Series or parallel?

[PapaGeno21 10+ year member]

Ok guys im going to be running a Kicker KX350.2 to my 4 interior speakers.

I already own the amp so thats what I am using, so no neet to suggest other amps.

Anyways here is my problem, the amp is capable of this:

110 watts RMS x 2 at 4 ohms (175 watts RMS x 2 at 2 ohms)

So now what do I do, my speakers are 4 ohms each so im going to run left side togeather and right side togeather, and I know thats going to be a 50/50 balance in the truck as far as front and rear and thats ok beacuse thats how I like it on the Headunit anyways.

So now the speakers are each 4 ohms, so should I run them in parallel or series?

Speakers are KS525's (45Wrms) and DS68's (35Wrms)

I dont want to blow them but I dont know how to get them to a 4 ohm load?

If I run them in series will it become an 8ohm load?

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[johnson 10+ year member]

Wiring them in series will give you an 8 ohm load but I would just run the KS525's off the amp and the DS68 off the head unit.

 

[tRidiot 10+ year member]

Series would be 8 ohms, parallel would be 2 ohms

You can't wire them like you plan and get a 4 ohm load.

I'd suggest just amping the fronts and see how you like it. If you want, you can add the rears later in the manner you described. If you're not hammering on them all the time, a little extra power should be fine. We call it headroom. Seldom, if ever, will they see that full amount of power.

 

[PapaGeno21 10+ year member]

I would rather just amp all 4 of them at once though.

Its just a pain to rip apart my truck and I just want it done, so will them being in series at 8ohms be more like 80 Watts from the amp?

Will them being at 8 ohms still sound good?

 

[johnson 10+ year member]

I would rather just amp all 4 of them at once though.
Its just a pain to rip apart my truck and I just want it done, so will them being in series at 8ohms be more like 80 Watts from the amp?

Will them being at 8 ohms still sound good?

Itll be more like 25w to each speaker.

 

[tRidiot 10+ year member]

Itll be more like 25w to each speaker.

Exactly. You can figure on about half power at double the impedance and you can split that 'roughly' in half for each speaker.

 

[PapaGeno21 10+ year member]

That would still be better than my 12Watts to each speaker from my HU...

Why would I amp the fronts and not the backs?

Wont that blow out the fronts and then the backs I wont hear form the fronts being so loud?

 

[PapaGeno21 10+ year member]

Will them being at 8ohms hurt the speakers?

OR Should I just run them in parallel? That would bring the full RMS to them?

 

[tRidiot 10+ year member]

Not sure how much power that amp puts out at 2 ohms.

At 4 ohms just on the fronts, it will be alot of power, and could damage them if you're not careful.

Using fronts and rears is simply a preference, and you can do it if you like.

 

[fwb_1234 10+ year member]

If you want to hook the sides together in parallel, you would get two 2-ohm loads. That means that your amp has the potential to 175W to each pair of speakers (175/2W to each individual speaker).

If the RMS of any of your speakers is lower than (175/2)W then simply turn down your gains. There is a gain setting tutorial in the amplifier section.

 

[PapaGeno21 10+ year member]

I think im going to try running them in series first, that way they are at 8 ohm load, and see what happens. If it isnt loud enough Ill run parallelle and see how that is.

Just got to go easy on the gains.

 

[Gary S 10+ year member]

The main issue is if the amp will handle it. Speakers in parallel would be two ohms, and the amp is rated for that... why not run them in parallel?

 

[fwb_1234 10+ year member]

The main issue is if the amp will handle it. Speakers in parallel would be two ohms, and the amp is rated for that... why not run them in parallel?

Yeah, I don't really see any reason not to.

What is the RMS on each speaker set?

 

[PapaGeno21 10+ year member]

The KS525's are 45RMS and the DS68's are 35RMS..

Wouldnt it blow them out at 2 ohms?

 

[Gary S 10+ year member]

Just go easy with the volume control... when you turn it up and they don't produce anymore bass or distress, you'll know their limit, turn it down.

You don't drive around town with the accelerator stuck to the floor all the time; it's not necessary to have the volume maxed out on the radio either. Just a matter of common sense.