OHM impedance on subs.

['96_Talon_TSi]

I'm looking into some new subs thatw ill go into my custom enclosure.

I'm looking at some subs, but im stumped on the impedance. I havent taken any electrical classes, so i dont know much about the difference between a 4 ohm and 2 ohm impedance.

WHat impedance do you guys sugest and why?

WHat effect will the impedance have on the performance of the subwoofer?

I know there are some profesional installers here, and i would like to hear thier opinions on this.

I'm pretty set on what subs and amp im going to get.. just wondered about impedance loads and such.

 

[69_luv]

Here is what I can help you with on the ohm impedence situation. Most amps are rated at 4ohm, that means the watts that they send out are rated at 4ohm. Most subs are either duel 2ohm or duel 4ohm subs. In that case if you wire the subs one to each channel on a 2 channel amp then you would push the rated watts. IE if you have a duel 500 watt amp and you don't bridge it(put one sub on both channels), then you will send 500 watts to the sub. If you wire the duel 4ohm, red to black, and then the other red and black to the amp, you are now running 2ohm from the sub, to 4ohm on the amp. That means you are going to push twice the watts, and run the amp harder. Some amps go stable to as low as 1ohm or less. If you have a decent amp, push the power. Get the duel 2ohm, wire the red to black, and then the other red to black to the amp, that is 1ohm. Lots of juice, hard on the amp, but some serious punch. If you have the amp still, bridge it, take one 2 channel amp, and bridge between the two channels. That takes all the power from the amp and put it into what ever sub you chose to melt. Hope I helped you out. Just remember the lower the ohm the more power its going to use, and the harder its going to work your amp.

 

[69_luv]

Try this site:
http://www.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/4/6270.html
or:
http://www.caraudioresources.com/content/electrical_tips/55/1/

hope that helps

 

['96_Talon_TSi]

So if I read and understand your asnwer correctly...

If i have a 500 watt, dual channel, 4ohm amp..... and a dual 4 ohm subwoofer...

I bridge the amp, and then i can push 1000 watts (500 from each channel), at 2 ohms to one subwoofer (or would it still be at 4 ohms running to the subwoofer).

The biggest problem i am having understanding, is when i bride the amp to the 4ohm sub, does the impedance on the amp drop to 2ohms, or does it stay at four?

 

[Spidey]

If you have a 2-channel 500w amp it's most likely going to be 250w x 2, which is why you will bridge it to let your single sub get all the power rather than just 250w from 1 channel.

 

['96_Talon_TSi]

ok, so i have a dual channel 500 watt (250 x 2 channel) 4 ohm amp.

I have a dual 4 ohm 600 watt subwoofer.

I bridge the amp and power a single subwoofer in parallel, so im running 500 watts. Does the ohm impedance on the amp drop to 2 ohm, or stay at 4 ohm?

Would that setup be good (4 ohm 2 channel amp, bridged... powering a dual 4 ohm sub) or would i want a dual 2 ohm sub?

 

[69_luv]

If you bridge the amp then the ohms goes from 4 to 2. That means if you bridge the 250x2 then you will come out with 500 at 2ohm.

Most but not all can run at 2ohm, and are fairly stable bridged. Just remember that you are pushing twice the watts out of the amp, and it IS working harder.