BojeEM2

I have a JL 12w6v2-d4 and a Alpine M-1000 amp. The sub is rated at 4 ohms impedance and the amp is rated at 600 watts at 4 ohms. I was reading that you can hook amps up in series or parallel. Can some one please explain this. I just don't want to hook it up wrong and have my gain to high and blow my sub.

mrmondaynight

http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/ohmslaw.asp

mhart

i like the JL one
http://mobile.jlaudio.com/support_pages.php?page_id=145
if you hook it up wrong with the gain too high, just turn it down, the sub isn't going to blow instantly, what usually kills subs is clipping, when the amp isn't getting enough battery power to make a full sound wave.

Cobb2819

the problem isn't that the sub is 4ohm, it's that the sub voice coil is 4ohm, and there are 2 voice coils. so wired properly will either get you an 8ohm load (series) or a 2ohm load (parallel). wired in parallel and tuned properly that sub will run at the amps 1000w 2ohm load rating with no problem, assuming there is no clipping or signal distortion.

BojeEM2

So should I run it in series 8ohm load or should I run it in parallel and turn the gain down? Jl says max wattage is 600 and I don't want to chance it at 1000. Will there be a sound difference are there benefits doing one over the other?

Cobb2819

jl says max is like 1500, rms is around 400-600. you can run it parallel and turn the gain down. no sound difference.

mhart

it's not the extra power that will damage the sub, it's a dirty signal, the clipping we talked about.

fcm

Wire the subs VCs in series for an 8 ohm load the amp will make 1x300W RMS, [about 600W max] JL Audio recommended RMS power for the 12W6v2-4 is 300W, [thermal power is 600W] at 8 ohms the amp is perfect for the sub. 94

mrmondaynight

Isn't it's rms 600? It should be able to thermally handle it.

racebum

that's what i would do, wire it to 2ohms and experiment with the gain on the amp. a 12w6 will take more than 300rms

BojeEM2

I got yea. I will wire it in parallel at 2 ohms then use a friends digital volt and ohm reader to play with the gain. How do you prevent clipping (by not maxing out the equalizers on the head unit or does that have to do with parts that will be upgraded ...the big 3

racebum

prevent clipping? well, find out where your decks output signal starts to clip. if you have a really powerful amp what i generally do is crank the gain, back it off a touch and increase volume on the deck. all decks clip the output signal somewhere over half volume. i have an eclipse cd5000 for example, 8v pre outs and no clue how high the volume goes. what i do know is by 70 it's clipping and 60something is where i have the amps set for max power. i also have an overpowered system using a phoenix xenon 200.2 on a single 8, that's an underrated 2x200w amp on one 8

if you back off the gain you'll need more deck volume, if you crank the gain you'll need less. in a lot of systems it's usually cleaner to run the gains almost at full and back off the deck.

doing this means you can blow the system if you crank it

it's also why when you're trained to install in a store they never do this. people always crank the volume so gains are set where you can just rail the volume even though it's usually cleaner to be careful with the deck volume

fcm

The 12W6v2 has a thermal power handling, [Pt] of 600W, JL Audio recommends, [optimum] 300W RMS... http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_subs.php?series_id=4

Also at an 8 ohm load the amp will run cooler, bass response will be better/cleaner. 94

BojeEM2

I like the idea of doing it in series at 8ohms but JL recommends pairing the 12w6v2-d4 with the JL 500v2 splash amp. They say it is 500 watts and I keep hearing people say that they under rate the power, that it really makes closer to 600. Even if that is not true, it is still 500 watts at 1.5 up to 4 ohms.

mrmondaynight

Jl amps do their rated power. nothing more, nothing less..they are def not underrated.

fcm

Ditto the above^^^, JL Audio 500/1, [slash not splash] is uses a regulated power supply, it.s output is 1x500W RMS into 1.5 - 4 ohms from 11 - 14.5 volts.

The JL Audio 500/1 amp would be a good amp for that sub, always better to be over powered then underpowered.

Again, JL Audio recommends 300W RMS for the 12W6v2, as OPTIMUM RMS wattage. in fact the 12W6v2 sounds great with 300W, in a properly built sealed box, even better in a slot port vented box. 94

BojeEM2

I got yea. I think I will wire it in series first, break in the sub and maybe later wire it in parallel and turn the gain down if I want a little more bass. I built an L-port box to JL specs out of Furniture grade ply 3/4 inch.I sanded it with 320 grit sandpaper and put 9 coats of Varathane so the nice wood grain looks wet.

racebum

dampening factor and SQ will be better at 8 ohms, power output will be at 2, try both, see what you like more.

BojeEM2

So when I wire it in series and it is only 300 watts, will the amp still put a 1000 watt strain on my electrical system or is it 300

fcm

The load on the electrical system will be that of a 300W amp.

It takes a lot less current to make 300W then it does 1000W, one of the advantages of running an 8 ohm load on an amp is lower current draw, amp runs cooler, SQ is better, there are no negative effects, just positive ones, assuming the amps output is enough fore the sub, in this case 300W RMS is perfect for the sub. 94

BojeEM2

Well that is awesome. It is not what I had planned but I guess it worked out better in the long run. Now all I need to finish my system is an amp wiring kit. Any preferences?

mrmondaynight

www.knukonceptz.com/

racebum

something cheap but not shitty

scosche has 8ga kits for around 30 shipped

this is the best deal i found within a few minutes for a 4ga

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/METRA...#ht_1252wt_875

h2.4

OP you need to series the voicecoils of the subs, then parallel the subs to each other. Then go the the mono input of the amp. That will give you 4ohm mono to the amp. Those subs will handle that power easy, if they are in a properly designed box and the amp isn't driven into clipping. PM me if you dont understand what I stated above.

fcm

The OP has one (1) sub and a mono block sub amp, [1x600W RMS into 4 ohms] there is no way to wire a DVC 4 ohm sub into a 4 ohm load. 94