Running 4 Speakers Off a 2 Channel Amp?
Is it possible? I have my 6.5" splits hooked up to the amp at the moment, but its really not enough, i want to put some 6x9's in as well.
The Amp is an Alpine 50x2 RMS. Will this amp have enough power to run the 4 speakers, or would i need a 4 channel with more power? I am getting bad distortion at the moment because im turning my little splits up too loud, i need the 6x9's so they can handle the bass and volume better.
Originally Posted by peckzz
Basically, no. For many reasons mate, no you can't do that.
By the sounds of it your splits might not be tuned right or may be over/under powered which is causing the distortion.
If you want bass, its much better to go for a basic sub, get a 4channel amp still and run 2 channels to the sub and 2 channels to the splits.
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In short, you can easily run both the splits and the 6x9s off a decent 2 channel amp. Although as the speakers arent the same (6" splits and 6x9s) you will find that the splits will start to distort before the 6x9s will, so basically the 6x9s will only play as loud as the splits do.
Either disconnect the splits from the amp and run them off the head-unit while running the 6x9s off the amp (so you have fader controls and the 6x9s can play as loud as they can) or buy yourself a decent 4ch. amp to power all four speakers. Next time get something with 80-120wrms per channel
EDIT: Or just do what sweefu suggested and buy a sub and a 4ch. This will give you more bass and the ability to cut the bass from going to the splits, which means they'll play louder. But it is a dearer option.
150db in a commodore =
Well i was wrong haha i thought it would have given power/impendance issues with a most likely 4ohm stable 2x50wrms amp?
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If it isnt 2 ohm stable you could run the speakers in series to produce an 8ohm impedence per channel. I reckon it would sound like poo though.
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Almost all 2 ch amps are 2 ohm stable stereo (not bridged). Only the really cheap and nasty ones would probably smoke
150db in a commodore =
run your 6x9s from your 2 channel giving them a large amount of power and attempt to buy a 4 channel amp to run your splits, with the possibility of also running sub(s)
Good idea, i was thinking that before. I know the head unit produces stuff all power, but if i just ran the splits off that and gave the 6x9's the amps power. That should give me plenty of volume and better mid-bass should'nt it? When i said bass before, i did'nt mean like doof doof bass, i just like a nice solid mid-bass in my music without distortion, i don't think i need a sub.
Oh and im only in a Ute not a Sedan.
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Oh you have a ute, where are you going to mount 6x9s?
What splits do you have currently? As I think you could get the result you want by simply upgrading the components you have in there, as opposed to adding more gear. If you were to upgrade to something like a set of Digital Designs splits and a decent 2ch amp with between 100-150wrms per channel. I personally have these splits in my car being fed 150wrms each, these are the only speakers in my system and keep me satisfied.
150db in a commodore =
They are Fusion Powerplant 6.5" splits. I don't want to upgarde, i spent nearly $250 on these not long ago. I would mount 6x9's behind the seats, i have a place worked out for them so they will fit in properly.
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No problem, its just a suggestion.
Well if youre not wanting to spend too much money then buying a set of 6x9s and running them off the amp while running the splits off the head-unit sounds like your best option.
150db in a commodore =
The thing is, most of my songs play really well on them, my splits can handle the mid-bass fine. But i have a few songs that must have a really low frequency, its like really deep bass, and my splits just distort when i turn these songs up. I have turned the bass and everything down on the head unit, but it still does'nt help. Thats why i was thinking that adding 6x9's might be able to handle those low frequency songs, or is this all wrong? Any other suggestions? I don't want a sub, and i would'nt fit one in my ute anyway.
if you are looking at buying Powerplants I wouldn't waste my time if i was you. Your splits run a frequency response of 40Hz-22kHz. The 6x9 powerplants are 45Hz-22kHz. The only way you will get low bass is from a sub. Why not look at the Reactor Super Slim Active Subwoofer... it will fit anywhere in your ute and its frequency range is 20Hz-120Hz. I am fitting my VZ exec out with Powerplants. 6.5" splits front and 6.5" 2-ways rear, powered off an amp...i love deep bass and reading your problems i am now looking at either on of those Active Subs or Powerplant 12" Bass pack.
Due to what the others have said, there's a reason for why they invented the 4-channel amplifier.
The frequency response, impedence and power levels of the speakers are all different. If you run the setup you want to run on a 2-channel amplifier, you run the risk of over-driving the amplifier as well.
The op amps inside the amplifier (Basically the transistors that increase the current to produce a larger audio signal) are going to be run harder to give a larger audio signal to all the speakers. In the short term, its okay for testing purposes perhaps but over time, you're going to diminish their ability to reproduce the same audio signal. In some cases their won't be any noticeable run-down, they'll explode if the fuse doesn't explode first. You're just adding more weight to a distance runner metephorically.
You get this a lot with some circuits that contain darlington pair transistors or op amp drivers which are a setup to increase the current in the circuit in order to increase the power of a reference signal. You find this on tranceiver radio systems as well every time you transmit, transistor setups like darlington pairs / op amps will drive as hard as they can to produce the audio signal being pushed out of the antenna. So long as you keep transmitting in bursts, you'll be fine. Prolonged transmissions will deteriorate these transistors and they will blow if you don't take it easy with the radio. Going back to the 2-channel amplifier, essentially you are doing the same thing. You don't run the speakers at max all the time but adding more speakers is essentially asking for more from the amplifier as well. Keep the tolerances within specification and you'll be fine.
Save a couple hundred bucks and get a decent 4-channel amplifier. It is worth the stretch mate.
What is the low end frequency of the splits woofer ? ie 255 hz well just put say a 300 ohm cap inline with each woofer which will stop ALL lows below that getting to the speaker
They will sound cleaner and you'll be able to crank them up more as well
VZ-Rob
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Your splits should be high passed. NO 6.5" woofer will reproduce <50hz with any sort of volume.
Turn the high pass filter on the amp, if its adjustable turn it to around 60-70hz. You'll notice immediately they'll play so much louder without distorting.
150db in a commodore =
High mate, yes i have tried turning the high pass filter on, it only has on/off option, and when i do crank it loud, i get a clipping sound.
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Hmm, well ok......you need some 6x9s or a sub, maybe a new amp.....50wrms per channel is only 3db louder than if they were running off the head-unit, my opinion is to buy a decent 4ch amplifier with 100wrms per channel minimum. Run your splits and 6x9s off this and you'll see a huge improvement in both volume and bass output.
Keep an eye out on eBay etc, decent 4 channel amps can sell on there for around $100, well worth the investment
150db in a commodore =
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