Find the right amp for your sub or sub for your amp Show The secret to great bass is making sure your subwoofers and amp are evenly matched and will properly work together. And this article will help you figure out how to do just that — match amplifiers and subwoofers. Getting the right sub for an amp, or the right amp for a sub, is like solving a puzzle. A subwoofer has impedance (measured in ohms) which represents the "load" an amplifier will sense on its output. An amplifier will put out different amounts of power (watts RMS) based on the impedance load it "sees." Solving the puzzleThe amplifier's capabilities (X watts RMS into Y ohms) needs to match the subwoofer's specifications (Y ohms and can handle X watts RMS). Your goal is to get those two variables to match for both the amplifier and the subwoofer. Below, we cover the important basics of power-matching, impedance, and planning for the number of subs you want, and we approach the situation from both sides of the system:
Start with either part you want, but A and B are both worth a read. Part A — You have the subs, which amplifier should you get? The subwoofers need to be the sameMultiple subs wired together must be the same coil type and impedance. If they’re not, the power won’t divide evenly between them, and some subs would probably be over-powered while others get under-powered. If you want to run different types of subs in a system, each type needs to have its own separate amp. Step 1: How much power? Find out the “watts RMS” rating of the subThen, multiply the number of subs you have by the RMS rating of each, to get their total RMS rating. You want to make sure the amp you choose will supply no more than the sub system’s total RMS rating. Step 2: What impedance? The results of combining coils and subsFigure out the possible total impedance(s) that the subs can be wired together to form.
For more combinations of subs and their impedances, see Subwoofer Wiring Diagrams. Step 3: Pick an amp that can do both — X watts at Y ohmsLook for an amplifier that can put out power up to the RMS wattage you’ve figured in Step 1, at an impedance load the subs can be wired to form, from Step 2. Estimating amp power at the odd impedance values:
Example: |
1-ohm | 2-ohms | 4-ohms | |
1 sub | DVC 2-ohms | SVC 2-ohms DVC 4 ohms | SVC 4-ohms DVC 2-ohms |
2 subs | SVC 2-ohms DVC 4-ohms | SVC 4-ohms DVC 2-ohms | SVC 2-ohms DVC 4-ohms |
3 subs | (1.3 ohms)* SVC 4-ohms DVC 2-ohms | (3 or 2.7 ohms)* DVC 2-ohms DVC 4-ohms | (6 ohms)* SVC 2-ohms DVC 4-ohms |
4 subs | SVC 4-ohms DVC 2-ohms | SVC 2-ohms DVC 4 ohms | SVC 4-ohms DVC 2-ohms |
* Estimate amp power at the odd impedance values like in Part A, Step 3, above.
Step 4: Pick a sub that works for both — (SVC or DVC) X-ohms, Y watts RMS)
Look for subs that are rated at the wattage you figured in Step 2, and are configured as you found in Step 3. This might sound confusing, so let's walk through an example and it'll make sense.
Example:
You have a Memphis Audio SRX500D.1 amplifier and you want it to drive two subwoofers
The amp is capable of 350 watts RMS x 1 at 4 ohms and 500 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms.
Let’s say you choose to maximize the amp’s potential and want the system to put out 500 watts RMS. This means your subs have to be wired to form a total impedance of 2 ohms.
Two subs on a 500 watts RMS amp will want about 250 watts RMS each.
So you’ll look for subs each rated for 250 watts RMS or more.
Using the chart in Step 3, for two subwoofers, a final 2-ohm load can be achieved with either two SVC 4-ohm subs or two DVC 2-ohm subs.
So, you’ll look for two subs that are either SVC 4-ohms or DVC 2-ohms, rated for at least 250 watts RMS each:
- 2 SVC 4-ohms, at least 250 watts RMS, or
- 2 DVC 2-ohms, at least 250 watts RMS
Among Crutchfield’s selection of subwoofers you’ll find:
- Alpine W10S4 10" — SVC 4-ohm, 250 watts RMS
- JL Audio 12W0v3-4 12" — SVC 4-ohm, 300 watts RMS
- Kicker 44CWCS104 — SVC 4-ohm, 300 watts RMS
- Rockford Fosgate R2D2-10 10" — DVC 2-ohms, 250 watts RMS
All these subwoofers will sound their best when amplified with the proper amount of power. Differences in size have more to do with tonal qualities and frequency response than with power performance. And optimizing performance is the point of matching subs and amps together.
Part C — You have neither amp nor sub, and want help deciding how to begin
Check out our other article, All About Subwoofers to learn the basics of how much bass you need and how to choose your subwoofers.
And of course, if you have any questions, contact our expert advisors and they'll be happy to help you build your system.