Bi-amping a sub with a 2-channel receiver

[Jimbowne]

I have a sub with bi-terminals. I want to power it with a stereo receiver. The sub-woofer can handle 250Watts (rms). The stereo amp has 2 channels of 100watts a piece. I will have this stereo receiver hooked up to my main 5.1 receiver through its preout. My questions are:

a) What will happen if I only hook up one channel to the sub (right or left only)? Will it play only the lower frequencies from the right or left channel?

b) Can I bi-amp the sub with the right and left channels to produce 200 watts?

Any help/ suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Jimbowne]

Any thoughts???

[rayray8]

what kind of sub is it? i take it there is no amp or crossover on the sub? i dont know why there would be 2 sets of posts on it, unless it was a dual voice coil sub.

[stcurell]

What you are talking about is "bridging" which is powering one speaker (or system of speakers wired as one) with more than one amp channel. Bi-amping is where you power the high and low parts of a crossover system separately.

You need to find out what the impedance rating for the subwoofer is and what the amp can handle. Check your spec sheets or do some online searching on the model numbers. Some amps cannot be bridged at all. Then you need to decide how to wire the sub inputs, either in series or parallel, which changes how the overall impedance of the system is.

I'm assuming this subwoofer either has one driver with dual voice coils or has two identical drivers.

Use a y-adapter RCA cable to input your mono sub signal to both channels on the amp.

For example, lets say your amp can do bridging and is stable at 8 ohms bridged. Lets also assume this is a DVC subwoofer with dual 4 ohm coils. You can wire them in series to create an 8 ohm system. You'd run speaker wire from the positive terminal of one of the amp channels, depending on amp, to the positive terminal of one of the sub inputs. Then run wire from the negative on that sub input to the positive on the other sub input, then run the last wire from the negative on the second sub input to the negative on the opposite amp channel.

Good luck

[stcurell]

Okay, I reread your post and it seems like you are using a stereo home receiver as your amp, in which case I don't think you'll be able to bridge. Also, I would recommend 8 ohm or greater load. Some receivers can handle 6 or even 4 ohms but find out first if yours can.

Use only one channel, and wire the sub terminals in series, should work for you.

Next option is to buy a bridgeable amp.

[Jimbowne]

Originally Posted by stcurell

For example, lets say your amp can do bridging and is stable at 8 ohms bridged.

Here are my sub specs:
* Power Handling: 250W rms
* Frequency Response: 28Hz-180KHz
* Drive Units:
* 10" woofer (6 ohms)

So the overall impedance is 6ohms. It has one woofer so maybe the dual terminals mean it has dual voice coils right?

[jomari]

if i may ask politely,

the subwoofer already has a built in amplifier, why the need to use an external one?

whats the subwoofer model number?

[Jimbowne]

Originally Posted by jomari

if i may ask politely,

the subwoofer already has a built in amplifier, why the need to use an external one?

whats the subwoofer model number?

It doesn't. The sub is passive, but its rated for up to 250 rms watts.

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Jimbowne

It doesn't. The sub is passive, but its rated for up to 250 rms watts.

thanks. that explains it.