How to power 3 10" subs?
 

I want to put a stereo in my boat. I am thinking of going with Rockford stuff. I know I want 3 - 10" subs, 2 pair of 6x9's and 2 pair of 6.5" components. My question is how to power the subs. Most amps are only mono, 2 or 4 channel. I know I'll need a 4 ch. amp for the 6x9's and one 4 ch for the 6.5's but what about the subs? 3 monos? I don't think I have room or budget for that.

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

just make sure what ever amp you buy has a cooling fan :D so it wont shut off when it hot out and you cranking it up :drink:

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

Check here... Great prices and honest service! :D

I bought some Boston Acoustics speakers, a nice pioneer head unit and a radar detector and everything was first rate!

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/cat_23.html

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

If you want Rockford stuff, i would get a Power T8004. Run all 4 components off the the front channels. This will give u about 100w x 2 running in 2 ohms, this is about 50w per speaker. Bridge the rear, get 3 8ohms single coils subs wired in parallel. This will put the load on the amp at about 2.5 ohms which the Power series can support bridged. The T8004 goes for about $400 or so on ebay.

You can run the same setup w/ a P8004 which is cheaper than the Power series, but the Power amps are better built, have active cooling & can support loads down to 1 ohm.

Here is what i am elbows deep in adding to my boat right now. A RF P4004 (100w x 4 2ohm) will run my 4 Kicker fronts & 4 Kicker rears. I did this because sometimes we need fade control. A P3001 (300w x 1 2ohm) for 2 JLAudio 10" W1v2 4ohms in sealed box. The P4004 goes for about $170 & the P3001 for $140 on ebay.

I am going w/ the Punch series because we really dont crank the stereo up that often, & i cant justify spending too much on amps when we dont put more than 15-20 hrs on the boat a yr.

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

seems i may have ben out of the audio stuff for a while.....but i thought the 8ohm stuff was for home use???? ive never seen it for automotive use before??? i guess it realy doesnt make a difference when wired up right though???

question for ya Jason....why only 3 subs? is it a space issue and thats all you can fit? In my scarab i installed 4 10" subs under the rear seat......had them wires both series and parralel to make them 4ohm on a single chan 1000watt amp....it hit hard enough so you couldnt see straight! :D

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

I've wired 3 by using 2 single coil subs and a dual voice coil in the center. This uses a 2 channel amp with low pass filter. The individual VCs should be the same impedence, ie all 4 ohms. You can wire each channel to a single VC speaker then in parallel or series to 1 VC of the dual VC speaker. It depend on if the amp will support the impedence of parallel wiring.
Most unbrideged amps I've seen can run 2 4 ohm speakers in parallel (2 ohms). But bridging usually requires a 4 ohm minimum.
Gary

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

He could accomplish a 2.67 ohm load w/ 3 4ohm dual vc's also. SVC's are normally cheaper than DVC's so i was trying to save him a few bucks.

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

Woah! You guys are talking a different language! Sounds like I'm in Mexico.
I want to go with 3 because I can't fit 4. I still am thinking I'll just go with 2 10's and skip a pair of 6x9's. I just want it to be friggin' loud and sound good.
Do I need to get dual voice coil subs? Do they sound better?

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

Como esta?
Would you still have 1 pair 6x9s? (i am trying to determine ohms on circuit). Two good quality 10" subs can hit pretty hard. With 2 subs, you can run more power to each of them & still keep the load on your amp reasonable. You dont need dvc subs, they are just popular cause the allow flexible wiring options to accomplish a certain load. Here are some options (i have way too much time on my hands :).

RF T8004
400w x 1 @ 2ohm bridged (actual is 522w x 1)
2 4ohm svc = 2ohm
2 2ohm dvc = 2ohm (wired properly)

RF P8004
400w x 1 @ 4ohm bridged (actual is 462w x 1)
2 4ohm dvc = 4ohm (wired properly)
2 8ohm svc = 4ohm

Based on the amp assumption, each sub would be getting about 200-260w each (depending on amp), that would match up w/ either a RF P3 sub or a JLAudio 10w3v2.

When we raft up at LOTO we can have a sound off. ;)

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

Although I'm at LOTO all summer, that might be a problem. The 3 subwoofoers I was talking about is in my 68 Vette. :p
Gary

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

LOL, i meant table rock since that is where jason & i mainly boat.
lets see, u in 68 vette, prolly have a 427, w/ 3 subs... i can take u. :eek:

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

Brian, yea, I will only have one pair of 6x9's if I go with 2 10's.
I don't have a clue as to what I am doing but I have friends who do. I just write the checks & supply the beer.

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

Jason, I can draw out the wiring for you Friday at the prayer meeting. It makes a lot more sense on paper (r1 * r2 / r1 + r2, just doesn't have the same ring in e-mail :D )

Christian

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

I went with two JL Audio 10W7s in 1 sealed box with a divider. (Its a big box). http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_subs.php?series_id=5

I have a JL Audio 500/1 for each woofer.
http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_amps.php?amp_id=252

It sounds sick! I don't think you are going to need more than two woofers; or you are going to over-bass your system. I have 10 - 6.5 co-ax speakers (Sony and MB Quart) and I keep the base barely tuned in. The girls do love sitting on the back seat though!! :D

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

OK, it is a deal. I'll even pop for a few rounds.

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

I still need some equipment for my boat if you wanna stop by, write some checks & drink some beer. ;)

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

Yeah. Same here.

Even some of the newer amps that can see a 1 or 2 ohm load and survive still don't LIKE it. :D

I would try if possible to keep the load to 4ohms on a bridged amp. Even better yet, buy enough amp that it doesn't need to be bridged to do the job.

When you lower the load below 4 ohms you really lose headroom and start adding noise compared to non-bridged.

Plus... bridging adds extra heat to go with those extra watts and extra noise.

I like Gary's idea.
I would do SVC subs on the outside and a DVC sub in the middle. Send a left output to one outboard sub and one of the two center sub VCs and send a right output to the other outboard sub and the other VC of the DVC sub. This would make one 2 or 4 channel amp drive 4 voice coils, two at a time.

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

By the way... you can go a LONG way on a boat using 6.5s and subs (dialed in well) rather than 6x9s.

I have two pairs of good quality 6.5s plus hidden subs and my cockpit sounds great but it's clean and I didn't have to cut the boat up to do 6x9s.

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

I have eighteen 6 1/2"~ers (9 pairs) and six 12's running off JL amps (all w/ individual capacitors).

Consider this... Spend the money upfront and enjoy it all summer (without problems), using larger amps, not having them run at 100% for max volume expecations with extra batteries - this will get you thru the "heat" issues of the summer having your sound crisp and tight. Buy top of the line speakers/amps and have an "expert" help you with the wiring (if you're doing it yourself - which I highly do not recommend :eek: ).

Enjoy!!!!

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

Especially when you use 18 6.5s.

Dam, Joe. :D

Re: How to power 3 10" subs?
 

Ok, I'll be writing checks & drinking. You name it! I just hope you can cash a 3rd party out of state post dated pay check from Zimbabway.

Just to clarify the 6x9 deal, there are already "holes" to fill that are in the 6x9 configuration. I don't own a 72 Camaro. 6x9's are not my first choice.