On a 2 channel amp that I plan on bridging, do I need BOTH rca ins?

**XC-C30** · 10-13-2006, 04:04 AM

hmmm, new to me, oh well, my amps otomatically lower the input-signal to prevent the amp from clipping and smoking the speakers

**FyreDaug** · 10-13-2006, 04:29 AM

Originally Posted by Killa200

just be careful, bright means its close to going.

Oh btw, i have that amp (just remembered i installed it in a friends car a few days ago) That one does need both channels to get the full volume of it, even in bridged sadly enough. We were hoping for the same as his high to low convertor had a bad channel.

its close to going? no they are just really bright speakers. Still like 95% new condition

**ZtH01** · 10-13-2006, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by IC-C30

a light in the x-over to absorb clipping..... explane.....

It helps take the DC component out of the signal.

**ZtH01** · 10-13-2006, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by FyreDaug

its close to going? no they are just really bright speakers. Still like 95% new condition

He's talking about the bulb. If it's always running really bright, you're signal has too much distortion. The bulb will eventually sacrifice it's self to save the tweets.

**ZtH01** · 10-13-2006, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by FyreDaug

Well ill see what happens, its a scosche amp. Mid level amp, they go for about 150 each around here. If I run the gains really low it will help with distortion, the speakers have a built in light in the crossover to absorb clipping.

I asked about the voltage cut because someone quoted and said "ummmm" making it sound like it wasnt right.

Do you think 1 amp at 80w2 is better than the 2 amps running 220w? Comparing 80w to 220w is a bit of a difference, and should be a little louder anyways, I see what you mean with only using 1 input being quieter, but it seems to me that it would be less likely to distort at 20% gain getting 1 rca input and bridging to get 220w than having the gain at 70% getting both rca's and running both channels off the amp.

Like I said though, few weeks time Ill test it out and see what happens.

If I do decide to go my method would it be in my best interest to get a line booster? Because I will want another amp (75x2) to power the other front components, so ill need to split that rca line anyways if I do that. I wish the front amps had a passthrough, only my sub does

Gain position is a function of input signal. The higher the signal level, the lower the gains need to be to reach full output of the amp.

I really think you are over complicating this, and not using your amps to there full potential. An amp runs it's cleanest unbridged. That's just the way it is. If you wanted a ton of power for your fronts, you should have boughten a bigger amp, instead of two, soon to be three, smaller amps. With subs you can easilly get away with bridging, just because you can't hear the distortion at sub frequencies, and they can handle the distortion better.

If it's a decent amp, it should be able to reach full output at 4 ohms with no significant distortion.

**FyreDaug** · 10-13-2006, 05:46 PM

Yeah I know and the advice thats been given in this thread is making me think its gonna work better the way it was before, but since weve managed to get to post 46 now, I think im just gonna try to get results. Not using full potential of the amp? Your right, if im using 80w2, full potential is 4ohm bridged, how its going to sound will be decided later, but another thing I thought of is because its more likely to distort on bridged mode, if im only giving it 1 input it wont have to mix anything, itll just be 1 channel going in. Its STILL going to give me the full 220wx1 though, regardless of inputs. Its going to be quieter like you said, but I think this system is going to be loud as it is. I know im arguing for a potential lost cause here, but there is still a ~25% chance that it will sound good, if not better than 80w2, because its essentially 220w2 this way... we'll wait and see I suppose. Itll take <5mins to wire it up the way you are suggesting anyways, and if I do it the "normal" way, I can ditch an amp.

edit: I got these 2 amps for 100 bucks, when they are regular 150+ here EACH, I couldnt pass it up so I figured Id work with it

**ZtH01** · 10-13-2006, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by FyreDaug

Yeah I know and the advice thats been given in this thread is making me think its gonna work better the way it was before, but since weve managed to get to post 46 now, I think im just gonna try to get results. Not using full potential of the amp? Your right, if im using 80w2, full potential is 4ohm bridged, how its going to sound will be decided later, but another thing I thought of is because its more likely to distort on bridged mode, if im only giving it 1 input it wont have to mix anything, itll just be 1 channel going in. Its STILL going to give me the full 220wx1 though, regardless of inputs. Its going to be quieter like you said, but I think this system is going to be loud as it is. I know im arguing for a potential lost cause here, but there is still a ~25% chance that it will sound good, if not better than 80w2, because its essentially 220w2 this way... we'll wait and see I suppose. Itll take <5mins to wire it up the way you are suggesting anyways, and if I do it the "normal" way, I can ditch an amp.

edit: I got these 2 amps for 100 bucks, when they are regular 150+ here EACH, I couldnt pass it up so I figured Id work with it

No, It'll be more like a 1/4 of 220W. Or, 50-60watts. That is, if you're still set on using one input...

Anyways, I guess your set on doing it that way, which is fine, it's your stuff...
My question to you is: Why bother asking anyways, when you have your mind made to use the amp the way it's not meant to be used?

**FyreDaug** · 10-13-2006, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by ZtH01

No, It'll be more like a 1/4 of 220W. Or, 50-60watts. That is, if you're still set on using one input...

Anyways, I guess your set on doing it that way, which is fine, it's your stuff...
My question to you is: Why bother asking anyways, when you have your mind made to use the amp the way it's not meant to be used?

I asked because I wanted to know if you NEEDED them, and then I posted what I was trying to do. I thought you read that, and asked again, then I re-explained and you read it again.

How would it be 1/4 of 220w, when it runs at 220w when its bridged at 4ohm. The other input is just a signal, if its not getting another signal it wont add it to the merged wave. All it does when you bridge is take the 2 signals, add the waves together and then send it to the speaker. If its only using 1 signal, it will be quieter, but its not gonan cut power. It should have about 5-6vrms from the line driver. Which is more than it was getting from the deck it was hooked up, when it was 2.5v per channel. Adding them together will increasre the chance of it distorting because its adding 2 things together. It will also be a cleaner sound instead of getting left/right and mixxing it.

I dont see how im missing something here, and you dont need to be a dick

**ZtH01** · 10-14-2006, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by FyreDaug

I asked because I wanted to know if you NEEDED them, and then I posted what I was trying to do. I thought you read that, and asked again, then I re-explained and you read it again.

How would it be 1/4 of 220w, when it runs at 220w when its bridged at 4ohm. The other input is just a signal, if its not getting another signal it wont add it to the merged wave. All it does when you bridge is take the 2 signals, add the waves together and then send it to the speaker. If its only using 1 signal, it will be quieter, but its not gonan cut power. It should have about 5-6vrms from the line driver. Which is more than it was getting from the deck it was hooked up, when it was 2.5v per channel. Adding them together will increasre the chance of it distorting because its adding 2 things together. It will also be a cleaner sound instead of getting left/right and mixxing it.

I dont see how im missing something here, and you dont need to be a dick

I'm not being a dick. I'm being honest. If all other things are equal, the quieter setup has less power. It's that simple. You are not getting the full 220 watts from the amp, if you only have one input hooked up. I have my Rockford Fosgate P4002 bridged. Birthsheet says it does 175x2 at 4 ohms. This is about 700 watts or so @ 4ohm mono. When I unplug an RCA and it gets quieter, it is no longer putting out 700 watts. I reckon it drops it 25%. Maybe only 50%, but it gets very quiet.

The second input is not just added to the wave. If properly bridged, the other channel is actually 180 degrees out of phase. This channel becomes the new ground, or negative output. This allows twice the voltage to swing, or 4 times the power output, assuming the amps power supply isn't crap.

**FyreDaug** · 10-14-2006, 12:20 AM

So with the way im planning on setting it up, you are saying that it would be better to split the 1 input into 2, to make it equal? Itll have 1/2 the input voltage, but then x2. So its still the same amount, just split. Thats better?

Im curious