Questioni am looking to put two 12s and two 15s in the back of my truck and i already have two 10s on hte inside of my truck. First of all i was wondering the best way to set this up.
Secondly I would like to know the best kind of amp to power this set up
The two 12s im getting are 1000 watt RMS max 2000 audiobahns.
The two 15s im getting are 1100 rms and 2200 max audiobahns.
Any help would be appreciated
AnswerThe enclosure is the most important aspect for obtaining accurate reproduction. The bass response of the subs is entirely dependent upon the enclosure.
Wattage ratings on speakers is meaningless. Why? Because the method of measuring this varies all over the place; there are no universally accepted standards upon which manufacturers rely. Further, most manufacturers marketing department lie about the ratings. Mostly the are highly exaggerated. (There is no such thing as "rms" power. It is a misnomer and should not be used. Really knowledgeable manufacturers know this and do not use rms power ratings.)
The most important parameter of a woofer is the impedance rating. This determines how best to amplify it. The next most important characteristic is its sensitivity. That tells you how much power it needs to get a standard output level. A 3 db difference means a 2 to 1 power difference. Thus, if a one speaker has a rating of 94db and another has a sensitivity of 97db the one with the lowest sensitivity will require twice the power to equal that of the higher one.
So, without knowing the impedance and whether the subs are single or dual voice coils it will not be possible to give you any specific connection topology.
Amplifier choice is really up to you. Most amplifiers are so much near perfect in their reproduction compared with lougspeakers that as long as you have sufficient power you should purchase on size, mounting configuration and what you think wattage rating should be.
Most amps will drive 4 ohm loads satisfactorily. Some will drive 2 ohms - but none of them do it really, really well. So, I recommend speakers that will wire up for a 4 ohm loading on the amp.
If the speakers are going to radiate into open space (as opposed to inside the vehicle) you need different enclosures than what is used for inside. Why? Because the acoustic radiation characteristics are greatly dependent upon the volume of the space into which it is radiating. The open door has a lower acoustic impedance than the inside of a pickup cab, for example.
You might want to contact with the manufacturers and have them give you the best kind of loading for your application. Many good sub manufacturers have this information on their web sites.
Hope this will get you started.
Cleggsan
