Wiring two amplifiers?

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

Well, honestly, this might seem a bit stupid of a question to you. However, I don't know what the results will be, so I'm a tad curious.

What would be the problems in wiring two amplifiers to one speaker? I'm looking for a moderately detailed answer, rather than just someone telling me "it's bad, don't do it."

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[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

its a bad idea. is it even dual voice coil?

 

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

its a bad idea. is it even dual voice coil?

Type of answer I wasn't looking for -.-

And no, not a dual coil speaker. And could it be done with a dual voice coil speaker? I'm trying to think theoretically on this, and I don't believe it can be done, but I wanted confirmation and preferably an answer as to why.

 

[sholiz 10+ year member]

if you can strap the amps it can be done

 

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

Two different amplifiers.. Any assistance?

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

no you are not experienced enough and will blow the sub and/or the amps

 

[GreenBook 10+ year member]

Read up on 'strapping', but usually you have to have 2 of the same exact amp, and not all amps are capable or doing so.

 

[branham1127 10+ year member]

two different amplifiers= dont do it

two of the same strapable amplifier= can be done

two of the same non strapable amplifier= can be done using the maxx-link or another bridging module

 

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

no you are not experienced enough and will blow the sub and/or the amps

... The reason I'm trying to learn. Getting great help.

Now, essentially, I'll throw out the basic problem. My car has built in 20 watt RMS @ 4 ohms amplifiers for all four speakers in the car. I have a 4 chan amplifier that puts out 55 RMSx4 @ 4 ohms.

I'm replacing the speakers with my own - this is in my new car. Front stage can handle 100 RMS apiece fairly easily, rear fill can handle 90 RMS apiece. My curiosity is that of the fact that if I could add in more current - sending 75 watts RMS to each speaker. As in my old car, I was moderately unhappy with the rear fill off of 55 apiece (didn't have the front speakers then - haven't tested them off the power yet). As I had tried them on the amp bridged, and knew they had the output and could handle more power, and sounded much better when they had as much or more power than they were rated to handle.

Now, I don't believe this is possible, but I was curious. Whether wiring both amps to a speaker, or taking the + wires from each amp, putting them together, and putting it on the speaker, then running the - wires together, splitting them into each amplifier. However, looking at it theoretically, the smaller amplifier would have much more returning current, and the larger one less. Probably wouldn't damage the larger one, but the smaller one probably wouldn't like it.

I'll go read up on strapping, thanks.

 

[branham1127 10+ year member]

... The reason I'm trying to learn. Getting great help.
Now, essentially, I'll throw out the basic problem. My car has built in 20 watt RMS @ 4 ohms amplifiers for all four speakers in the car. I have a 4 chan amplifier that puts out 55 RMSx4 @ 4 ohms.

I'm replacing the speakers with my own - this is in my new car. Front stage can handle 100 RMS apiece fairly easily, rear fill can handle 90 RMS apiece. My curiosity is that of the fact that if I could add in more current - sending 75 watts RMS to each speaker. As in my old car, I was moderately unhappy with the rear fill off of 55 apiece (didn't have the front speakers then - haven't tested them off the power yet). As I had tried them on the amp bridged, and knew they had the output and could handle more power, and sounded much better when they had as much or more power than they were rated to handle.

Now, I don't believe this is possible, but I was curious. Whether wiring both amps to a speaker, or taking the + wires from each amp, putting them together, and putting it on the speaker, then running the - wires together, splitting them into each amplifier. However, looking at it theoretically, the smaller amplifier would have much more returning current, and the larger one less. Probably wouldn't damage the larger one, but the smaller one probably wouldn't like it.

I'll go read up on strapping, thanks.

why dont u just look into an amp that will do 75-100 X 4 @ 4ohms and not use the built in amp?

 

[DBBOOM 10+ year member]

Bad idea, good that you are thinking. End of thread.

 

[Plutoman 10+ year member]

why dont u just look into an amp that will do 75-100 X 4 @ 4ohms and not use the built in amp?

Money. End of story there.

I'm still curious on the reasons as to why it wouldn't fully work - is the only reason that the lower power amplifier wouldn't handle the returning power? Signals, would the signals possible conflict?

Note that I'm not planning on doing it - it would just be interesting to learn why.

 

[Cpyder 10+ year member]

Great answers lunch trey.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

first of all, the difference between 55w and 75w is very slight, but the difference between 20w ant 50w is significant (just use the amp).

second - the amps would see each other as a load and try to deliver current into the outputs of the other. If that's not enough to damage one or both amps (it probably would be)...

They would likely not produce the exact same signal and would have the sub working against itself. Best case scenario - it would sound terrible.

 

[TurdFergueson2 5,000+ posts]

Two different amplifiers.. Any assistance?

So you are trying to run 2 different amps to a single voice coil speaker????........