Help Wiring 2 Different Subs!?

[Basshead]

Hi everyone. I have a 10" Polk Audio DX series sub and a Alpine Type R 10" sub. Both great subs but problem is that the type r is dual 2ohm while my polk is 4ohm. If anyone can tell me how to wire the type R to 4 ohm so I can hook up both subs at 4ohm that would be greatly appreciated.

And I'm going to use this amp http://www.lanzar.com/itempage.asp?MODEL=VIBE241 at the moment but will upgrade later once I get abit more money.

Also, it says the amp can produce 420 RMS x 2 @ 2 ohms. I know this is probably overrated but was wondering if I could still hook my polk audio Dx 10" up at 2 ohm without damaging it? Like I said any help is appreciated. Thanks

[exalted512]

You dont want to mix subs, its generally not a good idea. I wouldn't even put to type Rs of different sizes in a car.

What I would do is throw the type R in a big ported box, then wire it like this to your existing amp:

Make sure you bridge the amp.

I believe that would yield you the best results!
-Cody

[Basshead]

Ok I'll sell the polk then and get a mono amp for the Alpine. Do you know where I could go to find the specs of a ported box for type R? Thank you very much for your help!

[exalted512]

I would try alpines website.
-Cody

[ahardy17]

ok ready....dont bother trying to sell anything in this market haha...wire the type r's voice coils in series then wire the 2 subs in parallel. then it'll be like one big frankenstein of a 2 ohm load for the sub to push bridged! it sounds like such fun! :D

[Basshead]

ok ready....dont bother trying to sell anything in this market haha...wire the type r's voice coils in series then wire the 2 subs in parallel. then it'll be like one big frankenstein of a 2 ohm load for the sub to push bridged! it sounds like such fun! :D

So you are saying it is OK to wire up 2 different subs? I thought exalted512 said it isn't a good idea? I'm abit of a noob when it comes to wiring up subs if you could tell me where to find a diagram of what you are saying or tell me what negative to connect to what positive..etc.. that would be much appreciated. I've got a 2 channel amp and 2 subs so no point having a sub just sittin in my room I guess lol

[nguyendot]

I would not mix subs. Honestly it will sound like crap. Also, Lanzar is known for overrating their amps. I would invest in a higher quality amp. Alpine Type-R's are very power hungry and inefficient (i owned 2 12" Type-R with the rubber surrounds).

I ran an MBQuart QAA 1000wrms amplifier wired@1ohm and it ATE power. Sounds good but you have to give it a lot of power or you will blow them.

[ahardy17]

So you are saying it is OK to wire up 2 different subs? I thought exalted512 said it isn't a good idea? I'm abit of a noob when it comes to wiring up subs if you could tell me where to find a diagram of what you are saying or tell me what negative to connect to what positive..etc.. that would be much appreciated. I've got a 2 channel amp and 2 subs so no point having a sub just sittin in my room I guess lol

well...i'm saying the subs would function. they're both gonna perform differently which will be weird but you take risks of lousy sound every time joe shmoe tries to make himself a fancy ported or bandbass enclosure anyway, so mixing subs isn't much more of a crime than that. you gotta find the specs on that amp and figure out if it's bridgeable and what it's rated at for 2 and 4 ohm loads. do you have a dual sub box? if so get that amp info and i can tell you how to run it if you really want to.

nguyendot- is there any efficiency difference between foam and rubber surrounds?

[exalted512]

All things the same, foam surround subs are usually more efficient than rubber surround subs.
-Cody

[nguyendot]

Considering surrounds only, it depends how stiff the surround is. Since foam is generally stiffer I venture to say rubber surrounds are more efficient. That Alpines are very inefficient not because of their surrounds, but because of their very heavy cones. They have heavier cones than comparable models.

[ahardy17]

awww rats, conflicting answers! to be honest i think it would make sense that foam surrounds are more efficient because despite their disadvantages (deteriorating with time , etc) many companies still seem to use foam surrounds in their high-end subs.

why would alpine use such heavy cones? that doesn't seem very practical...

[nguyendot]

Heavy cones make for very stiff cones - they do not flex. My type-rs had the folded surrounds. Many use foam surrounds because they are cheap and dampen well.

[exalted512]

Foam is generally lighter than rubber, and stiffness varies from sub to sub. This is also why almost all factory speakers have foam surrounds, theyre cheaper and theyre more efficient, which means you can get the speakers louder off of a terrible source like a radio or factory amplifier.
-Cody