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Anyone ever wire all 4 doors to 1 amp channel?

blest92.5

New CEG'er
Joined
Sep 14, 2002
Messages
19
Location
NJ
If so did you do it in series and what was the technique? I checked the old forums and didn't see a post, direct me if you know of one. I'm running a four channel and want to bridge two for the sub and run the doors on the other two.

I'm wondering if it's possible to wire the doors this way and what's involved in completing the circuit between the 4 speakers.
 
You can easily run TWO speakers on one channel, if the amps minimum OHMS rating is 2 ohms, you'll work the amp a little harder, and may cause some heat issues tho. this is all assuming you have 4 ohm speakers.

just run the left doors in parallel to one channel, and the right doors in parallel to the other.

For bridging your amp, remember that even though your amp may be 2 ohm stable, when bridged, it needs no less than 4 ohms...

check your amp and make sure it is 2 ohm stable.

BTW you probably would never want to wire ALL four speakers to one channel. :help:
 
What's the best way to figure out which way your amp in wired. I didn't install the amp and I'm trying to find out if its wired to the speakers and sub or just the sub so that i can decided on which speakers to get. I believe the amp is a 2 channel. I cannot fade to the rear speakers right now, but if i turn off the sub i can. Also how can i tell if the factory amp was ever bipassed? :shrug: (sorry to hijack your thread:) )
 
If so did you do it in series and what was the technique? I checked the old forums and didn't see a post, direct me if you know of one. I'm running a four channel and want to bridge two for the sub and run the doors on the other two.

I'm wondering if it's possible to wire the doors this way and what's involved in completing the circuit between the 4 speakers.

Why don't you just run 2 different amps.... one for your subs, and a 4 channel for your interiors.... 4 channel amps are really not the way to go for running interior / subs together.... get separate subs.... if you must put your interiors like you're thinking though, you'll have to see what your amp output specs are, and what ohm speakers you have in the car... once you know that, report back, then we can help you out more with wiring things up....

What's the best way to figure out which way your amp in wired. I didn't install the amp and I'm trying to find out if its wired to the speakers and sub or just the sub so that i can decided on which speakers to get. I believe the amp is a 2 channel. I cannot fade to the rear speakers right now, but if i turn off the sub i can. Also how can i tell if the factory amp was ever bipassed? :shrug: (sorry to hijack your thread:) )

I'd love to look at it and figure it out for you, because that sounds pretty crazy..... Okay.... for checking your factory amp, in most of the contour/mystiques, the amp is located behind the glove box, if you pinch the sides and let it drop down, you should be able to see a gray/silver box behind it.... that's the factory amp.... silver thing on the right...

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If you both could get some pictures of your systems.... it would help a lot!
 
ok this is how its setup. Sorry about the pics. They're from a phone and the amp is mounted on the back of the seat

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2056366_10_full.jpg

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Here's what I guess you could do with that setup, first off, turn the cross over off. Wire your left side speakers in series (assuming your speakers are all 4 ohm) Then wire your right side speakers in series as well. Run your left side speakers on the left side output, run your right side speakers on the right output. Then use a bridged connection with a resistor to act as a high pass for the sub so it plays low frequencies, something under 125hz. I would suggest using speakers savers (fancy name for low pass filters) on the positive outputs for the interior speakers so they don't play low bass, and only play mid to high frequencies. A low pass filter of 300hz should be sufficient. You can find Low pass filters on Install Edge website, as for the 3rd channel bridged hookup, you'll have to read through these articles and figure it out for yourself. I know I've seen amps with wiring diagrams for it, and I don't know how hard it would be on your amp, but it should be able to be done theoretically.

http://colomar.com/Shavano/construction.html - see article on passive crossovers

http://colomar.com/Shavano/crossover12db.html

http://colomar.com/Shavano/lpad.html

http://www.lalena.com/Audio/Calculator/XOver/

Good will hunting.... Hope this helps.....
 
...Then use a bridged connection with a resistor to act as a high pass for the sub so it plays low frequencies, something under 125hz. I would suggest using speakers savers (fancy name for low pass filters) on the positive outputs for the interior speakers so they don't play low bass, and only play mid to high frequencies. A low pass filter of 300hz should be sufficient.

Just to clarify...

High pass filters allow the high frequencies to pass through, cutting off the low frequencies. You want these on the mids/tweets in the factory locations.

Low pass filters allow the low frequencies to pass through, cutting off the highs. You want these on your subs.
 
Just to clarify...

High pass filters allow the high frequencies to pass through, cutting off the low frequencies. You want these on the mids/tweets in the factory locations.

Low pass filters allow the low frequencies to pass through, cutting off the highs. You want these on your subs.

Thanks, I get going an I just assume everybody knows what I'm talking about, thanks for cleaning up my post!
 
Just to clarify...

High pass filters allow the high frequencies to pass through, cutting off the low frequencies. You want these on the mids/tweets in the factory locations.

Low pass filters allow the low frequencies to pass through, cutting off the highs. You want these on your subs.

ok my deck has some hpf and lpf setting built into it that you can adjust. now do i just have to set it and be done with it or do you still think i need to bridged connection with a resistor. I'm sorry for the stupid questions but i know didly pooh about audio setups. Can you tell?
 
Based on what I can see, the amp is hooked to only the sub. Which means the deck must be hooked to the rest of the speakers.

Try this for me....

If you can, turn off the output from the deck to the sub amp. Should be able to either turn off the output to it or turn the level down to zero using the deck controls. If you can't, disconnect the rca cables where they go into the amp (while the system is off).

Now, play something (CD, radio, anything) and adjust your fader to full front, and balance to full left. What speaker(s) is the sound coming from?

Leave your fader to full front, and adjust balance to full right. What speaker(s) is the sound coming from?

Adjust your fader to full rear, and leave balance to full right. What speaker(s) is the sound coming from?

Leave your fader to full rear, and adjust balance to full left. What speaker(s) is the sound coming from?

Leave the HPF and LPF controls on the deck off for this.

Report back with your findings and we'll go from there.
 
Based on what I can see, the amp is hooked to only the sub. Which means the deck must be hooked to the rest of the speakers.

Try this for me....

If you can, turn off the output from the deck to the sub amp. Should be able to either turn off the output to it or turn the level down to zero using the deck controls. If you can't, disconnect the rca cables where they go into the amp (while the system is off).

Now, play something (CD, radio, anything) and adjust your fader to full front, and balance to full left. What speaker(s) is the sound coming from?

Leave your fader to full front, and adjust balance to full right. What speaker(s) is the sound coming from?

Adjust your fader to full rear, and leave balance to full right. What speaker(s) is the sound coming from?

Leave your fader to full rear, and adjust balance to full left. What speaker(s) is the sound coming from?

Leave the HPF and LPF controls on the deck off for this.

Report back with your findings and we'll go from there.

My deck has two settings. front + rear and Sub + front iirc. When its set to F+R i can fade to each of the speakers fine. Its when its set to Sub+front that it doesn't. Apparently when the sub is on i can't fade. I can't really tell if the sound is really coming out of the rear speakers when the sub is on because i have some blown speakers. Can the factory amp be playing a part in this whole mess? My goal is just to run the amp to the speakers (when i get some better ones) and the sub. I just didn't know if it was currently hooked up that way or not. If you don't think thats a good idea i have no problem leaving it the way it is.

BTW thanks for all the patience and help so far.
 
I do not think it will be a good idea to use your existing 2 channel amp to power the sub and other speakers. Yes it can be done, but I would not suggest it as a good option.

Edit: one more thing... what brand/model deck are you using???
 
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I do not think it will be a good idea to use your existing 2 channel amp to power the sub and other speakers. Yes it can be done, but I would not suggest it as a good option.

Edit: one more thing... what brand/model deck are you using???

ok cool thats what i needed to know. I'm using a pioneer DEH-p6800mp. It turns out i can fade to the left and right when the sub is on but not front to back. That may just be how the deck is programed:shrug:
 
the 6800 if I remember correctly should have 3 pre-outs, it was last years highest end deck model, at least what sold at our store it was... motorized face and everything.... it sounds like someone hooked your radio up all messed up, you should be able to fade and balance your interior speakers. Assuming they were hooked up to the pairs of white, gray, purple, and green of the harness. Personally that's how i would of ran the interior speakers, an then ran the sub out to the amp to control the sub, that way you have separate control for it through the radio..... Plus running everything through one amp, and then messing with the HPF and LPF on the deck will mess everything up if it's running through a single amp... I would just hook up interior speakers throught the deck harness an sub off sub out on deck... you should only need to amp the interiors if you have like component speakers.... otherwise you should be fine.... I put one of those 6800's in a contiential I think, an it had subs and factory speakers.... I had that thing friggan bumpin so nice... and with factory interiors... I just set the HPF for the interiors an they could go way louder with out distorting... an aftermarket speaker would do even better.... I have 4-way pioneers and I just put an aftermarket deck in with a factory amp bypass which took all of about 2 minutes to do.... i don't get much bass.... but I can live with it being clear instead of distored from having the bass way to high.... now all I'd need to add would be a nice sub and amp and it would be even better, have clear sounds and deep bass... but that's a ways down the road still....
 
Ok thanks. It sounds like I'm going to have to take my car back to the shop to make sure everything is hooked up correctly.
 
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