1ohm or 4ohm

eazy-e · Post by **eazy-e** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:00 am

will a sub sound better or get better bass response at 4ohms? given that the power would be the same at 1 and 4ohm

shaheen · Post by **shaheen** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:29 am

4 ohm, more damping on higher loads then lower loads.

k2f-gold · Post by **k2f-gold** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:34 am

shaheen, what does this means? what's damping?

todd217 · Post by **todd217** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:54 am

i understood it to mean control ie the amp has more control over the driver.

shaheen · Post by **shaheen** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 5:56 am

Damping, the ability for a amplifer to control the movement of the speaker cone.

Wiki Definition

In loudspeaker systems, the value of the damping factor between a particular loudspeaker and a particular amplifier describes the ability of the amplifier to control undesirable movement of the speaker cone near the resonant frequency of the speaker system. It is usually used in the context of low-frequency driver behavior, and especially so in the case of electrodynamic drivers, which use a magnetic motor to generate the forces which move the diaphragm.

A high damping factor indicates that an amplifier will have greater control over the movement of the speaker cone, particularly in the bass region near the resonant frequency of the driver's mechanical resonance. However, the damping factor at any particular frequency will vary, since driver voice coils are complex impedances whose values vary with frequency. In addition, the electrical characteristics of every voice coil will change with temperature; high power levels will increase coil temperature, and thus resistance. And finally, passive crossovers (made of relatively large inductors, capacitors, and resistors) are between the amplifier and speaker drivers and also affect the damping factor, again in a way that varies with frequency

NewOldStock · Post by **NewOldStock** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:55 pm

so if thats the case, you should wire in 2, 2ohm DVC subs into 4ohm loads (series), then bridge them to achieve a 2ohm amp load - and you will get better performance than bridging the subs down to 1ohm each (parallel) and then wiring them in series to get to the same 2ohm amp load?

shaheen · Post by **shaheen** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 1:33 pm

mmm, nope cause in both cases you still end up with a final amp load of 2 ohms. I am saying control will or should be better at 4 ohm rather then .

If you have 2 x 2ohm DVC's I would suggest 4 ohm per channel and not to bridge them across to 2ohm.

*disclaimer* I have been known to talk through my ass as well , so take what ever I say with a pinch of Sugar......

eazy-e · Post by **eazy-e** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:35 pm

thanks shaheen, i heard that before but wasnt sure

Post by **stipud** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:46 pm

NewOldStock wrote:so if thats the case, you should wire in 2, 2ohm DVC subs into 4ohm loads (series), then bridge them to achieve a 2ohm amp load - and you will get better performance than bridging the subs down to 1ohm each (parallel) and then wiring them in series to get to the same 2ohm amp load?

Wiring woofers together in series is not recommended... the impedance of the first woofer will affect the power given to the second one. Speakers should ideally only be wired in parallel, but voicecoils may be wired either way.

shaheen · Post by **shaheen** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 2:50 pm

stipud wrote:
NewOldStock wrote:so if thats the case, you should wire in 2, 2ohm DVC subs into 4ohm loads (series), then bridge them to achieve a 2ohm amp load - and you will get better performance than bridging the subs down to 1ohm each (parallel) and then wiring them in series to get to the same 2ohm amp load?
Wiring woofers together in series is not recommended... the impedance of the first woofer will affect the power given to the second one. Speakers should ideally only be wired in parallel, but voicecoils may be wired either way.

I have never heard that one before, interesting , I guess you would see it as a circuit where the first one removes X amount of power based on the impedence of the woofer ,then send whats left to the 2nd woofer......

NewOldStock · Post by **NewOldStock** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:37 pm

so is it better to wire the sub its self in series to achieve a 4-ohm load?

my plan is to wire each sub to 4-ohms then wire both 4-ohm subs to the bridged output at 2ohms...

Post by **smgreen20** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:36 pm

stipud wrote:
NewOldStock wrote:so if thats the case, you should wire in 2, 2ohm DVC subs into 4ohm loads (series), then bridge them to achieve a 2ohm amp load - and you will get better performance than bridging the subs down to 1ohm each (parallel) and then wiring them in series to get to the same 2ohm amp load?
Wiring woofers together in series is not recommended... the impedance of the first woofer will affect the power given to the second one. Speakers should ideally only be wired in parallel, but voicecoils may be wired either way.

Tom,

I tried asking you about this one a while back (a year or two ago) and you had a graph that supported your claim. I was wanting that graph back then. Does it ring a bell?

Post by **stipud** » Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:14 pm

NewOldStock wrote:so is it better to wire the sub its self in series to achieve a 4-ohm load?

my plan is to wire each sub to 4-ohms then wire both 4-ohm subs to the bridged output at 2ohms...

Correcto

smgreen20 wrote:Tom,

I tried asking you about this one a while back (a year or two ago) and you had a graph that supported your claim. I was wanting that graph back then. Does it ring a bell?

Sorry can't say I recall anything like that...

k2f-gold · Post by **k2f-gold** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:48 am

can I say that 8 is better than 6 and 6 better than 4 and the 4 better than 2 and 2 better than1? in terms performance.

Post by **ttocs** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 6:53 am

smgreen20 wrote:
stipud wrote:
NewOldStock wrote:so if thats the case, you should wire in 2, 2ohm DVC subs into 4ohm loads (series), then bridge them to achieve a 2ohm amp load - and you will get better performance than bridging the subs down to 1ohm each (parallel) and then wiring them in series to get to the same 2ohm amp load?
Wiring woofers together in series is not recommended... the impedance of the first woofer will affect the power given to the second one. Speakers should ideally only be wired in parallel, but voicecoils may be wired either way.
Tom,

I tried asking you about this one a while back (a year or two ago) and you had a graph that supported your claim. I was wanting that graph back then. Does it ring a bell?

I am not sure what kind of graph you are talking about, the power will go through one woofer and then hit the 2nd woofer. In parallel the signal is evenly split(assuming the impedence is the same) and then goes through the woofer. What kind of graph would explain this?

Post by **stipud** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:03 am

k2f-gold wrote:can I say that 8 is better than 6 and 6 better than 4 and the 4 better than 2 and 2 better than1? in terms performance.

Assuming power and quality of the amplifier is equal, then generally the answer is yes.