One of my winter projects is to put an updated stereo in the family bow rider. It currently only has a pair of speakers in the back. I’d like to add two more pairs, one beside the driver/passenger, and one up in the bow area.

What is a preferred/acceptable method of wiring up 3 pairs of speakers to a head unit assuming no additional amps? Is it OK to wire 2 pair of speakers in parallel on the rear channel, and put the remaining pair on the front channel? The rear channel speakers would then present a 2 ohm load to the receiver and the fronts would present a 4 ohm load. Is that OK? The head unit is a DEH-4800MP

I’m assuming it would be best to run separate amps on the front and rear channels. I’ll probably go that route eventually as the head unit has 3 sets of pre-outs (front/rear/sub), but would at least like to try it without external amps first.

At 2 Ohm The Head Unit Amp Wiil Not Last Long.

I would run a 4 channel amp about 40 rms watts x 4 for 4 speakers and run 2 speakers off the head unit. You should be able to get a decent amp for $150.

Use external amps. The HU won't like it and will shut down by at a certain volume level (which won't be much) to protect itself. Even a cheap seperate amp will sound better than the HU's amps.

Thanks guys, that's what I needed to know!