Car Amplifier Basics

Executive Summary by Chris Dro

You’ve got your basic mono channel amplifier, your two channel amplifier, and then you have multiple channel amplifiers. A mono channel amplifier has one set of terminals, two channel amplifiers have two, and multiple channel amplifiers range from anywhere between 3-5 channels.

Best Car Amplifier

Mono Channel Amplifers- Mono channel amplifiers tend to be class “D” amplifiers. Most subwoofer speakers present 4 ohms of resistance. If wired correctly, you will lower the load impedance that the amplifier sees.

Two Channel Amplifiers- A two channel amplifier is an amplifier that can operate one right, and one left hand channel. It is basically two mono channel amplifiers in a single box. Since two channel amplifiers are typically stable when presented with 4 ohms of impedance, they are best suited to drive either one 4 ohm “single voice coil” subwoofer, or two 4 ohm “dual voice coil” subwoofers.

Multiple Channel Amplifiers- Multiple channel amplifiers allow you to hook up multiple speakers (typically front two and rear two) while still allowing you to control your balance and fading options.

Multiple channel amplifiers can be used to run subwoofers, but you have to make sure that the amplifier’s channels are bridgeable since most of the time, each channel of a multiple channel amplifier does not give out nearly enough watts.

Once the speakers are wired together, you want to wire the entire unit of speakers to one channel of the amplifier. To wire the speakers together, you simply run a speaker wire from the positive terminal of one speaker to the negative terminal of another speaker.

How to Install a Car Amplifier Using a Wiring Kit

Executive Summary By Jay Rivett

You know the one-with the tiny little speakers wired into the top of the dash and the pitiful little “woofers” in the door panels?. In order, these are Input, Amperage, Output, and Wiring.  If you get I.A.O.W firmly in mind, car sound system success can be yours.

Amperage: That iPod isn’t going to sound very good trying to drive a set of 10-inch subwoofers speakers, is it? Amperage is power-the power to make big speakers go. That means adding an amplifier.  Output means speakers. You need wires to get the input to the amp. You need wires to get the amped input out to the speakers.

Chances are the stock wiring provided in your car isn’t going to handle a powerful sound system. How serious a speaker can you cram into your ride?

Using the amperage of the fuse as a guide, select a wiring kit that a) fits your car and b) is at an amperage that is equal to or higher than the amperage of the amplifier (for example, with an amplifier fuse rating of 25A, the wiring should be 25amps or above).

Many wiring kits are designed to plug directly into the wires from the original manufacturer’s radio plug; just match the colors/labels and you’re good to go. As long as you keep I.A.O.W in mind, installing a new sound system wiring kit can be as simple as installing new rims or tires.

You may want to check out my other guide on : Car DVD Players, Car Audio Electronics , and Amplifier Car