I've been offered a deal on 2 2channel amps (Not sorted the details yet).
Im building a system concisting of component speakers up front, 6x9's on my back shelf, and a 12" sub in the back.
Im gonna power the comp's and the sub leaving the HU to deal with the 6x9's (Swez'll know the details)...
My question is this:
Would it be better (as the dealer has advised) to power the sub on a seperate amp to the comp's, or just bridge 2 of the channels on a 4channel amp?...
Im goin for an SQ system and realise i need at least 50wRMS to each channel, but is there a lot more work/things that could go wrong when dealing with multiple amps?
Replies (3)
Swez on 05/23/2003 19:02:51
If it were me, I'd take a 2 stage approach to your application:
1: Get a good 4 channel amp and connect as we have discussed earlier. Running the 6x9's off the HU amps, may be adequate... then again, you may want a bit more ambient rear channel output in the future.
2. Buy the 4 channel now and use as proposed earlier. If you desire more sub power later, can always add a sub amp with more punch later as you can afford same. Just shift the rear channel outputs to the rear 6x9's and balance the stages as needed.
The main thing here, install #4 gage wire to your present amp. Yeah, a bit over kill, (for now) but if you eventually add a separate sub amp later, no addition wires runs are needed for power, unless you go with a very large sub system. (>600 watts)
Plan for today, but look ahead to the future as well. No sense pulling extra wires if you can do it all now and add as you go.
" but is there a lot more work/things that could go wrong when dealing with multiple amps?" Not if you plan ahead and buy quality amplifiers!
To be honest, I did not have that knowledge when I added a sub system to my stock GM system. But no, it's not that big a deal to add a sub amp later and switch the rear channels to your 6x9's. Then tap your sub amp inputs from the HU. A few more wires ... but no biggie.
Now that I am building up to a better SQ/SPL system, I missed the right power wire for future upgrades. Simply, "I did not know what I did not know". But 3 year later, I have figured out my mistakes and short sited plans.... avoid my lack of foresight!
Swez
PS Yes, I have made mistakes too... but after 3 + years of forum reading and writing, I have learned what works and what misses the mark.... learn from my previous lack of experience back then... and plan for upgrades now & later! COFFEE
md4374 on 05/24/2003 04:29:29
good thinking batman, but the language barrier's got me here: does 4 gage refer to the wire's amount of core's (eg. 4) or its resistence rating?
(This question isn't as dumb as it sounds, its just that we call it twin or multiple core wire over here)
Swez on 05/24/2003 09:28:56
There's no such thing as a dumb question here Robin... :-)
A picture is worth many words... look here:
http://www.knukonceptz.com/detail.asp?product_id=KOL4BL
This is a high strand count, copper wire in heavy jacket used for power feed to amps. We use "twin lead" for speaker conections. Also called Zip cord. We also have multi core wires for other applications as well.
The main thing here, is that you have large enough wire diameter to get the current your amp(s) need to operater properly without burning out the wire. Here's a chart you can reference:
Wire #: Current rating: Amp watts: RMS
0 awg 334 amps 2763 watts
1 awg 265 amps 2193 watts
2 awg 210 amps 1740 watts
3 awg 167 amps 1381 watts
4 awg 132 amps 1096 watts
5 awg 105 amps 870 watts
6 awg 83.4 amps 690 watts
7 awg 66.2 amps 548 watts
8 awg 52.5 amps 435 watts
9 awg 41.7 amps 375 watts
10 awg 33.1 amps 273 watts
11 awg 26.3 amps 217 watts
12 awg 20.84 amps 172 watts
Source: Eatel.net
NOTE: AWG means American Wire Gage, standard or benchmark for wire used in the US.
Does that answer your question?
Swez SMILE
PS Knowing you have a very small car, do you know how many amperes of current your ALTERNATOR can put out, and do you know what the Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) of the battery is? Should be in your car's owners manual or data from a dealership or a good car parts store should know this too.
You will need that data soon. If the present electrical system is very limited, (less than 65 ampereres of current) will have to figure out how to get enough power to the amp(s) and all other electrical devices.
Im building a system concisting of component speakers up front, 6x9's on my back shelf, and a 12" sub in the back.
Im gonna power the comp's and the sub leaving the HU to deal with the 6x9's (Swez'll know the details)...
My question is this:
Would it be better (as the dealer has advised) to power the sub on a seperate amp to the comp's, or just bridge 2 of the channels on a 4channel amp?...
Im goin for an SQ system and realise i need at least 50wRMS to each channel, but is there a lot more work/things that could go wrong when dealing with multiple amps?
Replies (3)
Swez on 05/23/2003 19:02:51
If it were me, I'd take a 2 stage approach to your application:
1: Get a good 4 channel amp and connect as we have discussed earlier. Running the 6x9's off the HU amps, may be adequate... then again, you may want a bit more ambient rear channel output in the future.
2. Buy the 4 channel now and use as proposed earlier. If you desire more sub power later, can always add a sub amp with more punch later as you can afford same. Just shift the rear channel outputs to the rear 6x9's and balance the stages as needed.
The main thing here, install #4 gage wire to your present amp. Yeah, a bit over kill, (for now) but if you eventually add a separate sub amp later, no addition wires runs are needed for power, unless you go with a very large sub system. (>600 watts)
Plan for today, but look ahead to the future as well. No sense pulling extra wires if you can do it all now and add as you go.
" but is there a lot more work/things that could go wrong when dealing with multiple amps?" Not if you plan ahead and buy quality amplifiers!
To be honest, I did not have that knowledge when I added a sub system to my stock GM system. But no, it's not that big a deal to add a sub amp later and switch the rear channels to your 6x9's. Then tap your sub amp inputs from the HU. A few more wires ... but no biggie.
Now that I am building up to a better SQ/SPL system, I missed the right power wire for future upgrades. Simply, "I did not know what I did not know". But 3 year later, I have figured out my mistakes and short sited plans.... avoid my lack of foresight!
Swez
PS Yes, I have made mistakes too... but after 3 + years of forum reading and writing, I have learned what works and what misses the mark.... learn from my previous lack of experience back then... and plan for upgrades now & later! COFFEE
md4374 on 05/24/2003 04:29:29
good thinking batman, but the language barrier's got me here: does 4 gage refer to the wire's amount of core's (eg. 4) or its resistence rating?
(This question isn't as dumb as it sounds, its just that we call it twin or multiple core wire over here)
Swez on 05/24/2003 09:28:56
There's no such thing as a dumb question here Robin... :-)
A picture is worth many words... look here:
http://www.knukonceptz.com/detail.asp?product_id=KOL4BL
This is a high strand count, copper wire in heavy jacket used for power feed to amps. We use "twin lead" for speaker conections. Also called Zip cord. We also have multi core wires for other applications as well.
The main thing here, is that you have large enough wire diameter to get the current your amp(s) need to operater properly without burning out the wire. Here's a chart you can reference:
Wire #: Current rating: Amp watts: RMS
0 awg 334 amps 2763 watts
1 awg 265 amps 2193 watts
2 awg 210 amps 1740 watts
3 awg 167 amps 1381 watts
4 awg 132 amps 1096 watts
5 awg 105 amps 870 watts
6 awg 83.4 amps 690 watts
7 awg 66.2 amps 548 watts
8 awg 52.5 amps 435 watts
9 awg 41.7 amps 375 watts
10 awg 33.1 amps 273 watts
11 awg 26.3 amps 217 watts
12 awg 20.84 amps 172 watts
Source: Eatel.net
NOTE: AWG means American Wire Gage, standard or benchmark for wire used in the US.
Does that answer your question?
Swez SMILE
PS Knowing you have a very small car, do you know how many amperes of current your ALTERNATOR can put out, and do you know what the Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) of the battery is? Should be in your car's owners manual or data from a dealership or a good car parts store should know this too.
You will need that data soon. If the present electrical system is very limited, (less than 65 ampereres of current) will have to figure out how to get enough power to the amp(s) and all other electrical devices.
Copyright ClubKnowledge 2009 * All Rights Reserved
