hi, i'm installing new 6 1/2's all around with a cheap amp to at least get away from the 13w the head unit will put out. This is my first car audio project and i've done a lot of reading but it seems the answers to my simplest questions are the hardest to find...

The amp i have is 100w RMS x 2 channels @ 4ohms and 145w RMS x 2ch @ 2ohms with 580w max.

1. if i want to run 4 speakers (all 4ohm) off this that can pull about 50w rms how should i wire them, series or parallel.

2. about what size power wire will be needed? I was thinking of running it through the center console, is this the easiest/best way to run the wires?

3. the amp has 'high level inputs' as well as the normal RCA inputs. Is there a benefit using one over the other for what i'm doing?

Thanks for the help.
-matt

 

1) Series = 50w rms per speaker at 4 ohms ... Parallel = 72.5w rms per speaker at 2 ohms (based on the figures you list and 2 speakers per channel)

2) 8 gauge is probably fine. Don't forget to put a fuse on it as close to the battery as possible.

3) RCA connections are cleaner sound.

 

thanks - it worked out great, i've just got a few rattles i need to find and fix.

just to get this off my chest...
[rant] what was nissan thinking when they force you to take out the back seat and pilliars to get to the rear speakers?! Seriously, everything is 'snap-in' on these things, why not the speaker covers? Inst not like it makes them harder to steal cause anyone could just rip off the covers and unbolt the speakers. Because i had to go through all that trouble it took WAY longer than it should have and i cracked one of my rear pillars taking it off - stupid snaps :sigh: [/rant]