How
do I wire my subs?
There are two types of subwoofers. Single voice coil
and dual voice coil. The main reasons that manufacturers have gone
to building dual voice coil (DVC) subs is mainly for the increase power
handling and the added flexibility of your wiring options. Many subs
also come in more than one impedances. Typical impedances for subs
are 2ohm and 4ohm. There are also 3ohm and 8ohm subs on the market,
but are not as common. In addition, there are also 2ohm DVC and 4Ohm
DVC. A common question I get asked is which one is better.
Well, neither is better. But you need to select the right one for
your situation. To understand this, you need be a little informed on
series vs. parallel wiring and impedances.
Series wiring works exactly like putting batteries
in a flashlight. Say your flashlight calls for two "AA"
batteries (which are rated at 1.5volts each) When you load the first
battery, the top or + terminal touches the bulb. When you add the
second battery, the top or + terminal of this battery touches the bottom
or - terminal of the first battery. The - of the second batter
completes the circuit when the switch is on of course. The important
point is that total system voltage is 3.0 volts. With series, you
add 1.5+1.5=3
Same way with impedences when wired in series -- you combine them. If you
have a single 4ohm DVC sub. You can wire the coils in series which
will give you a final impedence of 8ohms.
Likewise, if you have a 2ohm DVC sub
wired in series, you get 4ohms.
Parallel wiring works differently. When you
wire in parallel, the impedance values are divided by the number of
connections in the circuit. So if you have a single 2ohm DVC sub and
you wire the coils in parallel, you get 1ohm. ( 2/2=1).
Remember, many amps are
not 1ohm stable so you may want to either wire differently or select the
4ohm version.
A single 4ohm DVC sub wired in parallel will give you
a 2ohm load (4/2=2). 
Series/Parallel wiring
Series/Parallel is simply a combination of both types of wiring described
above. This only applies when you are using more than one
woofer. The series part refers to how you wire the coils on each
woofer. For example, if you have two 4ohm DVC subs, you would wire
the coils of each sub in series. This results in two 8ohm
"units". Then those are wired together in parallel, which
cuts the impedence in half or back to 4ohms. This works well
in cases where you have 2 channel amp running in "bridged" mode.
If your subs are 2ohm DVC, you would wire the coils of
each sub in series, making two 4ohm "units". These would
then be wired in parallel, resulting in a final 2ohm impedance.
Parallel/Parallel wiring
This also only applies when using more than one woofer. The
coils on each sub are wired in parallel, and then the subs are linked
together in parallel. For example, if you have two 4ohm DVC subs,
you would wire the coils in parallel. This results in two 2ohm
"units". Those are then wired in parallel to make a final
1ohm impedance. Remember that many amps are not 1ohm stable.
If your amp is bridged, you should not run a load less than
4ohms.
Likewise, if your subs were 2ohm DVC subs, you could wire the coils of
each sub in parallel, and then wire the subs together in parallel, and
this would result in a final .5ohm load.
To show the options for your particular setup, try this
It's easy to see why it's always best to plan out your
system rather than buying a selection of mismatched equipment or trying to
use something that is not suited for the application. In order to
plan your system you should know how many subs you plan to run, how you
plan to wire them, and what kind of amp you need (1 channel or 2
channel). For instance, if you only plan to run a single 10"
woofer, you may be better off to purchase a monoblock amp instead of 2
channel amp. But a mono amp in many cases is perfect for running two
or more subs as long as the final impedance is not lower than the
manufacturer of the amp recommends. That leads us to our next
section.
How
do I choose an amp?
In order to choose the best
amp for your situation, you need to know how many subs you are going to
run. The power ratings for the subs will give you a good idea of how
much power you need from an amp. But as
you've learned, your system plan will also help you decide. Many
amps on the market put out a lot more power if they are wired in bridged
mode or wired to push 2ohm loads instead of 4ohm loads. Think of this as a goal that you
need to achieve. Try to figure out what subs, how many subs, and
what wiring scheme (series, parallel, series/parallel, parallel/parallel)
will result in your amp making the most power. For example. If
you have a mono amp that's rated 600 watts RMS at 4ohms and 1200 watts at
2ohms. It only make sense to get the circuit to 2ohms. Doing
so will result in the most power going to your subs giving you
maximum slam. For a better understanding of this, find out more
about Ohms Law. You can also test it out for yourself by using this
Example
Say you're
powering a 500watt RMS sub. You should select an amp that puts out
approximately 500watts RMS (not peak or max). If you have two 500watt RMS subs, then you
will need twice the power or roughly 1,000watts RMS. An amp can have
a little more or less power than a sub is rated for and still be
effective.
What
kind of screws do I need to mount my sub?
I get asked all the time
what kind of screws to use to mount subs with. The easy way is to
grab some wood screws or drywall screws you have lying on the
workbench. The only problem with that is that the heads on those
types of screws will pop off very easily. Either by over torquing or
just normal wear and tear. In addition, if one of the heads twists
off, you'll have to rotate the sub in order to get a screw in that hole.
Having your sub positioned as such may look odd. Instead,
I recommend a nice Pan head screw. Preferably black if you can find
them (or paint them). They look something like this 
Pick a size that is meaty enough to do the job and long enough to go all
the way thru the mounting surface of the enclosure. Usually, a
1" or 1-1/4" is plenty long. The screw shown is a phillips
head. However, for added security, you may wish to go with a hex
style. That way, if your box is mounted to the car, a thief wouldn't
be able to get the sub uninstalled easily.
Do
I need to seal my sub to the box?
If your box is
carpeted, vinyl'd or if your sub has a foam backer, then most likely you
will not need to seal it--unless you experience an air leak. But
typically, if the screws are tight enough, you will not have any
leaks. Some subs come with a foam or rubber gasket material with
them. It won't hurt anything to go ahead and use this. It's
most needed for those plastic boxes or plain wood, fiberglass, painted, or
plexiglass boxes.
What
is a sub's Mounting Depth?
Mounting depth is simply how deep the sub is, measured from the
surface where it mounts to the enclosure to the very bottom of the
magnet. See diagram below.
What is a sub's Mounting
Diameter?
Mounting diameter is simply the size of hole needed in an
enclosure that the sub will drop into. See diagram below.
Mounting diameters very from sub to sub. Most subs will fit fine in what
we call the industry "standard" size holes. Many pre-fab
boxes have these size holes--since they are built ahead and
stock-piled. They are made to fit the majority of subs. But if
your sub happens to have a smaller or larger mounting diameter (beyond the
usual tolerance), then you may experience troubles like having to enlarge
the holes or your screws not hitting wood on both sides.
On many of our custom boxes (especially camaro and
corvette), we "custom" cut our speaker holes to suit your subs,
we can help you avoid any problems so long as we know what the
"mounting diameter" of your sub is. We know this spec for
a lot of subs, but we don't claim to know them all and that's where you
can help. It should be located either in your owner's manual or on
the on-line tech guide for your woofer. We feel that since you are
having a "custom" box built for you, why not make sure the holes
will fit your speakers properly.
What is a sub's Magnet Diameter?
Magnet diameter is simply that. The diameter of the
magnet structure of the sub. Or the distance across the
magnet. Preferably in the very back since that point often comes
into play. See diagram below. Many custom-fit boxes are built
to fit into tiny places in vehicles. Either in a corner compartment
or under a seat or even behind a seat. They often have slanted
fronts or slanted backs. Therefore, it's easy to see that when you
put a woofer in a box like this, those brands with huge magnets and deep
depths are not going to fit. Many times, it's a combination of how
deep the sub is, along with how big the magnet is, which determines
whether a sub will fit in a particular enclosure. Many manufacturers
don't advertise the magnet diameter. You may have to call and get
that information.
What
gauge of speaker wire do I need?
For small component speakers and tweets, 18 ga. is fine.
For wiring subs, 12 ga. or larger is recommended
Do
I need Polyfil in my box?
Polyfil is a subjective application. If you try it and you think
it helps, then use it. We have tried it before and can never tell
any difference. So to us, it's not worth messing with.
If your sub requires more volume then the enclosure can offer, then it's
far more advantageous to look for a woofer that is made for smaller
boxes. We offer some excellent woofers that sound amazing in small
sealed enclosures. They will sound much better than cramming a
woofer that needs a larger volume into a small enclosure.
How do I add an amp to my
stock system?
Simple. All you need is a Pac OEM Output converter and
the correct wiring harness for your vehicle year. This unit is a
simple plug & play device that gives you a RCA outputs to run to your
amp and also a remote turn-on lead for your amp and will not disrupt
function of the rest of your stock system. You just plug it in-line
between your factory head unit and the rest of your stock system. We
have all the kits available. Simply ask and we can get one to you.
For further info on this subject, go here
Can I replace the radio in my factory system with an aftermarket
one?
Absolutely. If you just want to remove your stock head
unit and replace it with a nice aftermarket deck, while keeping factory
Bose or Monsoon system, there is an easy way to do it. All you need
is the Pac OEM output converter and two wiring harnesses. One
harness connects your new head unit to the OEM and the other harness
connects the OEM to the rest of your stock system. You will also need an
antenna adapter, a dash kit, and a wiring harness to connect to your stock
harness.
Can I bypass my Bose/Monsoon altogether?
Similar to above except you have a couple options.
First, if you want to keep your stock deck and want better sound. Simply
use an aftermarket amplifier and connect it to your Pac OEM. We
highly recommend installing new speakers since most factory systems use
2ohm speakers and most aftermarket amps are 4ohms per channel. The
second way is to go 100% aftermarket. Starting with a new head unit,
new door speakers (we recommend a nice 2-way component set) and sub
(s).
Can I add a CD changer to my stock radio?
Yes. But for only for certain types of stock radios. These
will only work for 97-02 units and must have an auxiliary button. We
carry brands that fit these just like original equipment and use the
factory radio buttons. Please contact us about these options.
How do I keep my steering wheel controls with
my aftermarket head unit?
In order to do this, your new head unit must have infrared
remote control sensors. Then all you need is a Pac SWI-X unit. You
can buy one here
How do I replace the factory speakers?
It is possible, you can put new speakers in, and they will
work, but it is not recommended. The factory system uses mismatched
impedances, that will cause the new speakers to not be as loud. In
addition, the Monsoon amp adds a good bit of distortion, and the new
speakers will not sound anywhere near as good as they should. At best, it
is a barely noticeable improvement over stock. The easiest thing to do is
either add an aftermarket amp. That way, you have the ability to
upgrade to a 2-way component system. You can also simply replace the
factory radio with an aftermarket radio and run some new speakers off your
new deck.
