System upgrade questions

todddd41 · September 4, 2004

I'm hoping somebody can help give me some advice a mild system upgrade in my 2000 SIerra extended cab. I have a JL Audio 12" DVC sub (4 ohm coils) that I am going to install, but I'm not sure what amp will work. I'm on a really tight budget, and I'm trying to figure out what amps can handle being run into two ohms while bridged (from running the speaker wired in parallel). I could run one channel to each coil, but I'm not sure that's the best way. Suggestions on the best way to wire it, and if most amps can handle it?

I've been out of the mobile audio loop for a while now, and was wondering about some brand names I'm not familiar with. I'm looking at amps and component speakers. Any of these really good or bad? - MA Audio, Diamond Audio, Audiobahn, Lightning Audio, Crunch.

Thanks for the help.

Jeff1 · September 4, 2004

I'm hoping somebody can help give me some advice a mild system upgrade in my 2000 SIerra extended cab. I have a JL Audio 12" DVC sub (4 ohm coils) that I am going to install, but I'm not sure what amp will work. I'm on a really tight budget, and I'm trying to figure out what amps can handle being run into two ohms while bridged (from running the speaker wired in parallel). I could run one channel to each coil, but I'm not sure that's the best way. Suggestions on the best way to wire it, and if most amps can handle it?

I've been out of the mobile audio loop for a while now, and was wondering about some brand names I'm not familiar with. I'm looking at amps and component speakers. Any of these really good or bad? - MA Audio, Diamond Audio, Audiobahn, Lightning Audio, Crunch.

Thanks for the help.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Look into the JBL amps. Good bang for the buck on the mono block amps.

6Burgh · September 5, 2004

I'm hoping somebody can help give me some advice a mild system upgrade in my 2000 SIerra extended cab. I have a JL Audio 12" DVC sub (4 ohm coils) that I am going to install, but I'm not sure what amp will work. I'm on a really tight budget, and I'm trying to figure out what amps can handle being run into two ohms while bridged (from running the speaker wired in parallel). I could run one channel to each coil, but I'm not sure that's the best way. Suggestions on the best way to wire it, and if most amps can handle it?

I've been out of the mobile audio loop for a while now, and was wondering about some brand names I'm not familiar with. I'm looking at amps and component speakers. Any of these really good or bad? - MA Audio, Diamond Audio, Audiobahn, Lightning Audio, Crunch.

Thanks for the help.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Look into the JBL amps. Good bang for the buck on the mono block amps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here is another thread on wiring.

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...1&st=&p=entry

I have a pair of Orions Cobalts (2/8ohms DVC) that I run off a Rockford Punch 100. I ran it at 0.5 ohms mono for the past nine years without any troubles. A good amp, I would think, could handle 1 ohm mono ok. A cheaper amp may overheat and shutdown. I never really push my amps. I only have the bass loud enough to sound good not to make people hear me a mile away.

DSZ71 · September 5, 2004

Most mono block type amps can run in 2 ohms, even 1 ohm stable. Some quality yet lower priced brands to look for are:

*JBL

*HiFonics

*Phoenix Gold

*Rockford Fosgate

*Autotek

*Arc Audio

*US Amps

Diamond and Lightning Audio are the only decent brands out there. Being you have been out of the loop for quite some time, brands that were great 10 years ago sold out and dont produce the same quality (Rockford for one). There are a few newer ones that are making headlines. Do some research on some car audio forums. Here is one for you: Car Sound & Performance?

For your question about components. There is a company known as CDT, they are a "sleaper" company. Not too well known, but their products are top quality, competition-built. If you know of them, then you know what they are capable of. Anywho, one of their FULLY AUTHORIZED (must stress that point) online retailers, www.thezeb.com, has right now one of their component sets on sale for $149! For that price you just cant beat that deal. The model to look for is the CL61a. Here is a quick link: TheZeb.com

You can shop for some amps there if you like. Another good online shopping site is www.sounddomain.com (again fully authorized by manufacturers).

Here is a diagram of your wiring option(s), but you are already aware of what you need to do. Run the amp in bridged-mono configuration, and not stereo.

maroonsilverado · September 7, 2004

almost any GOOD amp will be 2 ohm stable. you dont really want to run one channel to one coil.

i would recommend a crossfire, but they really dont put out the power till you get down to 1 ohm. that's what i've got running my 18" and it's putting out over 1200 watts RMS and i got it when they changed models for $350. there's a long list of good amps that would suit your needs. just stay away from sony xplod. jensen is better than sony xplod if that tells you anything

DSZ71 · September 8, 2004

Yeah you dont want to try and run a dvc sub in stereo to each coil. This will cause damage and the sound reproduction would be horrible. What would happen is that the signal would not get to the sub at the same time. One channel will always be late. then your voice coil trys to reproduce that sound, whilst the othe coil is just getting the signal. they would try and reproduce the same sound at different times, causing terrible things to happen. Best way to run subs in always by linking the voice coils, not separating them (on a dvc sub). You can get Hifonics amps fairly cheap off Ebay or Sounddomain.com, and www.thezeb.com

todddd41 · September 9, 2004

Thanks all for the input. I found an Alpine mono amp for a pretty good deal an E-Bay, and I will give that a try. Now I just need to decide what to do about the other speakers. I'm thinking I will swap out the rears at the same time I have the seat out, since it's a 3-door, and it looks like a pretty good job to get to the left speaker. The rear's seem to distort the most now as it is.

DSZ71 · September 9, 2004

In my opinion, rear fill is a waste. If you have a decent set of components up front (like a 2 way set...6.5", tweet, and xover) with a good amp on them (around 120-150 watts or so) a decent set of subs and another decent amp, your staging should be set almost perfect enough that you dont need the rear speakers. Its always been my experience that you could take the $$ you had planned on using for the rear fill and putting that towards one of the other components or even some sound deadening. Which make a huge difference as well to the quality of sound.

todddd41 · September 9, 2004

Due to budget contratints, my front and rear speakers are going to remain running off of my head unit for the time being. I understand that I will need to keep the sub level down in order to keep the sound balanced, but that's the price I pay for being a broke a$$. Should I put bass-blocker capacitors on the stockers to keep them from trying to play the low notes in the mean time? Somebody suggested it, but I have no experience with them.

DSZ71 · September 15, 2004

Due to budget contratints, my front and rear speakers are going to remain running off of my head unit for the time being. I understand that I will need to keep the sub level down in order to keep the sound balanced, but that's the price I pay for being a broke a$$. Should I put bass-blocker capacitors on the stockers to keep them from trying to play the low notes in the mean time? Somebody suggested it, but I have no experience with them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

$149 for a top quality component set....still too much "fo yo broke ass?"

todddd41 · September 16, 2004

Yea, right now it's more than I got. I spent my extra $$ this month to get the stuff I need to get the sub going, since that was the biggest area that was lacking. The rest will just have to wait.

So, should I put bass blocker capacitors on my stock speakers, now that the sub will be playing the low notes? I would think that would help reduce the distortion, but are there any negatives?

DSZ71 · September 16, 2004

So, should I put bass blocker capacitors on my stock speakers, now that the sub will be playing the low notes? I would think that would help reduce the distortion, but are there any negatives?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could use some filters yeah, but since the stock speakers are running off of the HU, you can use the HU's filters (if it has them) or dont worry about it. The stock speakers max power handling is like 30 watts, so you wont get too much out of them, especially when hooked up to the HU anyway. The sub you could use the low pass filters on the amp to keep highs out of the sub, somewhere below 50hz and above 20 hz

todddd41 · September 17, 2004

My head unit has a cross overs built into the line level outs, but I don't believe they effect the speaker level outputs. I plan to run the sub from the non-faded line outs, and can cross that over, but I'm not sure if the non-faded output is effected by the bass and trebel levels. If not, I could reduce bass to the other speakers that way.