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Series/Parallel Circuits

M

montypythizzle

Diamond Member
Some confusion here and since I suck at math the information on the Internets is hurting my brain.

So I have 2 speakers, one amplifier output.

Which one would make for more resistance?

A series circuit or a parallel circuit?

I am trying to figure this out and it is killing me.
 
Well I have 2 subs right now and one output on the amp, in series they don't have enough power. Would making this a parallel circuit take out some of the resistance?
 
montypythizzle said:
Well I have 2 subs right now and one output on the amp, in series they don't have enough power. Would making this a parallel circuit take out some of the resistance?
Click to expand...

Assuming both subs are 8 ohms, hooking them up in parallel is not a problem. It's a different story if they are 4 ohm.
 
If I understand this right, you're talking about a sub woofer amp and 2 discrete sub drivers?

Is this for car audio?

What your amp's brand and model number?

Are the drivers in a single box?
 
Well, I guess I was doing it right, I had them connected as parallel, and series would make for more resistance as you guys said, was thinking way too deep into it. Found some pictures (lol) and it made it easier to understand.
 
Hooked in parallel, the magnitude of the impedance would be 1/2 the original value of a single assuming they are the same.

When the magnitude of the impedance halves, the current demand doubles. This means that the amplifier has to dissipate more heat. If the amplifier has insufficient heat sink area, insufficient components to handle the higher current draw, etc., it will hopefully automatically shut itself off, or the weakest component will melt.

When the magnitude of the impedance doubles, you need higher voltage. If the amplifier cannot supply the higher potential, you will get the problem of too low volume.

Make sure your amplifier can do what you want it to do. If not, just get a second amplifier.
 
Tiamat said:
Hooked in parallel, the magnitude of the impedance would be 1/2 the original value of a single assuming they are the same.

When the magnitude of the impedance halves, the current demand doubles. This means that the amplifier has to dissipate more heat. If the amplifier has insufficient heat sink area, insufficient components to handle the higher current draw, etc., it will hopefully automatically shut itself off, or the weakest component will melt.

When the magnitude of the impedance doubles, you need higher voltage. If the amplifier cannot supply the higher potential, you will get the problem of too low volume.

Make sure your amplifier can do what you want it to do. If not, just get a second amplifier.
Click to expand...

Ya, probably going to get a new one, gonna go shop the pawn shops tomorrow see if I can see those guys from the History channel, and see if they have any amps for the cheap.


I mean it sounds right with 1 sub connected, but with the other one it doesn't beat as hard.
 
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If wired in Parallel you will be putting a 2ohm load on the amp. If wired in Series you will be putting an 8 ohm load on the amp (if speakers are single 4 ohm voicecoils).

Most amps can handle a 2 ohm 'stereo' load, however you better verify it can handle a 2 ohm bridged mono load. I have old school RF Punch 100's in my car and they are not rated for a 2ohm bridged load, but they do it beautifully. I've had it to a 1.3ohm load with (3) 4ohm subs wired in parallel and didn't have an issue.

I would go out on a limb and say you would be fine.
 
montypythizzle said:
Reading the manual on both, but going to assume the amp can handle 2 ohms and the speakers are 4ohm regularly.
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But you need to remember that is 4ohm NOMINAL, (i.e. the average), there will be a lot of times where it will be 2ohms or even less over the frequency range of the sub. You are now expecting an amp to handle loads in the 1ohm or less range for portions of the frequency range, and are just asking for frying your amp....
 
Fallen Kell said:
But you need to remember that is 4ohm NOMINAL, (i.e. the average), there will be a lot of times where it will be 2ohms or even less over the frequency range of the sub. You are now expecting an amp to handle loads in the 1ohm or less range for portions of the frequency range, and are just asking for frying your amp....
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Well, I tried another crappy amp around the house just to see if there was another issue, and it said 2 ohm stable (some OFF OFF OFF brand), fuse blew within 5 minutes. But ya, I think this amp was built for a single sub, therefore, as soon as I get ready gonna go pawn shop shopping.
 
That amp should be fine driving 2 4ohm subs. It's not going to give you monster, chest thumping bass but should give you some solid low end. Make sure you have the polarity correct. Incorrect polarity on one sub will cause wave cancellation and kill much of the bass.
 
jtvang125 said:
That amp should be fine driving 2 4ohm subs. It's not going to give you monster, chest thumping bass but should give you some solid low end. Make sure you have the polarity correct. Incorrect polarity on one sub will cause wave cancellation and kill much of the bass.
Click to expand...
Ya this is the first thing I checked to see if one was out of phase.
 
montypythizzle said:
Well, I tried another crappy amp around the house just to see if there was another issue, and it said 2 ohm stable (some OFF OFF OFF brand), fuse blew within 5 minutes. But ya, I think this amp was built for a single sub, therefore, as soon as I get ready gonna go pawn shop shopping.
Click to expand...

Eh, 3 pawn shops and an "audio shop" (like in the 70s lul) later and all I got was cancer from the McDoubles I ate and the 5 dollars in gas I spent.

Turns out the pawn shops in my town apparently don't deal with car audio (due to being stolen, lol like anything else in there isn't stolen) however one did... an amp that retails on Crutchfield (lol expensive) for 200 new, was 450 there.. Oh wow. Yes, that amp also included some speaker wire (like it was snagged out of a trunk) for my convenience.
 
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