Matching Subs & Amps

Ken Nail — May 25, 2008

Article contents
Page 1.   Subs and amps - what to choose?
Page 2.   One 4-ohm single voice coil sub
Page 3.   One 4-ohm dual voice coil sub
Page 4.   Two 4-ohm single voice coil subs
Page 5.   Two 4-ohm dual voice coil subs

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One single 4-ohm voice coil sub

Advantages
Simplicity, price, and compactness are the big advantages of a single sub system. A single sub is pretty easy to hook up, there are a lot of reasonably priced models to choose from, and it won't take up too much room (although a 15" sub isn't exactly small!) You may not knock over small buildings with one sub, but you can still get a lot of solid bass.

The right type of amp to use
This is a perfect place for a two-channel amp. By bridging the output of the amp, you'll get lots of power for a relatively low cost. Avoid using a mono amp here — they work best at a lower impedance than 4 ohms.