Wiring 3 Subs In Series And Parallel

[thch 10+ year member]

the speakers in parallel would each get less power then the woofer in series. 100% of the current will pass through that speaker, while 50% of that current will flow to each of the two other speakers.

the impedance of the OP's diagram would be 6ohm.

optimal solutions would be 4/3 (all parallel) or 12ohm (all series). non optimal (one speaker gets 4x power) would be 6ohm (speaker in series with pair in parallel) or 8/3 ohm (speaker in parallel with pair in series). 8ohm or 2 ohm are possible if one speaker is shorted, 4ohm is possible if two speakers are shorted. the only worse case would be all speakers shorted or speakers disconnected. these should be all of the combinations you can wire.

the equation for speakers in series is Req = R1 + R2, so that gives: 1.6 = 4 + R2. the parallel combo would need to be -2.4 ohm.

(also, ohm load is such a terrible phrase. almost like saying a car is "miles per hour fast".)

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

it works fine with 4 speakers because the pair of speakers on each leg of the circuit represents the same load.....the way you are wanting to do it represents 2 different loads, it looks like you have 2 subs wired together on one leg and then a single sub tied in....so in the diagram of the 4 subs, imagine taking one of those subs off one of the legs...

this was quoted from JL's website

With multi-driver sub systems the level of wiring complexity can be enough to turn-off even the most adventurous of car audio do-it-yourselfers. Fear not though, for we have compiled wiring diagrams of several configurations for single voice coil (SVC) drivers.

Please note that when wiring multiple drivers it is recommended that series connections between drivers be avoided at all costs. This does not include series connections made between voice coils on the same driver. For more information, please consult our dual voice coil tutorial section.

Additionally, if you have an idea for a wiring configuration and you do not see it here, chances are you should re-think its implementation (in other words, don't do it). You will more than likely find that the results will be less than optimal.

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

ive always wondered how this circuit would work, electricity flows through the path of least resistance....

 

[roarzorz 10+ year member]

Actually I did find info on it, but it involves 4 speakers vs 3.

In other words you didn't find any info on the exact configuration you have above. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wallbash.gif.1310150c49dd52e0fbe1813a0681e5c3.gif Do whatever you want.

 

[forceww 10+ year member]

exactly derrick. True story your amp will see a load of 1.6 ohms. HOWEVER you subs will not receive the same amount of power. Your one sub will receive more power because as derrick said current will travel the way of the least resistance. So your amp in essence will see that ohm load but your subs themselves will act independently and receive different amounts of power. And if that happens...who knows. Problems phasing, then BOOM

 

[24v 10+ year member]

exactly derrick. True story your amp will see a load of 1.6 ohms. HOWEVER you subs will not receive the same amount of power. Your one sub will receive more power because as derrick said current will travel the way of the least resistance. So your amp in essence will see that ohm load but your subs themselves will act independently and receive different amounts of power. And if that happens...who knows. Problems phasing, then BOOM

Thanks for the answers guys. Now we are getting somewhere. Ok, so lets say that the sub that is recieving the most power is in its own chamber, and the other 2 are in their own common chamber. So essentially one speaker in a box, and two in another. Why would this not work, and is there anyway to calculate the amount of power going to the single and the power going to the other 2? Someone metioned 50%, is that fact, or an estimate?

 

[skadude016 5,000+ posts]

exactly derrick. True story your amp will see a load of 1.6 ohms. HOWEVER you subs will not receive the same amount of power. Your one sub will receive more power because as derrick said current will travel the way of the least resistance. So your amp in essence will see that ohm load but your subs themselves will act independently and receive different amounts of power. And if that happens...who knows. Problems phasing, then BOOM

yup! and it will be very interesting when its hooked up! take vids! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

Thanks for the answers guys. Now we are getting somewhere. Ok, so lets say that the sub that is recieving the most power is in its own chamber, and the other 2 are in their own common chamber. So essentially one speaker in a box, and two in another. Why would this not work, and is there anyway to calculate the amount of power going to the single and the power going to the other 2? Someone metioned 50%, is that fact, or an estimate?

just don't do it.

 

[24v 10+ year member]

just don't do it.

Exactly the reason I want to. I have 3 cheap subs sitting here, and a cheap amp. I was just trying to see if anyone had an idea of how it would work before I try it. I'm just bored with all the common configurations, and wanted to try something different.

 

[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

Exactly the reason I want to. I have 3 cheap subs sitting here, and a cheap amp. I was just trying to see if anyone had an idea of how it would work before I try it. I'm just bored with all the common configurations, and wanted to try something different.

yeah, but it won't work right. try being different with the box design instead of the wiring. try a 6th order bandpass or something.

 

[Cameron_B 10+ year member]

exactly derrick. True story your amp will see a load of 1.6 ohms. HOWEVER you subs will not receive the same amount of power. Your one sub will receive more power because as derrick said current will travel the way of the least resistance. So your amp in essence will see that ohm load but your subs themselves will act independently and receive different amounts of power. And if that happens...who knows. Problems phasing, then BOOM

Yes, I tried this before, wiring 2 RE SE in D4 in parallel-parallel to 1 OHM

In series with

2 MTX 4400 Series 2 ohm.

Final Impedance- 3 ohm

the mtx's were getting twice the power as the RE's as already stated.

Wiring Subs like this "probably" wont damage them unless the bigger ohm load and "voltage drop" EXCEDES the wattage rating of the specific sub (P or Watts)=E^2(voltage)/R(resistance)

 

[forceww 10+ year member]

Im not sure of the exact power that the single sub will be receiving but my guess is 50-75 percent of the total power being pushed to the subs. And putting them in their own chamber wont do anything really. Itl just make it so that one of the boxes are louder than the other one. I understand you wanna do sumthin diff and if you really wanna risk blowin up some subs n amp and maybe fry some electrical go ahead lol. I wouldnt do it though thats for sure.

 

[Saint211 10+ year member]

When figuring out this method of wiring, figure the parallel drivers first, figuring the ohm load of the two into one, then that figure in series with the last 4 ohm.

So 2 4 ohm speakers in parallel is 2 ohms, in series with a 4 ohm speaker is a ifnal load of 6 ohms.

One of the posters here was correct.

But people were also correct in saying the speakers will recieve different amounts of juice wired in this way.

 

[Saint211 10+ year member]

I dont reccomend it.

 

[roarzorz 10+ year member]

He's more than likely still gonna do it in his efforts to be different. The next post we'll see will be something like "why are my subs acting weird" or "what happed to my sub."