long as it is bridgeable, right? Thanks again.