Noob question: how to hook up my sub
07-22-2010, 06:58 PM
#1
50 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 57
Noob question: how to hook up my sub
Could use a little guidance, here. The sub is a Type X and the amp is a Phoenix Gold Tantrum 1200.1. No idea what I'm doing.
The kid I bought the sub from didn't have the jumpers shown in the owner's manual, and every store in Kingston has been no help at all. Do I even need the jumpers? Can I manage without them?
Plus the PG amp has two sets of speaker terminals, wired internally in parallel, it says in the manual. So not sure what that's about.
As I understand it, I can wire a dual 4-ohm sub to either 8 ohms (in series) or 2 ohms (in parallel). I guess I want 2. Although I think I might be happy with 4, in which case I should hang onto the dual 2-ohm Type R I'm trying to sell. Only I think I'll be having a stupid amount of power for my needs anyway.
So what do I do? I'm attaching pics of the business end of each device, and as you can see the sub came with these little bits of cable already installed. I assume they're acting as jumpers, so does that mean I don't need the official Alpine ones? And how is it wired? 2-ohms or 8? Can I just plug my cables into those two holes on the bottom and get on with it?
Sorry if this is stuff I should know, but I'm just getting started again after no car audio for 25 years, and I want to get it right.
The kid I bought the sub from didn't have the jumpers shown in the owner's manual, and every store in Kingston has been no help at all. Do I even need the jumpers? Can I manage without them?
Plus the PG amp has two sets of speaker terminals, wired internally in parallel, it says in the manual. So not sure what that's about.
As I understand it, I can wire a dual 4-ohm sub to either 8 ohms (in series) or 2 ohms (in parallel). I guess I want 2. Although I think I might be happy with 4, in which case I should hang onto the dual 2-ohm Type R I'm trying to sell. Only I think I'll be having a stupid amount of power for my needs anyway.
So what do I do? I'm attaching pics of the business end of each device, and as you can see the sub came with these little bits of cable already installed. I assume they're acting as jumpers, so does that mean I don't need the official Alpine ones? And how is it wired? 2-ohms or 8? Can I just plug my cables into those two holes on the bottom and get on with it?
Sorry if this is stuff I should know, but I'm just getting started again after no car audio for 25 years, and I want to get it right.
07-24-2010, 11:54 AM
#3
500 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 730
You don't need the factory Alpine jumpers. All they are is little banana connectors. Right now the sub is wired for 2 ohms, and as for the amp, it just means that it is internally bridged... You can pull a + and - from each output side or just one and the amp will "see" the same impedance
07-24-2010, 11:57 AM
#4
50 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 57
Excellent. Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.
Couple of further questions: I guess with the Type X my choices are limited to 2 Ohms or 8, correct? Is there any way to wire it for 4? And how would I do 8? And DO I want to? Or would that be like driving in second all the time?
Between 2 and 8, what are the pros and cons? Most important, which is going to SOUND better? I'm only interested in SQ, none of this "I gave myself a nosebleed and blew out 3 back windows" crap. No offense to the SPL guys. I respect what you do in the same way I respect 60s muscle cars. I'd just rather drive something that goes around corners, too.
Am I right in surmising that a higher impedance drastically reduces the power the amp puts out, but is also easier on it? I'm a little leery about 2 Ohms, from all my years with home audio and thinking mainly in terms of 8.
So, long story short (too late for that now, I know), what I guess I'm asking is what are all my options here, and what should I go with?. Bearing in mind 2 things:
1) The PG amp is already rated at 1200 watts at 4 Ohms. That's probably already a stupid amount of power for what I want. How much would it be putting out at 2? And is all that really necessary considering the way I plan to listen? If it was putting out about 600 at 8 Ohms, that wouldn't exactly be dogsh*t, would it? And would the amp be happier and run cooler and, oh I don't know...last longer?
2) I really am looking for the best SOUND, so I can listen to music in my car and be happy. You know, music--Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Joy Division, Van der Graaf Generator, Carl Orff. I like it when I drive.
Couple of further questions: I guess with the Type X my choices are limited to 2 Ohms or 8, correct? Is there any way to wire it for 4? And how would I do 8? And DO I want to? Or would that be like driving in second all the time?
Between 2 and 8, what are the pros and cons? Most important, which is going to SOUND better? I'm only interested in SQ, none of this "I gave myself a nosebleed and blew out 3 back windows" crap. No offense to the SPL guys. I respect what you do in the same way I respect 60s muscle cars. I'd just rather drive something that goes around corners, too.
Am I right in surmising that a higher impedance drastically reduces the power the amp puts out, but is also easier on it? I'm a little leery about 2 Ohms, from all my years with home audio and thinking mainly in terms of 8.
So, long story short (too late for that now, I know), what I guess I'm asking is what are all my options here, and what should I go with?. Bearing in mind 2 things:
1) The PG amp is already rated at 1200 watts at 4 Ohms. That's probably already a stupid amount of power for what I want. How much would it be putting out at 2? And is all that really necessary considering the way I plan to listen? If it was putting out about 600 at 8 Ohms, that wouldn't exactly be dogsh*t, would it? And would the amp be happier and run cooler and, oh I don't know...last longer?
2) I really am looking for the best SOUND, so I can listen to music in my car and be happy. You know, music--Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Joy Division, Van der Graaf Generator, Carl Orff. I like it when I drive.
Last edited by dc23; 07-24-2010 at 12:26 PM. Reason: added stuff. punctuation.
07-24-2010, 09:11 PM
#5
M-U-S-I-C?....?
If you have another sub running at 4 ohms why not just use that? And car and home audio are pretty different. Home audio has different wattages but pump ouyt more music and stuff. Most people who dont know anything about car audio they just bought some subs and amps and hooked them up run at 8-4 ohms. And they are always very pleased.
I believe when amps run at lower ohms they do get hotter. Thats why, not all amps can push such low ohms, they over heat. Now if the amp is rated for 2 ohms then it will last as long as any other amps at 2 ohms. Because they were built for it and have the right size fans to keep the amp happy.
You can also run at 4 ohms I believe. (I have heard people say this is bad for the sub others say it doesnt matter some say it only works with mono amps.) but what you do is run each coil off a seperate chanelle making them play like the sub is a single voice coil. Making it run at 4 ohms? I think....Wait that may not be correct...
Anyone else know?
If you have another sub running at 4 ohms why not just use that? And car and home audio are pretty different. Home audio has different wattages but pump ouyt more music and stuff. Most people who dont know anything about car audio they just bought some subs and amps and hooked them up run at 8-4 ohms. And they are always very pleased.
I believe when amps run at lower ohms they do get hotter. Thats why, not all amps can push such low ohms, they over heat. Now if the amp is rated for 2 ohms then it will last as long as any other amps at 2 ohms. Because they were built for it and have the right size fans to keep the amp happy.
You can also run at 4 ohms I believe. (I have heard people say this is bad for the sub others say it doesnt matter some say it only works with mono amps.) but what you do is run each coil off a seperate chanelle making them play like the sub is a single voice coil. Making it run at 4 ohms? I think....Wait that may not be correct...
Anyone else know?
07-25-2010, 09:07 AM
#6
Just run the negative and positive from one voice coil on the sub to one set of amp terminals and do the same with the other set and your amp will see a 2ohm stable load. This will give you great sound and your amp will be happy. Start with your gain set very low and gradually increase until you are happy with the bass performance. Start your low pass crossover setting at about 50 to 60 hz and then use your ears for final setting. Done.
07-26-2010, 01:56 AM
#7
50 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 57
Got the Type X hooked up, and it seems to be working fine. Holy Mother of God does it ever seem to be working fine. Now I get it.
Thanks to everyone for your help and guidance. I'm sure I'll be needing more. 3 more amps, 2 crossovers, a set of MBQuart components and a tasty-looking head unit I picked up today still to go.
Speaking of which, anyone know where to get a wire harness for an Alpine 9815. It seems to be a fairly generic one which fits about 10 or 12 different Alpine decks. I can get it on eBay, but I'd rather not.
Thanks to everyone for your help and guidance. I'm sure I'll be needing more. 3 more amps, 2 crossovers, a set of MBQuart components and a tasty-looking head unit I picked up today still to go.
Speaking of which, anyone know where to get a wire harness for an Alpine 9815. It seems to be a fairly generic one which fits about 10 or 12 different Alpine decks. I can get it on eBay, but I'd rather not.
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