two 400w amps to one 1000 watt sub or to two subs

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actionyakson

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So I have some audio equipment lying around that I got for free and I'm wanting to hook something up again in my car that will provide the most umph.

I previously had 1 very old generation 12" alpine type R in a single box powered by a really old soundstream reference class A 5.0 amp that I think is rated around 400w.

I had this speaker in the back seat of my honda prelude right behind the drivers seat but removed it because it really didn't have the power I wanted.

I now also have been given 2 12" pioneer subs along with a 400w kenwood amp.

What setup would give me the cleanest, hardest bass?

I was thinking the 2 amps hooked up to the alpine type R, but I could really use some experienced advice!

I'm a noob and don't really fully understand the wiring concepts like parallel or bridged. So please forward me any info on where to look for wiring diagrams or anything else you think may help.

Also do you think it would be best to put the single in the trunk vs the back seat? I was thinking I'd feel it more pushed up against the drivers seat and not have to worry about trunk rattle.

Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think!

 
That sounstream amp you have was only rated @ like 12.5 watts per channel into a 4 ohm stereo load. Where it really shined was running bridged mono into very low ohm loads like 1/2 ohm. That being said in your situation it is probally not your best choice. Do you have any idea as to the voice coil configurations of the alpine or pioneer subs. What model Kenwood amp do you have? The search button at the top is your friend. You can search how to wire subs or how to bridge an amp. My self I'd put the sub box in the trunk and find a way to secure it. At any rate welcome to a new and sometimes frustrating but always rewarding learning experience.

 
Thanks a lot! The Kenwood amp is kac-620 I'm not really sure what you mean by voice coil configuration but I can try to figure that out when I'm not at work.

So because my amps are both pretty low wattage would you recommend hooking both amps up to the single alpine type r 12 or the 2 pioneer 12s? Because the soundstream is ancient would I even get any extra benefit?

 
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Subs generally either have 1 set or 2 sets of connections. If you take a multi meter and put it across the positive and negative leads it will probally read either 2 ohms or 4 ohms. BTW that soundstream amp is really a very nice piece of equipment if it still is 100% functional.

 
Ok so I looked on the alpine sub and it does have two sets of connects so I'm assuming that means it's dual 2 ohms. The way it was previously installed was only utilizing one set of connectors.

So I will get the most bang with the soundstream bridged mono @1ohm over any other setup with the 2 pioneer 12s and 400w Kenwood amp?

I was thinking about getting a new subwoofer off craigslist. I can get a jl 12 w6 for $100 or cheaper. Would that do me any good or would I have to upgrade the amplifier to get better performance?

 
Ok so I looked on the alpine sub and it does have two sets of connects so I'm assuming that means it's dual 2 ohms. The way it was previously installed was only utilizing one set of connectors.So I will get the most bang with the soundstream bridged mono @1ohm over any other setup with the 2 pioneer 12s and 400w Kenwood amp?

I was thinking about getting a new subwoofer off craigslist. I can get a jl 12 w6 for $100 or cheaper. Would that do me any good or would I have to upgrade the amplifier to get better performance?
That price is good for the W6 but a proper monoblock amp and a proper custom ported enclosure would be the only thing that helps performance. Switching out subs with crappy power and box will not have any results. If i were you, i'd sell all your little nick nacs and get a real amp along with a proper enclosure. If you have woodworking skills, i'll show you some free box designs with cutout sheets. Box makes the biggest difference.

 
Dude that sounds tempting but also expensive and time consuming. At what point will you need an extra battery to power it? Looking for something simple and economical. But if you say that the best way to step up is a new box what type would you recommend? What type of amp and how many watts to get the most bang for the buck? Thanks a lot, all help is appreciated!

 
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actionyakson

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