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How to connect a subwoofer to a 4 channel amplifier
How to connect a subwoofer to a 4-channel amplifier without losing power? What needs to be done so that the connection diagram of a subwoofer to a 4-channel amplifier is fully and correctly implemented? All these questions require answers, which we will try to provide in the article.
Installation
First of all, you need to understand how to properly install a four-channel amplifier without thereby spoiling the interior of the car and the amplifier itself. The amplifier should be easy to access to adjust the sound of the speakers. Let's look at the sedan body model and where the amplifier can be installed.
· Trunk
Rear seat back
· Space under the rear, front seat
Trunk lid
· Subwoofer housing
The trunk is one of the most convenient places, since the amplifier needs cooling for normal operation, it does not like confined spaces! You can install it on the right, on the left, to the bottom of the trunk through the podium, making sure that nothing damages our amplifier. We securely fasten the amplifier inside, the consequences can be sad, so do not neglect this important fact.
The rear seat back is also not a bad option. Well ventilated place, easy access, does not affect the interior. The downside is that if the back is frequently bent, the wires become broken and damaged over time.
The space under the front seat is not the best option. Cooling is poor, not aesthetically pleasing from an interior perspective and poor protection from external threats. There is little space under the rear seat, which will cause the amplifier to overheat.
The trunk lid is a bad option; you can quickly break the wires.
There is strong vibration on the subwoofer housing, the contacts will constantly weaken. Vibration also has a detrimental effect on the amplifier itself.
Connection diagram for a passive subwoofer to a 4-channel amplifier
To connect this type of speaker to a 4-channel amplifier, you will have to use a standard circuit.
Connection diagram for 4 channel amplifier and subwoofer
So:
- First, the subwoofer and other speakers are connected to the amplifier.
- Then the amplifier is connected to the car radio.
- Having received the signal directly from the car radio, the amplifier distributes it. Part of the signal is sent to the sub, and part to the tweeters.
Amplifier 4 channel connect subwoofer
Note. Often the subwoofer is placed in the trunk of a car. In view of this, it is necessary to stretch cables there through the entire cabin. In this case, the path from the battery to the trunk is implied, and so much cable needs to be calculated.
Connection diagram for subwoofer and 4 channel amplifier
- When wiring cables, you need to make sure that the positive wire is protected with something, for example, corrugation. Basically, this means protecting the part that is located in the engine compartment, as close as possible to the battery.
Connecting speakers
Now the question is how to connect speakers to a four-channel amplifier in order to enjoy the sound from the speakers.
There are several options here: we can connect several loudspeakers both in parallel and in series. You need to know the power and impedance of both the amplifier and speakers. The amplifier is afraid of resistance lower than stated! That is, the greater the resistance, the better for him.
If the amplifier has an output resistance of 4 ohms, then we connect the speakers so that their total value is at least 4 ohms. Otherwise, our amplifier will heat up. The operating temperature of the output transistor is 85 degrees. Anything higher can break our amplifier.
That is, when connected in series to one channel, our speakers in total must be at least 4 ohms. You can connect two or three speakers, 2 ohms each, which in total will be equal to or more than 4 ohms - this is the correct connection, which will have a positive effect on the sound quality. We do the same for the other three channels.
With a parallel connection (bridge), we connect one speaker or several to two output channels of the amplifier (we take plus from one, minus from the other).
Here you need to sum the two channels on the amplifier, in our case it is 4+4 ohms = 8 ohms. That is, the speaker, or speakers, should not have a resistance of less than 8 ohms. If more is good. But again, everything should be in moderation. There is no point in hooking up a bunch of speakers, thereby increasing the resistance; this will not increase the power, and the amplifier will work with overload.
Based on the above, we now know how many speakers can be connected to a four-channel amplifier, and how to do it correctly.
Quantity
With such a system it will be possible to voice over parties, go to competitions and take prizes. In terms of sound, it will give odds to many nightclubs and concert venues. When you drive up, you can be heard from a block away. As they say in such circles, this is money that is heard.
HOW CAN YOU SAVE?
We calculated the prices for new components, but you can also save money by buying the same thing on the secondary market. If you don’t know much about car audio, then it’s better to take with you someone who understands this and can check everything, otherwise they may deceive you and sell you a non-working speaker or amplifier.
You can choose used components on Avito, Yula or in specialized VKontakte groups (one of the largest is “used car audio”), as well as on the bass club forum. Every day, dozens of advertisements for the equipment you are looking for appear throughout Russia. Of course, it’s better to choose in your city, then you can make sure the product works. But if the required product is available at the other end of the country, it is better to resort to the help of a guarantor. A guarantor is a person who understands car audio and has a certain authority, usually there is only one in the city. For a little money, he will go, look at the goods, make sure that the seller is honest and, if everything suits you, he will pick up and send you the goods. You can find a list of people with contacts on specialized forums.
Dual coil woofer
The low-frequency speaker is a subwoofer, it comes with one coil and two. The one with two coils is no different in appearance from the one with one. But there is still one difference - a pair of additional terminals to which the wires from the amplifier fit. A speaker with one coil has 2 terminals, and a speaker with two coils has 4. Well, two coils have two independent windings. This was done for the flexibility of connecting such a speaker. So how do we connect a dual coil subwoofer?
According to the same principle as was considered with conventional speakers - in series, in parallel. Another connection option is independent.
Independent is when each independent speaker coil is connected to a separate amplifier channel (right, left). This type of connection is intended for amplifiers that do not have bridging capabilities.
It is better to connect such a speaker in series or in parallel, since a different signal for each channel can ruin our speaker. This type of connection must necessarily have the same signal for each speaker coil. And the signal for the right and left channels is provided to us by the recording studio, and we cannot know how each audio recording was recorded.
Quantity
The result is not final; installation will require more wires, fuses, and a power distributor - it’s better to budget another 5,000 for other expenses.
OPTION "OPTIMAL"
This option already involves changing the interior of the car. You'll have to redo the door cards and sacrifice the trunk.
We will replace the standard head unit. We will need a GU with a processor that will allow us to more accurately and correctly configure the system. We choose Pioneer MVH - X 580 BT with a price starting from 7035 rubles. In addition to extensive settings, this “radio tape recorder” is friendly with devices based on Android and iOS, and if you buy an adapter, it will also become friends with the buttons on the steering wheel. You can also connect a microphone, then speakerphone will also be available.
Next up are the door cards. The minimum cost of altering the front doors is 15,000 rubles. In them we will place two pairs of mid-frequency speakers and a high-frequency horn. In terms of price/quality ratio, the combination of Avatar MTU -80 and Alphard T -35 NEO is in the lead in the middle price segment. A 6-channel amplifier - Ural 6.180 - will come to their aid.
In this option, it is better to listen to subwoofers in other cars, then you will definitely not go wrong with your choice. But in general, the best choice would be Pride MT 12 (15) or Alphard Apocalypse SA 2712 (2715). An amplifier will require at least 2 kilowatts, for example Apocalypse AAK-2000.1D.
For such a powerful system, you will need to replace the battery under the hood with an AGM one, and it would be better to put another one in the trunk.
We connect two amplifiers
Now let's figure out how to connect two four-channel amplifiers in parallel to each other.
If you are a fan of loud and high-quality music, you may need two amplifiers for a more powerful sound output.
Both amplifiers can be powered from one power cable using a splitter (tee). The main thing is not to forget about the load on the wire: the more power you need, the larger the cross-section of the positive cable should be. The minus should be taken from one place so that there is no interference. Remote - wire for turning on the amplifier, we also make one for two, branch and connect. Well, we connect a four-channel interconnect RCA cable on one side to the linear output, on the other to the linear input.
Sound settings
You can connect the amplifier to the car radio yourself. After installing all the elements, you need to configure the system as follows:
- The crossover is installed in the HP position.
- The Phi Pass indicator is 60-80 Hz.
- The “Rear” selector is set to LP.
- “Love Pass” is adjustable in the range of 65-85 Hz.
- The level is set to 0.
- “Bass Boost” is also adjusted to 0 dB.
The above settings allow you to achieve the best sound of the created system. If the amplifier is part of the radio, then the setup is carried out through the built-in functions of the device.
When installing a speaker system, laying the cable, you should choose the shortest path; it is not recommended to create a large number of connections, since they significantly reduce the reliability of the system.
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- How to connect a Mystery subwoofer
- How to remove the radio from the panel
Frequency differences
As you know, there are three types of bass: low, mid and high. Combining them in one speaker is simply impossible. Therefore, if the presence of all of them is necessary, then various parts are used for this. For HF, special tweeters are used that can even reproduce ultrasound. But the bass and midrange sound good only when using speakers with solid bass. Installing speakers to reproduce high and low frequencies is not a problem. During the work process, a minimum of questions may arise, so anyone can cope with this task. But installing a subwoofer is a simple matter.
The main difficulty in installation is its placement. After all, speakers for low frequencies are usually quite large, so it is difficult to find a suitable place for it. Problems may also arise during the sound adjustment process.
Types of subwoofers
There are two types of low-frequency speakers on sale:
- Passive, which is most often placed in a wooden case. Due to this, the sound quality of musical compositions is significantly improved. Under no circumstances should such a device be connected directly to the speaker system. To do this, use a special fuse. Otherwise, a short circuit may occur in the system, as a result of which all its elements will burn out. In addition, the speaker does not have a built-in amplifier. Therefore, you should install an additional one, because otherwise the sound strength will be minimal.
Note: Some radios have a built-in amplifier for the subwoofer. Only in such cases can you connect a passive subwoofer directly to the device. This process is quite complex, so to carry it out you should understand the instructions.
- The advantage is that it already has a built-in audio amplifier. As a result, there is no need to buy an additional device (although if necessary, this can be done, since it will not interfere in any way). Its installation is very simple. After all, it can be immediately connected to the car’s head unit. In this case, setting up the subwoofer will involve just a few simple manipulations. It’s difficult to talk about the cost. Since some models are more expensive, others have a lower price.
Grounding
This point is of great importance for the reliable operation of an amplifier connected in bridge mode. The ground connection can be made directly at the installation site of the device. To do this, take a short piece of thick insulated wire. A common bare braided cable will do.
One end of the wire is connected to the negative terminal of the car amplifier, and the other is inserted between the bracket or bar securing the device and the floor of the body.
To avoid interference in the speakers, the body of the device should not be allowed to come into contact with the body of the car. Otherwise, ground loops will form, which will lead to unpleasant interference. To isolate the housing from the car body, you can place a strip of rubber under the mounting bracket.
Why do you need a subwoofer
Sub is a very important element of any. Of course, the acoustics sound good without it, but with it the sound improves several times. With its help, the sound of low frequencies goes to another level. The use of such a device is relevant for those who love big bass. But it is not recommended to install an unsuitable buffer in the machine, as this can lead to various consequences. For example, due to constant rattling, windows will become less resistant to external influences.
