wiring query
 

Hope someone can help me out. I have 2 12" Alpine subs in a bandpass box hooked up to a Phoenix Gold QX 180.2. The box has 2 wiring connectors; one to each speaker. If I try to bridge the amp by joining the 2 positives and the 2 negatives together it sounds like crap and amp keeps cutting out(overheats). If i hook up one to each channel its fine but not enough punch and amp does not overheat. By the way amp iis a 2 channel amp.
Any ideas would be geatly appreciated.

sounds like one sub per channel is all you're going to get out of that amp. if you want more power you'll have to get a bigger amp.

What model # is your subs?

The Alpine subs are VR 12

Subs are Alpine VR12. Not sure of power rating on them

Alpine VR12

How many ohms are the coils? Is your amp 2 ohm stable?

Darn...couldnt get thru but then all messages show up....sorry.Not sure how many ohms coils are but amp should be able to run 2 ohm stable. Phoenix Golds are always good for that

I would think so. In looking up the subs they seem to only be SVC. :dunno:for sure. Do you have a digit multimeter? If so check the terminals on the box to see how many ohm the speakers are. This is the only way to tell for sure. I wouldn't keep driving your amp into protection, until you have a chance to find out why.

It should also be written on the magnet.

I'm curious, you are hooking the terminals of the subs in parallel and then hooking that connection in a bridged configuration to your amp. If I'm right you should have in one way, shape or form, BOTH positive speaker leads going to the Postive terminal of the right channel and both negative leads going to the negative terminal of the left channel, or visa-versa (depending on your amp). This would leave two empty terminals and your amp should set to bridged mode.

That covers the wiring. But here is the thing, if I understand you right. You have two subs (most likely 4 ohm coils) wired in parallel down to 2 ohms. Then you have them wired bridged to your amp, which would see that load as 1 ohm.

Since there are not too many 1 ohm stable stereo amps in that power range out there, I would say your amp just can't handle that load and that is you problem. Switch back to the stereo configuration and you'll be fine. If you want more power get a different amp, but be careful not to damage your subs in the process.

Lyle

Thx Lyle
No....well i bought the box used...havent opened it up but i have 2 speaker terminals/ one for each speaker..im assuming running at 4 ohms....so when i double up the positives and negatives together/thus reducing the ohms to 2 ohms if im correct. Phoenix Gold are normally very good at 2ohm stable. Same thing happened with my kicker amp. Right now im running it straight(stereo) which I know im not getting most of the amp. Sounds ok but not getting that PUNCH when i run bridged.

You are correct, you're not going to get the most out of your amp, because you can't run a 2 ohm load bridged. When you bridge an amp it's just like running it at 2 ohms with a 4 ohm speaker. So if you connect your 2 ohm load in a bridged configuration your amp thinks it is actually 1 ohm and goes into protection.

The poor sound quality (lack of punch) is directly related to the fact that the amps power supply cannot supply the nessesary current to the output transistiors, and they 'bog down' to put it simply and eventually over heat.

Your best bet is to get a mono amp that is 2 ohm stable. You could find one for your application quite cheaply.

Lyle

thank you lyle

WTF??? :lol_hitti :smokin: If you have a 2 ohm load, it is a 2 ohm load. Doesn't matter how they are wired or how many subs. 2 ohms is 2 ohms. In stereo or bridged the amp still sees the load as 2 ohm. (until music is played, then its all over the chart)

"So if you connect your 2 ohm load in a bridged configuration your amp thinks it is actually 1 ohm and goes into protection." .... sorry ....YOUR WRONG...

The amp goes into protection because it can't handle the added heat caused by the added current to make the extra power when bridged. Amp still only sees a 2 ohm load. It's just not liking it much. ;)