Sub and amp parallel vs series wiring config?

Question

What are the differences/reasons/advantages of wiring a sub and amp in parallel or series? I'm looking at putting in a single 8 or ten inch sub.

Answer 1

1) The reasons, are to match your amps impedance with your subs impedance. This is to protect your amp and to get the most power out of your amp.



2) Advantages, none really, If amp companies would just make all amps 1ohm stable and didn't lies about their true power you could just buy an amp and go.



3) Differences, http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ca/learningcenter/car/subwoofer_wiring/1SVC_4-ohm_mono.jpg



http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/ca/learningcenter/car/subwoofer_wiring/2DVC_4-ohm_mono.jpg



This is how to wire the sub you buy.



I would buy a mono- block amp for for a sub,



Hope this helps

Answer 2

Parallel Vs Series Wiring

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

Sub and amp parallel vs series wiring config?

What are the differences/reasons/advantages of wiring a sub and amp in parallel or series? I'm looking at putting in a single 8 or ten inch sub.

Answer 4

Wire the subs parallel to the amps (1 amp for 1 sub). This will drop the amps to a 2 ohm load. You're going to need a bass module aka bass boost to link the signal for each amp or else you'll have cancellation with the subs. OR, you can use a DMM (Digital Multi Meter) and and match amp gains. To match amp gains you'll need to play a steady tone from 50-65 hz for best results. Or play a song that has a constant bass note. Turn all settings down on the all amps and head unit to 0 or as low as it will go. Turn your H/U volume up 3/4. Now on your first amp, turn the gain up all the way and back down until you dont hear distortion from the speaker. Record the AC voltage at the amps output (speaker terminals). Now, match that same number witht the second amp. Adjust the HPF, LPF, Bass boost and subsonic filter equally on each amp. no kelly, you shut your mouth. :D

Answer 5

The reason for having different wiring configurations is to properly match the amp output impedance to the lowest inductive load that it is capable of handling. A lower impedance results in more power (watts) being delivered into the load (voice coils). More power results in more sound (louder volume). Most 2 or 4 channel amps can safely operate into 2 ohms when operated in stereo mode, but only into 4 ohms or higher when the channels are bridged (mono mode). Monoblock (subwoofer) amps are usually designed to handle 2 ohm loads, and some (high end amps) will operate safely into 1 ohm or even 1/2 ohm.



A single sub and amp are always wired in "parallel", that is positive to positive and negative to negative. Series wiring will only become part of the configuration if you have more than one sub and/or your sub(s) themselves have multiple voice coils. Wiring individual voice coils or separate subs in parallel will result in a lower impedance. Wiring them in series results in a higher impedance.

Answer 6

you didn't say how many ohms your sub will be, but for an example ill use a 4 ohm sub.

in parallel wiring, your ohms will be a 2 ohm load.

in series wiring, your ohm load will be an 8 ohm load. but you have to make sure your ohm load on your sub matches with your amp



hope this helps

Answer 7

Well if you're only going to use one sub, there is no series or parallel.



If you had two, thats when you would get into series/parallel. The above is correct for how resistance changes over series/parallel. (I don't know the equations off hand, look em up if you're interested.) You just have to remember the equation that Power = Voltage(squared) / Resistance. So if you parallel subs down from 8ohms to 4 ohms, you get a power increase. If you series them, there is a drop in power. (Voltage is constant...say 13.8 when you car is running)



And that 2nd example above me, with the two subs int he picture, is a Series/Parallel Circuit. It parallels the subs, but the voice coils are series. Thats a completely different example.