There are several ways to wire a 4channel amp to 6 speakers. You can choose to wire them in parallel or series. Both methods have some advantages and disadvantages. Whichever method you choose, it is vital that you get everything right and calculate the impedance (in ohms) to get quality sound and avoid burning your amp.
If you want to know how to wire a 4 channel amp to 6 speakers, this guide is just for you. Read on to know what you need and how to get the best sound from your speakers and amp.
The Materials and Tools You Need
There are several things that you will need to have with you when connecting your speakers to your amp. These tools, materials and equipment include:
- A few zip tiles to secure the wires neatly together
- High-quality speaker wire to connect the speakers
- Electrical tape to seal the connections or joints
- RCA adapter cables (at least a pair)
- A crimp tool to make cold weld joints
- Fuse and fuse holder
- Digital test meter that you will use to measure voltage
To protect your speakers and amp, it is essential that you buy the materials that you will use from quality electrical shops. But before diving any deeper, you need to understand that wiring six speakers on 4 channel amp is not a good idea. When you wire more speakers than the amplifier’s capacity, you will be shortening its lifespan because the speakers hike up the load that it can take.
You will also have to deal with an overheating amplifier, which gradually wears it out. If you have several speakers that you want to connect in series or parallel, it may be ideal to get an amplifier that matches their capacity.
For example, if you have 6 speakers, get a 6 channel audio amplifier and not a 4 channel amp. However, it is okay to wire 4 speakers to a 6 amp channel or a 4 amp channel. Though you will be risking the life of your amp, you can still successfully connect 6 speakers to a 4 amp channel.
How to Wire in Series
Wiring in series is one of the safest and reliable methods of connecting the speakers to the amp. Though safe for your stereo, it will not give you exceptional sound when you listen to music. Here is how you can connect 6 speakers, 4 amp channel in series.
The first step you need to take is to connect the positive output channel of the amplifier to the positive terminal of the first speaker. After that, connect the negative terminal of the first speaker to the positive terminal of the second speaker. Alternate between the terminals until you connect the first four speakers. Connect these speakers on two channels. The last step is to connect the remaining two on the other two channels.
This way, you will have connected all the speakers on a 4 amp channel. Remember, when connecting two speakers of 4 ohms, it adds 8 ohms to the head unit. 2 speakers in series will connect on one channel.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Wiring in Series
One of the best advantages of wiring in series is that it keeps your amp safe. You may not have to change your gear, and even better, you can disconnect your speakers easily if you are not happy with the sound quality they produce.
On the downside, connecting in series reduce the amplifier’s power and the overall sound quality may take a hit.
How to Wire in Parallel
You should note that when you connect two speakers with 4 ohms in parallel, the load is reduced to 2 ohms. This means you should connect two speakers on one channel and four speakers in the remaining two channels.
Connecting two speakers on two channels is good for your amp. If you connect four speakers to 2 channels, you will put a heavy load on the channels, especially when you play music at full volume. Your stereo will become hot on these two channels because of the load.
Though wiring in parallel will give you high-quality sound and full power, running a hot stereo will eventually damage your system. It is essential to know how to run six speakers on a 4 channel amp without risking your sound equipment.
If you want to play music for a long time, it may be ideal to use an ideal volume to avoid risking your stereo. If you have to play at maximum volume, do this for only a short time to keep your amp safe.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Wiring in Parallel
When you connect six speakers to a 4 amp channel, you will get good quality sound at full power. However, the downside is that you will not enjoy this sound at a high volume for a long time. When you play music at a very high volume for a long time, it will get hot, and there is a high chance that you might kill the amp.
Points to Note
As we have mentioned, it is possible to connect four speakers in 2 channels, both in series and parallel. The question is, which two speakers should you wire in a single channel? To ensure safety, you should follow the instructions manual and pay close attention to the connections.
For example, if you want to install the six speakers in your car and you don’t have a 6 channel car amplifier, you can place two on the rear, two on the dashboard and two on the sides. Connect the two speakers on the sides with one channel, the rear speakers with one channel and the dashboard speakers each remaining channel. You can change this setup depending on your preference.
Understanding Your Amplifiers Impendence Ohms Rating
While knowing how to wire six speakers to a 4 channel stereo correctly is crucial, understanding your amplifier’s impendence ohms rating is also vital. There are several high-quality amps that you can buy.
These amplifiers display the minimum ohms rating or speaker load that they can handle. The speaker load is the electrical current force that your amp connects to the speaker terminal. Most amps have a minimum of 2 ohms per channel in stereo. When these amps are bridged, they can handle up to 4 ohms per channel.
Whether you have a kicker 6 channel amp or a pioneer 6 channel amp, avoid wiring it with a lower ohms rating than the speaker load. Doing this will cause your amp to run hot and damage your equipment.
Learn More: How to Tune A Car Amp for Mids and Highs
Wrapping Up
Knowing how to connect six speakers to a 4 channel amp in series or parallel is as simple as we have mentioned in this guide. To get quality sound and avoid damaging your sound equipment, ensure you wire the speakers correctly. You can test each method and choose the one that offers you the ideal sound.
