New User? Sign Up  |  Sign In  |  Help
Car Audio Help
Get your free gift!!! Visit Apex Audio Now!
ask.
answer.
discover.
Search for questions :
My Profile

rgcaraudio

Open Question Bookmark and Share

Will I burn up a 3ohm subwoofer in my 4 ohm car stereo?

I've got an 8" sub enclosure from a Phillips home surround sound system I'm not using. It is labeled 3ohms and is not powered... just a speaker in a box. Will I burn up the voice coil or otherwise harm the subwoofer if I hook it up to my Sony xplod car stereo? I am assuming it's output is 4ohms but I know it's 200wx4. The stereo has a built in crossover and I am not going to be running an amp. It is only an 8" after all.

Posted 834 days ago

    Report Abuse
   Find Intereseting  
   E-Mail to Friends  
   Bookmark  
   Subscribe to Answer Alert  
Answers (4)

lmcaraudio 		Dont worry you will have no issues.

834 days ago

( 0 )
( 0 )
   Report Abuse

lmcaraudio 		A piece of home stereo labeled at 3 ohms you reckon? Fair enough, bottom line is new components these days will not cook or "explode" provided the output gain from an amp is at a rational position. The reputable brands you mentioned should take the punishment and if they don't, better hold onto the receipts.

834 days ago

( 0 )
( 0 )
   Report Abuse

lmcaraudio 		Your amp isn't a "4 ohm amp" It is just an amp. I would say that a good way to estimate about how much power the amp will put out at the 3 ohm impedance that your subwoofer will show it, find the half way point of what the amp puts out at 4 ohms and at 2 ohms. usually good amps double the amount of power they put out, when you half the impedance. so a good amp will put out 200 watts at 4 ohms, and 400 watts at 2 ohms. well the middle of 200 and 400 is 300 watts so an amp with these specs should put out around 300 watts.

834 days ago

( 0 )
( 0 )
   Report Abuse

lmcaraudio 		Your question you are not running an amp. So I'm safe to assume you are wanting to hook up this Phillips sub to your Stereo/headunit. That would be a bad idea. Car head units are not built to operate at less than 4 ohms. Your sub would be fine, but the head unit could get very hot and malfunction. I would recommend an amp for sure. Also, you say your Sony stereo is 200wx4. do you mean 20watts x 4. 200 watts output of a any stereo/head unit is impossible. 200 total watts is not however. it would be 50 watts x 4, but that peak power. Constant power (rms rating) is probably around 17-25 watts x 4 channels. Either way, it would be totally wrong to hook up that Phillips speaker box in your car without an external amplifier.

834 days ago

( 0 )
( 0 )
   Report Abuse
Email this question link to friends
You must enter email-address, if name is entered and vice-versa for each friend.
Friend #1 -
Friend #2 -
Friend #3 -
Friend #4 -
Friend #5 -
Enter Security Code : *
Get your free gift!!! Visit Apex Audio Now!

 

Copyright 2009 © www.caraudiohelp.org