Two mono amps to my BTL

[djkloudz 0]

Wire two mono block amps to a single dvc woofer? Is this even possible w/o the amps having to be made specifically for strapping??

I have two hifonics bxi1606d's that i wanna use to power my fully loaded 15" Btl, but i don't know how i would wire these up. Can someone plz help me out??

[Acidburn 10]

an amp on each VC

what's the wire config on your BTL?

[audio-neon 34]

the most accurate way to do it, to take your amps, set the gain on one for max. output (clipping point at clipping point of head unit). than take a dmm and measure watts at about half volume and set the gain on the second one until the wattage from amp 1 and amp 2 match.

[djkloudz 0]

is there another way of doin this that wont make me go out and buy a dmm? Do i measure the watts at the speaker terminals on the amp??

[dopey 0]

You should have a DMM anyway. Do it the right way, don't kill your sub/amps by saving $30 by not buying a DMM.

[audio-neon 34]

i always do it at the speaker terminals at the amp, unless you want to get fancy and screw the dmm terminals in the extra set of speaker wire terminals in you mono amp ( if it has it).

[djkloudz 0]

yah ur right, i can get that at any auto parts store pretty much rite??

O yah, for the RCA's, On my alpine cda9857 there's 3 rca preouts, one sub preout and 2 preouts for the front and rear. Should i get a rca wire splitter for the sub preouts on the deck and run both amp1 and 2 to the sub preouts? Or should i just plug amp1's line input to the deck sub preout, and have amp 2 connected from its line INout to amp 1's line OUTput?? plz help me out guyz, all replies are greatly appreciated!

[audio-neon 34]

i have never run multiple sub amps yet (will be once i get my sundownz). My thought on this is that you have to run rca splitters, they look like a Y.

[///M5 2,833]

DMM or other accurate voltage measuring device or don't do it at all. You really need them to be matched well.

[tejcurrent 13]

X 10 on the DMM

Just run a 2nd set of rcas from the out of one amp to the IN of the other. I don't think it'll make a difference, but if you want to do a splitter that'll work too. Just keep the rcas short.

[djkloudz 0]

i jus want to be sure that when i set the settings on my HU for the subwoofer, it wont go haywire since its one output going into 2 mono amps. If i route da RCA's on da amp from one putput to the others input, whenever i mess with the setting on the headunit, will both amps get the same signal??

[tejcurrent 13]

It's still the same signal comming from the h/u, both amps still see that same signal-it just sort of goes to 1 amp first. It has never mattered in my experience.

[audio-neon 34]

yes...

Someone please call me a noob, what would you do to strap amps. Run interconnects from one amp to another and than what?....

[djkloudz 0]

Yah, i'm definately sure alot of other people would also like to kno more about running 2 mono amps to a single sub. It's cheaper than buying one BIG amp.

[tejcurrent 13]

Yes, much cheaper than big amps, but it depends on the amps if you can strap them. What kind do you have? Some brands require you to get a bridging module of some sort. For instance, for memphis amps you get the module, then you hook the - of the speaker to the + output of one amp, and the + of the speaker to the + output of the other amp, then bridge the negatives of the amp with a wire.

Anyway, what type of amps, and what VC sub?

[djkloudz 0]

i got 2 hifonics bxi1606d 's going into a fully loaded 15" BTL Dual 2 ohms..

[audio-neon 34]

Just run one amp to each coil, strapping/bridging is only necessary for running multiple amps to a coil ie 4 amps to a btl, 2 amps to a single vc sub, 8 amps to a quad coil sub etc...

[tejcurrent 13]

It would be better for the sub to strap them as it can be a little difficult to set the gains properly, but you can't with those amps. Just put one per coil and make sure you get it right. I had a local shop tell me they did this by just slowing turning up the h/u volume and adjusting the gains as it started sounding bad... They don't have a DMM in the shop!

[audio-neon 34]

It would be better for the sub to strap them as it can be a little difficult to set the gains properly, but you can't with those amps. Just put one per coil and make sure you get it right. I had a local shop tell me they did this by just slowing turning up the h/u volume and adjusting the gains as it started sounding bad... They don't have a DMM in the shop!

I think it should be illegal to have a shop without a dmm.

[dopey 0]

It would be better for the sub to strap them as it can be a little difficult to set the gains properly, but you can't with those amps. Just put one per coil and make sure you get it right. I had a local shop tell me they did this by just slowing turning up the h/u volume and adjusting the gains as it started sounding bad... They don't have a DMM in the shop!

I think it should be illegal to have a shop without a dmm.

No chit.

If they don't own/know how to use, a DMM...you shouldn't trust them install jack chit. Your fat 12yo nephew has a better chance of hooking that chit up right.

[tejcurrent 13]

No Joke! There should be some sort of regulations stating you need x qualifications from atleast x % or employees in any given shop.

[djkloudz 0]

Well i just installed my second amp today, and its not noticably louder. I figure with double the power i put into it, it would at least be a clear difference. I'm dissapointed with how it's sounding, is there anyone with hands on experience on running two mono amps to one sub???

[audio-neon 34]

twice as many amps, equals twice as much current draw.

Did you set your gains with a dmm???

what are your box specs?

[djkloudz 0]

no i havent bought one yet, but i was messing with the settings. I got to set them both at the same time!! My box is massively heavy. 1.5" thick walls all around, approx. 7.5 cu ft internal volume tuned to 32 hz. my dimensions are 48 x 20 x 20.

Edited March 31, 2007 by kloudy

[audio-neon 34]

the bad news is, you are only pushing 600 more watts, for a total of 2200. Not that its not a lot or anything but doubling the power is 3 dB's, so you are talking about 1.25 dB gain theoretically.

And not only are you pushing more watts, you are drawing more current.