Posted: Aug 17 2005 at 4:53pm | IP Logged

Ok... I came all the way over from the Frontier forum to help you out  

You will not gain any difference getting 8 ohm subs and wiring them for 4 ohms.  BUT you will gain if you rewire your current subs to run at 2 ohms. 

Now my question for you... who told you this flawed info?

Posted: Aug 17 2005 at 9:40pm | IP Logged

That's what I hate about audio salesman.  They sale, they don't work on them.  Anyone who knows a good amount about electrical, and electronics knows this.  So here's how to help you out.

Ohms is actually a measurement of resistance.  In other words, how much stuff is in the path of the power going from the amp to the subwoofer.  When the power wire is coiled around to create the subwoofer's magnet.  It causes a certain amount of resistance.  This is where you get your 2,3,4,8 ohm subwoofers.

Dual voice coils, have 2 sets of wires for the magnet.  If each set puts out 4 ohms, then together the subwoofer is a 8 ohm. 

Now to explain why upgrading would be pointless, and how changing your current wiring will "increase" your power.

Subs can be wired 2 ways.  Series and Parallel. 

Series -

Parallel -

Now, to show WHY you can get an increase wiring a certain way.

As most everyone knows, the smaller the resistance, the better.  Same is true here.  The smaller you can get your resistance, the smoother, and louder your system will operate.

Since you have 2 Subs, I'll show how you can get better performance with those.

1.) When wiring in SERIES, you are combining the resistance of the subs.  In this case, 4 ohms + 4 ohms= 8 ohms.  There's a formula you can use to see exactly how much each sub would get.  But I'll give you the basic version now.   This is for a 100x2 channel amp.  This case the amp puts out 100 watts @ 4 ohms.  Now, since your wiring is actually 8 ohms... the power output is 50 watts.  So each sub will only get 25 watts.

2.) PARALLEL wiring actually divides up the resistance in the circuit.  so your now 4 ohm subs will be running at 2 ohms at the amp.  But your power is also divided up.  But there's more power to divide up.  Here's WHY.  Lets say that same amp above is 2 ohm stable.  Since your halving the impedance, your power rating is doubled.  so that 100 watts @ 4 ohms, is now 200 watts @ 2 ohms.  And each subwoofer will be getting 100 watts.

This is why so many people try getting 1 ohm stable systems.  The amp puts out more power, because of the less resistance.  Also, the amp doesn't have to work as hard to keep pushing the power. 

But the power all depends upon the rating of your amp.  If your amp is not rated for 2 ohm STABLE, it will do you no good.  Same thing with 1 ohm systems.  If you have the wiring setup for 1 ohms, and your amp isn't, your not getting the full potential power.

This is a lot to absorb, that's why I thank the following site for the pictures.  Refer to it as you need.  http://www.termpro.com/articles/spkrz.html  They also gave me the idea for the amp rating. 

Let me know if you have anymore questions.

Posted: Aug 17 2005 at 11:43pm | IP Logged

Thanks for the great info...that is essentially the way it was described to me...halving the ohm load, doubles the power output...Assuming you don't go too low for your amp, the lower the ohm load the more power you'll get from your amp...Sooo if I go from 8 ohm to 4 ohm I should get double the power from my amp....BTW I don't want to go down to 2 ohm. I was warned not to, and I don't want to take the chance of damaging the amp.

The reason I said I'd have to get 8 ohm speakers is because the 4 ohms I currently have can only be wired to achieve either an 8 ohm (series) or a 2 ohm (parallel). With some new 8 ohm speakers I can wire them parallel (4 ohm) and get double the power from my amp..Shouldnt that significantly increase the bass output from my current config??   

Posted: Aug 18 2005 at 7:30am | IP Logged

Warned not too... exactly what type of amp do you have? 

MOST amps today are 2 ohm stable.  Heck, I'm pushing my 4 Memphis M-Class 12"s @ 2 ohms.  They're currently wired for 1 ohm, so I just need to get a 1 ohm stable amp. 

Posted: Aug 18 2005 at 8:05pm | IP Logged

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-dzuMAPPDO5T/cgi-bin/prodview.as p?I=500mrvf340&search=MRVF340

Is this your amp?  If it is, it's 2 ohm stable.  Nothing wrong with using all the power available.  You can ruin an amp... but that's if you push it too far.  I always try to keep my gain 1/2 way at the MAX.  Anymore and you do run the risk of ruining your amp or subs. 

My MC500D from Memphis is over a year old, and it's still running great.  Even pushing 4 12" M-Class subs.