If you’re the type of person who likes to add a little extra bass to your ride, then you’ve probably considered adding two subwoofers to your car. Of course, it’s always more difficult than just plugging in and playing, which is why connecting dual subwoofers to one channel amp can be very tricky.
In order to connect two subwoofers to a one channel amp, you will need to follow a few simple steps. This guide will walk you through the process of connecting your subs and amplifier, so that you can enjoy better sound quality in your car.
Can You Hook Up Two Subs to a Monoblock Amp?
One subwoofer is typically not enough for those of us who love a rich and powerful bass sound. Adding more than one subwoofer makes the musical experience that much more thrilling but it also multiplies your setup complexity by adding more cabling and components to the mix. The general rule for hooking up two subs is to wire them in parallel.
This will save you money on expensive monoblock amps as well as fit right into your automobile’s power system without having to make too. Adding a subwoofer to an existing audio system is relatively easy and should not be confused with playing multi-channel music files through the stereo.
You can hook up two subs to a monoblock amp, but it might not be the best idea. The reason is that you will still be using only one amplifier for the entire stereo system. Some amplifiers have a “phantom power” switch that lets you send power to both speakers at the same time.
The stereo sound that comes out of these amps is not very good but the power output is tripled. Since you will be using this amp in mono, you need to turn off the phantom power when using two subs.
What’s the Best Subwoofer Wiring Options?
The biggest deciding factor as to how good your stereo system is in terms of audio can be solved by making the right subwoofer wiring setup. If you love music and are always looking for ways to improve the quality, learning about the various options available is the best way to do it. So let’s have a look at a few types of wiring to understand better what they are capable of.
Series Wiring
This type of wiring works best for two subwoofers. The signal is split in the middle and sent to each sub through its own amp. This provides the best overall sound and control. The main benefit of this is that you can control the bass levels in each amp independently to make sure they do not overpower each other. For this type of wiring, you need two identical subwoofers and a crossover that divides the signal in the middle.
Parallel Wiring
With this setup, each amp receives the same amount of signal and sound. With this type of wiring, you can decide whether you want to accentuate or reduce the bass as needed. The subwoofers should be placed on the same side of the room for best sound.
Simulated Wiring
With this type of wiring, the bass from each amp is sent to each sub. This results in the most ideal setup. You can adjust each sub individually to deliver the proper bass response you desire.
How to Hook Up 2 Subs to a 1 Channel Amp
Hooking up two subs can get complex, but there are a few easy tricks. When your two subwoofers only have one channel in common, things like noise cancelation and distortion can become serious problems. By doing this to run both of the amplifiers separately, the amps will perform independently allowing the subs to sound much better. Follow these steps to connect two subs to a mono channel amplifier.
To connect two subwoofers to a mono amplifier, you simply need to know how to cut wire, use basic equipment, and follow easy instructions.
Take two pieces of speaker wire and cut them in half. The first should be long enough to connect the amplifier to the first subwoofer, and the second should be long enough to connect the first subwoofer to the second.
Remove the insulation from the ends of the wire lengths so that 1/2 inch of bare wire is exposed on each lead.
Connect one end of the first piece of wire to the amplifier’s speaker output connections. Set-screw connections are the most common type; loosen the screw, put the bare wire below, and tighten. Connect the positive and negative leads of the speaker wire to the positive and negative terminals, respectively.
Connect the subwoofer’s terminals to the other end of this length of speaker wire. Then, using the same set of terminals, attach the second piece of speaker wire. Tighten the terminals to ensure that both wires are properly connected.
Connect the opposite end of the second speaker wire to the terminals of the second subwoofer. Make sure the wire is properly attached by tightening the terminals.
Related: How to Hook Up 2 Amps With 1 Power Wire
What Is the Purpose of Speaker Impedance and Why Should You Care?
Speaker impedance is a concept used in acoustic engineering to describe the resistance of air between a sound source and a listener’s ear. The greater the impedance, the more the air between the speaker and the listener acts as a barrier to the transfer of sound waves.
When the speaker is near the listener, the impedance is low, meaning there is little air resistance. This is known as near-field listening. At the furthest distance from the listener, the impedance is high, and this is known as far-field listening.
Speaker impedance affects the sound you hear from a speaker, understanding speaker impedance is important when you are designing or choosing speakers for your home or studio. In particular, you should know the impedance of the speaker you want to use and the impedance of the room in which you are listening.
If you know the impedance of the speaker and the room, you can predict how loud it will sound and what the frequency response will be. Knowing the impedance also gives you an indication of how well a speaker will reproduce sound. If the impedance is low, then the speaker will reproduce more low-frequency sounds than if the impedance is high.
