Car Subwoofer amplification

[Len Clifton]

The OE subwoofer in my car has 2 x 6.5”, 4 ohm drivers which I’ve replaced as the originals had disintegrated. The factory, external amp attached to the enclosure is a bit weak and distorts at quite low volumes, so I’m looking to upgrade.

I’ve got a stereo amp which can be bridged to 160w RMS mono at 4 ohm minimum, or 2 x 60w RMS in stereo mode.

The head unit has one RCA sub output, which I’m assuming combines left and right channels.

So I have 2 options:

1. Bridge the amp into mono and wire the 2 speakers in series to give 8 ohms.

2. Use a Y splitter from the head unit to left and right channels of the amp and run the 2 speakers in stereo (2 x 4 ohm @ 60w RMS)

The reason I don’t have a mono amp is because I’m limited by the 25 amp feed for the original and cannot be bothered to run a heavier gauge wire from front to back.

I’m in my 50s so not after the sort of bass that’ll rattle the windows and would swap the entire thing out if I was, but want to make what’s there work as well as possible.

So which option to go for?

[paddy1970]

Go with Option 2—run the amp in stereo mode at 2 x 60W RMS with a Y-splitter from the sub out of your head unit.
It is a better match for your speakers and will deliver cleaner, more efficient power without the drawbacks of bridging at an 8Ω load.

[Len Clifton]

paddy1970 said:

Go with Option 2—run the amp in stereo mode at 2 x 60W RMS with a Y-splitter from the sub out of your head unit.
It is a better match for your speakers and will deliver cleaner, more efficient power without the drawbacks of bridging at an 8? load.

Great, thank you.

[MattsCar]

Another option...

Go on to Facebook marketplace and buy literally any small 8"/10"/12" sub in a box, £20-30 and you will have a much better, rounder sounding system.