Subwoofer Wiring FAQ

Subwoofer Wiring FAQ

1) What is the difference between dual and a single voice coil?

The voice coil of a subwoofer is the coiled wire that is wrapped around the ormer? or cylinder inside the subwoofer. The two voice coil configurations allow for different wiring options. For more information on voice coils, please refer to our Knowledge Base.

SVC (Single Voice Coil):

One layer of wire wrapped around the former
One set of speaker terminals
Wired at the impedance of the voice coil

DVC (Dual Voice Coil):

Two layers of wire wrapped around the former
Two sets of speaker terminals
Multiple wiring options at different impedances

2) What is the difference between parallel and series subwoofer wiring?

Parallel Wiring ? This is a wiring configuration that applies the same voltage to all the connected components. The current from the amplifier is then divided equally among all the drivers according to their respective impedances. When wired in this manner, the overall impedance of the system drops. As more speakers are added to the parallel configuration, the lower the impedance.

Series Wiring ? This is achieved by creating a single electrical current path across all the components. When multiple speakers are wired in series, the total impedance of the system increases. Series wiring is realized by connecting the positive (+) speaker terminal of the amplifier to the (+) terminal of speaker A, the negative (-) speaker terminal of speaker A to the (+) speaker terminal of speaker B, the (-) speaker terminal of speaker B to the (-) negative terminal of the amplifier. Any number of speakers can be inserted into the series of speakers that are wired together.

3) What are the signs of bad subwoofer wiring?

If your woofers are wired incorrectly, the wire is cheap or below the recommended gauge, or one of your wires is not making full contact to the terminal a few things could happen. A few signs of bad woofer wiring are less bass output, distortion or clipping, a burning smell which indicates burnt voice coils and potentially a blown subwoofer. Occasionally, your amplifier could overheat or catch fire if it does not have safety features programmed into it. Some amplifiers can detect incorrect subwoofer wiring, and will go into protect mode until the problem is fixed

source:http://knowledge.sonicelectronix.com