Sub wiring help

I'm a novice at best when it comes to audio. I know just enough to be dangerous. But I enjoy it nonetheless and like the money it saves by doing it myself.

My current setup is a Clarion HU, 4 Kicker KM6LW cabin speakers running on HU. A set of Kicker KM6500.2 tower speakers, and a Polk DB1240DVC. I have a PPI 900.5 5 channel amp with channels 1-4 bridged to two channels to run the tower speakers, and 5th channel going to the sub which is in a bow filler box.

The way I first wired it was with the 4 tower speakers (2 coaxials and 2 horns) in parallel. This was underwhelming. Then I moved the jumper on the horns to increase dB level. That improved things a lot. I can hear loud and clear at 75', which was the goal, so l left it like that all last season. Same with the two voice coils in the sub. Wired in parallel. Just sort of did it that way without thinking too much about it. Had to turn the sub channel gain all the way just to get decent sound out of it, as well as turning the remote bass control knob all the way.

I *think* I had the amp tuned as good as it can be. Had HPF for channels 1-4 and LPF for 5th. Adjusted until it sounded good. As a whole everything sounded good, just not very loud.

So yesterday I realized that I was increasing the impedance to everything just from the way it was wired. I wired the tower speakers in series and now they're incredibly loud. My understanding is that they went from an 8 ohm load to a 2 ohm load. I cranked it and couldn't bear it louder than about 80% volume. Whereas before I'd have to turn it up to 95% in order for the rider to hear. I haven't ridden behind it yet but I may have to change the jumper on the horns back down.

Now I'm thinking I need to do essentially the same thing with the dual voice coils on the sub. Wire them in series to drop the impedance to 2 ohms instead of the 8 they're getting now being in parallel.

My question is do you guys think that sub can handle it? Technically it's a 4 ohm sub but I've read reviews of people running them at 2 ohms and no issues. It's a 360W RMS, 720W peak power handling. Or should I wire only one of the voice coils for a 4 ohm load? Are there any adverse effects on the sub by using only 1 voice coil? And while we're at it, can those KM6500.2 speakers and horns handle the current 2 ohm load?

Any input is greatly appreciated!

Is it a 4 ohm DVC or 2 ohm DVC?

Meaning is each voice coil 2 or 4 ohms... Because if it is 2 2ohms, you would actually be 1ohm in series.

I have a PPI 900.5 5 channel amp with channels 1-4 bridged to two channels to run the tower speakers
The way I first wired it was with the 4 tower speakers (2 coaxials and 2 horns) in parallel. This was underwhelming.
So yesterday I realized that I was increasing the impedance to everything just from the way it was wired. I wired the tower speakers in series and now they're incredibly loud.

First problem, that amp is not ideal for running a bridged load like tower speakers. I think you have the RCA's configured incorrectly.

The 6.5" speaker of the KM6500.2 is a mid-bass woofer, not a coaxial, and its intended to be wired in parallel with the compression driver not series. Bridging this 4 ohm load would have the amp producing its full bridged RMS wattage.
Going from parallel to series would actually increase the impedance, thus dropping amp's output. But, the KM6500.2 is not the same as 2 4 ohm speakers.

You need to wire both sub voice coils to a safe impedance for the amp. If you have a 2 ohm DVC, it will be either a 1 ohm or 4 ohm load. If you have a 4 ohm dvc, it can be wired either to 2 ohm or 8 ohm. These are your options.

However you have the KM6500 wired, they are the load, so its the amps wattage output you need to worry whether they can handle, Wired in parallel is 4 ohm and I dont think they will work wired in series, never tried them wired incorrectly.

Your sub is a Dual 4ohm voice coil configuration, meaning you can wire each coil in series for 8 ohms or wire in parallel for 2 ohms. The lower impedance you wire your sub in, the more amplifier power you can use. Your amplifier can be safely handle a 2 ohm load on the 5th channel (sub channel) giving you 440w. To get the most out of your amplifier, wire your sub in parallel for a 2 ohm load.

No matter how you wire that subwoofer, it is impossible to achieve a 1 ohm load. If you are unsure how to wire a dual voice coil subwoofer in parallel, google it.

Edit: Did it for you: http://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/wo...s.asp?Q=1&I=42

Originally Posted by chpthril

First problem, that amp is not ideal for running a bridged load like tower speakers. I think you have the RCA's configured incorrectly.

The 6.5" speaker of the KM6500.2 is a mid-bass woofer, not a coaxial, and its intended to be wired in parallel with the compression driver not series. Bridging this 4 ohm load would have the amp producing its full bridged RMS wattage.
Going from parallel to series would actually increase the impedance, thus dropping amp's output. But, the KM6500.2 is not the same as 2 4 ohm speakers.

You need to wire both sub voice coils to a safe impedance for the amp. If you have a 2 ohm DVC, it will be either a 1 ohm or 4 ohm load. If you have a 4 ohm dvc, it can be wired either to 2 ohm or 8 ohm. These are your options.

However you have the KM6500 wired, they are the load, so its the amps wattage output you need to worry whether they can handle, Wired in parallel is 4 ohm and I dont think they will work wired in series, never tried them wired incorrectly.

FYI - For those speakers, that amp is actually very much ideal at 230x2 @ 4 ohm load. It is NOT ideal should he add another set of 6500 midbass drivers.

Gah...triple post...

A (DVC) sub can be wired in 2 configurations by itself and it does not care which way you wire it as long as you apply the appropriate amount of power.

I'm really unsure how you had (and currently have) your towers wired. I'm a bit concerned you have wired each pair in parallel now and your load is now 1 ohm, which would make your amplifier very unhappy.

Get yourself more familiar with how to wire a pair of speakers or DVC subwoofer together and make sure you are wiring the speakers to A) make your amplifier see an appropriate load and B) not exceed the thermal handling of your speaker(s).

Originally Posted by BaadLS1

FYI - For those speakers, that amp is actually very much ideal at 230x2 @ 4 ohm load. It is NOT ideal should he add another set of 6500 midbass drivers.

IF that amp does actually deliver at or close to its advertised power, then yes, 230W rms for the KM6500.2 is good. There was no dispute of that, especially since he already owns the gear and has been running it, The confusion is as to why it was under performing for him, when is was supposedly wired correctly. I have a feeling his issue is because that amp does not have the proper internal circutry to run a bridged full range load correctly, I have a feeling that the speakers are only receiving half the program material. So if this cant be overcome, he's going to be unimpressed with what should be a good performing speaker setup, due to the amp. If wired incorrectly, he's either running too high of an impedance and the amp output is even lower, or he's running too low of an impedance and the amp will not like it. So just understand, my initial post had nothing to do with wattage.

Thanks for the replies so far. I need to do some more testing, but just being in the boat the tower speakers sounded much louder in series. I had them wired in parallel before. I may be wrong but a pair of 4 ohm speakers wired to one channel in parallel doubles the impedance which presents the amp with an 8 ohm load, correct? And wiring them in series cuts impedance in half to a 2 ohm load? Does bridging two channels of an amp and then wiring 2 speakers to that bridged channel change things?

Josh M,

Parallel drops the impedance, series increases the impedance. So two traditional 4 ohm speakers wired in parallel, would = 2 ohm. Series would be 8 ohm. Just know, that the KM6500.2 setup is not a pair of traditional 4 ohm speakers. Each mid and each and horn are 4 ohm, but when wired in parallel like intended, they load at the amp, is still 4 ohm.

Bridging a load doesnt change anything about the impedance of the load, but does effect the load each amp chnl sees.