Audio questions

Advanced search

[Point_Oh]

I'm planning a new set up and was thinking about running 2 DVC subs in a 2 Ohm load.  The subs I'm looking at run at a RMS Power Range of 200 Watts with Peak Power Handling at 400 Watts. My question is in amp power.  Do I look for an amp based off of the single subs ratings, double the power or something different?

[HATEnFATE]

That sounds like a questoin for Hunter......I'd be happy to ask him for you.

[Point_Oh]

Hunter?

[IAxB]

Hunter is a Des Moines Scikotics member, he's a good audio knowledge type guy, you've met him.  White tC really clean, lots of ICE... I think his screen name on our site is "phattc" or something like that.

[Point_Oh]

Oh yeah. I remember now.

[HATEnFATE]

Reply from Hunter.....

First thing the amp needs to a 2ohms, the closer to the RMS U R the better U will be .... get a mono block amp that is two channel that runs at 350 to 400 RMS per channel .... then tune... P.S. U paid for what U get buy a good Amp... about $1.00 a watt so look at about $750 to $900 bills...

[Point_Oh]

Thanks for asking Jason.  This prompts another question as I was looking at wiring it up like this:


How would I wire them up to get 2 ohms at both channels?

[tahoepimp]

Typically for that setup you would run a single channel amp that would put you at two ohms if you use a two channel you would use only one channel on the amp typically will show a bridge channel

you can use this formula to figure power needs

Whenever you connect more than one speaker to an amp channel, it's important to gauge what effect the speakers will have on the amp and each driver in the chain. In other words, how much power will the amp deliver into each channel given the equivalent-load impedance you've created? And how much power will each speaker in the chain receive? Answering these questions will help you to avoid costly damage to your amp and speakers.

Referring back to the hypothetical subwoofer installation outlined above, we know that the amplifier in question is rated to deliver 100 watts x 2 into 4 ohms. To find out how much power each channel of this amplifier will deliver into the resulting 8-ohm load, we must solve Equation 2, in which Po is power output, Pr is the amp's rated power, Zr is the impedance the amp's output power is rated at, and Zt is the equivalent-load impedance for each channel:

Equation 2: Calculating Output Power
Po = Pr x (Zr / Zt)

Plugging in the appropriate numbers, the calculation is worked through as follows:

Po = 100 x (4 /
Po = 100 x 0.5
Po = 50 watts

Now that we know each amplifier channel will deliver 50 watts into an 8-ohm load, we can figure out how much power will be applied to one of the subwoofers – Pa – by solving Equation 3, in which Zn stands for the rated impedance of the speaker:

Equation 3: Power Applied to Each Driver
Pa = Po x (Zn / Zt)

Substituting 50 for Po, 4 for Zn, and 8 for Zt, the equation works through as follows:

Pa = 50 x (4 /
Pa = 50 x 0.5
Pa = 25 watts

Since both subwoofers are rated at 4 ohms, we know that the second subwoofer (Pb) would also receive 25 watts.