How to match a car amplifier and subwoofer | Crutchfield

Getting great bass in your car starts with a good match between your amp and sub. There are a few key things to consider, and in this video our expert explains how to find a good amp & sub match for any car audio system.
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How much power do you need? You'll want to match the RMS power rating of your amp to the RMS rating of the speaker. You can ignore "peak power" specs, they're just a marketing term and don't really mean anything.
Impedance is another important consideration. You need to match up impedances to ensure the proper amount of power is being delivered to your sub. This can get a little more complicated when you're using multiple subs, and if this video doesn't explain it well enough for you, we have a more in-depth look at wiring multiple subs in this video: • How to wire multiple s...
And of course, the box or enclosure you mount your sub into has an effect on matching your amp and sub. It's a subtle one, but important nonetheless, and you'll want to take into consideration what your goals are for your system, particularly as it pertains to bass.
The great thing about adding bass to your car audio system is that it enhances all types of music. Sure, you can rattle mirrors if you want, but you can also build a system where everything is in balance and all your music sounds more full and rich. Either way, there's an amp/sub combo just right for you.
Read our in-depth article on matching subs and amps: www.crutchfield.com/i-rYTVc2Y...
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:14 Power
0:33 RMS vs peak power
1:11 One amp for multiple subs?
1:34 Impedance
2:46 Manipulating sub impedance
3:32 Mono amp
3:54 Using a multi-channel amp
4:11 Bridging channels
4:46 5-channel amps
5:22 Sealed boxes
5:48 Ported boxes
6:06 Subsonic filters
6:35 Recap and contact info

[@kyleholliday7779]

Great break down of fundamentals. I would like to add having a strong electrical system is very important also depending on wattage. Battery's , bigger alternator, sufficient wire sizes.

[@crutchfield]

Thanks! And that's very true! 🙂

[@HPMIKE55]

Great job and what home subwoofer would you recommend I’m looking to upgrade the 15in with a better one?

[@crutchfield]

Are you looking for a powered home sub or a replacement driver?

[@HPMIKE55]

@@crutchfield yes 15in 2ohm and my amp in the box is 1920W RMS (4300W PEAK)

[@crutchfield]

Sounds like you love bass! Sorry, we don't currently have any 15" sub that would handle that amp. Would you want to do a complete replacement?

[@anthonywaldrep5982]

Just wanted to add that subwoofer impedance also changes how efficiently your amplifier handles the power draw

[@garex8601]

could you add Saab as one of your models? i have the saab 9-3 2004 model and cant find a unit for it

[@crutchfield]

We're glad to help. What are you looking to add to your car? Do you have the sedan? How many factory speakers does it have?

[@bradleysims]

I’m struggling here being a guy that got what he got around the house
I have 100watt 8ohm speaker
And a vibe power box 400.1 170rms at 4ohms is my speaker got to much impedance

[@crutchfield]

You cannot change the impedance of the speaker. It will always be an 8 ohm speaker. The ability to connect your speaker to the amp depends on the amp and the power it outputs at 8 ohms. If that rating is not provided or the watts output at 8 ohms is above 100, we recommend that you do not use them together.

[@aryankhokhar3329]

Can I run a Sub[500W RMS@4ohm] with a amplifier[600W RMS@4ohm]????

[@crutchfield]

It can sometimes be ok to go with an amp rated a little higher than the sub's rating, but you need to be very careful when tuning the amp to keep the gain control low to avoid distortion. To avoid the risk of overpowering and damaging the sub, we typically don't suggest exceeding the sub's maximum RMS power rating.

[@k.kavitha1041]

First like🎉