Dumb sub question
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On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2005
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Dumb sub question I have a pair of Fosgate HX2 4ohm DVC subs that have a power rating of 500RMS and 1000 max. I have an alpine amp that puts out 200 RMS and about 400 max. Would I be better off with a pair of subs that have a RMS power more in line with what the Alpine puts out or keeping what I have? Any subs that have lower RMS ratings are usually cheaper obviously... but are they inferior sound wise or just not built to handle as much power?
The subs I'm looking at are the JL Audio 12W1V3 subs with a power recommendation of 80-300 W each and dual 4ohm voice coils.
The subs I'm looking at are the JL Audio 12W1V3 subs with a power recommendation of 80-300 W each and dual 4ohm voice coils.
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 165
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From: Wichita Falls, Texas
depends ... on alot
what kind of alpine amp? is it capable of bridging down to 2 ohms? if its' rated at 200W @ 4 ohms and you bridge it down to 2 ohms you'll effectively have about 375 watts of power depending on the amp. now that's RMS watts. (never look at MAX watts or what I heard once and liked it described as WLS watts "When Lightining Strikes" watts
) RMS is what the amp is goin gto put out on a steady basis. think if it like this ... you car will do the 1/4 mile in 3-4 seconds FLAT guarenteed!!!... OFF A CLIFF 
not that it will fair too well afterward MAX watts is a similar situation cept that the amp won't exactly be destroyed unless it runs at MAX for a few seconds then it'll blow a fuse ... or a transister or 12
ok off the soap box
If it's able to be bridged to 2 ohms use the DVC in paralell for the right and left. that'll give you about 2 ohms ( 2 4ohm voice coils hooked up pos to pos and neg to neg the hooked to the pos and neg of the amp respectively will make the amp "think" it's hooked up to 1, 2 ohm voice coil capish?) the 375 to 400 watts you'll get (if the amp can handle the 2 ohms) will more than drive fosgates in a very pleasing manner.
notice alot of "if's" in the post ... everything has to be hooked up right and the amp HAS to be 2 ohm stable in order for this to work or stuff goes BOOM. if your not sure or uncomfortable find a buddy that know what's what or find a local member from here ... worst case take it to your local car audio hang out and see if they'll give you any advice
what kind of alpine amp? is it capable of bridging down to 2 ohms? if its' rated at 200W @ 4 ohms and you bridge it down to 2 ohms you'll effectively have about 375 watts of power depending on the amp. now that's RMS watts. (never look at MAX watts or what I heard once and liked it described as WLS watts "When Lightining Strikes" watts
) RMS is what the amp is goin gto put out on a steady basis. think if it like this ... you car will do the 1/4 mile in 3-4 seconds FLAT guarenteed!!!... OFF A CLIFF not that it will fair too well afterward MAX watts is a similar situation cept that the amp won't exactly be destroyed unless it runs at MAX for a few seconds then it'll blow a fuse ... or a transister or 12 ok off the soap box
If it's able to be bridged to 2 ohms use the DVC in paralell for the right and left. that'll give you about 2 ohms ( 2 4ohm voice coils hooked up pos to pos and neg to neg the hooked to the pos and neg of the amp respectively will make the amp "think" it's hooked up to 1, 2 ohm voice coil capish?) the 375 to 400 watts you'll get (if the amp can handle the 2 ohms) will more than drive fosgates in a very pleasing manner.
notice alot of "if's" in the post ... everything has to be hooked up right and the amp HAS to be 2 ohm stable in order for this to work or stuff goes BOOM. if your not sure or uncomfortable find a buddy that know what's what or find a local member from here ... worst case take it to your local car audio hang out and see if they'll give you any advice
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,157
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From: Texas
Bottom line is, the more power you supply to those subs the louder they will get.
You cannot bridge two four channel amps and get a 2 ohm load. Once the two subs are wired in parallel AND the channels on the amp are bridged the amp will read a 1ohm load. Check the FAQ a much more indepth explination that I wrote.
You cannot bridge two four channel amps and get a 2 ohm load. Once the two subs are wired in parallel AND the channels on the amp are bridged the amp will read a 1ohm load. Check the FAQ a much more indepth explination that I wrote.
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 165
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From: Wichita Falls, Texas
Originally Posted by 2MuchRiceMakesMeSick
You cannot bridge two four channel amps and get a 2 ohm load. Once the two subs are wired in parallel AND the channels on the amp are bridged the amp will read a 1ohm load. Check the FAQ a much more indepth explination that I wrote.
who say what
??? no body mentioned a 4 channel amp much less 2. "Hopefully" he has a 2 channel amp running the 2 subs espicially since it's just a 200watt RMS amp which would equate to 100X2 or 50X4 the latter of which wouldn't even be considered for a set of subs (hopefully). With the sub being DVC (DUAL VOICE COIL) then your "bridging" sub itself by going pos to pos and neg to neg on each of the the single subs, not the amp, to drop the ohms per channel to 2 ohms on the right and left respectively. On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 165
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From: Wichita Falls, Texas
I don't want to 
or get in to a "mines bigger" match where stereo equipment is concerned as everybody has their own idea of what they want and what they think's best BUT if you just break it down to the basic electronic side and look at what's going on it's very simple. 2 4 ohm resisters hooked up in series (like cars on a train) make 8 ohms of resistance two 4 ohm resisters hooked up in parallel (side by side legs tied together) will make 2 ohms of resistance. Now a voice "coil" is just that a coil that in order for electrons to get from one side to another encounters "X" value of resistance to get there depending on the speaker. This creates the electro magnetic field that moves the speaker in and out trying to get away from or get to the magnet at the back of the speaker as the current flows (music plays).
That's going a long way to say to each their own ... but you can't get away from the basics of what’s going on or you end up with something that sounds like
or blows up
or get in to a "mines bigger" match where stereo equipment is concerned as everybody has their own idea of what they want and what they think's best BUT if you just break it down to the basic electronic side and look at what's going on it's very simple. 2 4 ohm resisters hooked up in series (like cars on a train) make 8 ohms of resistance two 4 ohm resisters hooked up in parallel (side by side legs tied together) will make 2 ohms of resistance. Now a voice "coil" is just that a coil that in order for electrons to get from one side to another encounters "X" value of resistance to get there depending on the speaker. This creates the electro magnetic field that moves the speaker in and out trying to get away from or get to the magnet at the back of the speaker as the current flows (music plays). That's going a long way to say to each their own ... but you can't get away from the basics of what’s going on or you end up with something that sounds like
or blows up Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2005
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Wow this one got off topic. I've decided to sell my fosgates and get one JL Audio 12W3V2-D2 and run it as a 4 ohm load on the sub channel on this amp (which is a 5 channel with one sub channel). It will be run in a ported box. Thanks for the input!
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Verdad Gallardo On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 165
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From: Wichita Falls, Texas
I know all about the weak fundage. yea if it's not 2ohm stable then you did the right thing getting the single sub ... even with the other subs hooking them BOTH up to a mono amp (or connection)would have dropped it to 1 ohm, again not a problem if you are luckey and well off enough to have a 1ohm stable amp 
thats' still a pretty nice amp for what it is and 200w rms will push that sub nicely just remember that you STILL have a dual voice coil sub and they are 2ohm coils so you'll need to hook it up in series ( from amp + to first voice coil +, then a seperate wire from the amp - to second voice coil -, then a wire from the first voice coil - to the second voice coil + ) it should look kinda like a loop going around the sub back to the amp providing that the attachments for the voice coils are on oppisite sides of the sub like I normally see that will give you a 4 ohm load to the amp. NOTE: if you hook it up amp+ to 1st vc + to 2nd vc+ and amp - to 1st vc - to 2nd vc - you'll end up with a 1 ohm load and a toasty amp!
you can check this by disconnecting the 2 wires going into the amp and putting a multimeter to them and you should see somewhere in the neighbor hood of 4 ohms +/- half an ohm or so.
thats' still a pretty nice amp for what it is and 200w rms will push that sub nicely just remember that you STILL have a dual voice coil sub and they are 2ohm coils so you'll need to hook it up in series ( from amp + to first voice coil +, then a seperate wire from the amp - to second voice coil -, then a wire from the first voice coil - to the second voice coil + ) it should look kinda like a loop going around the sub back to the amp providing that the attachments for the voice coils are on oppisite sides of the sub like I normally see that will give you a 4 ohm load to the amp. NOTE: if you hook it up amp+ to 1st vc + to 2nd vc+ and amp - to 1st vc - to 2nd vc - you'll end up with a 1 ohm load and a toasty amp!
you can check this by disconnecting the 2 wires going into the amp and putting a multimeter to them and you should see somewhere in the neighbor hood of 4 ohms +/- half an ohm or so.
