Robby

Title says it all- I've searched all over the place & the closest I can get is bridging 4-ch amps. I simply want to run 2 front speakers from a standard 4-ch HU in a 2-seater car...

When I pulled out the old stereo, the wiring was set so that one front was run by a rear speaker channel & the other was run by a font & I'm lost BIG-TIME!!! Wouldn't I just buy a regular Alpine (or whatever) HU & just run either the FRONT OR REAR channels to the pair of speakers & be done w/it, or, would that screw something up...? Obvisouly, fading does not matter, since there are only two speakers, but I'd like tp be able to balance correctly. I'm not running ANY amps or subs or anything- just one HU & TWO speakers... Any help would be greatly appreciated...

thanks a lot....

Charlie

Just hook the two front speakers up to the front speaker output on the HU. Don't bother with the rears.

Robby

Thanks for the reply- are you absolutely certain that wont mess the HU up in any way....? Someone recently told me that one had to use all 4 channels OR wire it correctly OR that it would screw up the HU. It sounded like BS, since I know many cars have only two channels (like 2-seater cars & pick-ups) but then, if there's a special way they're wiring 4-ch HU's... Actually, I've never heard of a 2-ch HU either, but then, that doesn't mean they don't exist.

Also, to have stereo sound, assuming I'm just wiring the front two channels up, would I keep the fader set to the middle, OR, would I throw it all the way forward...?

Thanks a lot!

Bill Lucas

The person that gave you that information doesn't have a clue. You won't damage an amp if you don't use all the channels.

Robby

If that includes HU's, not external amps, then that's exactly what I wanted to hear...

The stereo is going into a 1970 Mercedes 280SL- the wiring job on the hacked-in stereo that was in it was relatively strange to me. I've set up a few normal 4-ch stereos, especially in the 951, & have put some interesting speakers in too, but this one really tripped me up. It had a plug unlike any I've ever seen & when I pulled all the wires apart to try to see where everything was going, I realized they had the left side speaker wired to a front speaker channel & then the right side speaker was wired to a rear speaker channel- almost like bridging an external amp or something, but again, it was only for two speakers off a regular HU. When I saw this a few days ago, I started thinking that maybe there was something to what I'd been told awhile back, & 2nd guessed myself...

Does anyone know WHY someone would wire a HU like what I just mentioned above? I'm just curious...


thanks a lot for the input!

hpservertech

They are correct. You dont have to hook anything up to the rear speaker outputs on the HU. Think of it this way....If you have a lamp but no light bulb in the lamp and turn it on, will it hurt the lamp? No.....it never will.

82-T/A

One thing however, if you want really GOOD sound, and you plan on putting some very decent speakers in the front, then you can bridge the two channels. This will give you twice the wattage for the front speakers.

I completely forget how to do it, but it's something like taking the negative from the rear left, and the positive from the front left, and making that your front channel, and then the same for the right.

But I would double check on that first. Crutchfield has a lot of really good information.

Robby

Crutchfield doesn't give out much info unless you buy your stuff from them, though, & they're about twice the price of most places. I'd LOVE to be able to double the output- I ordered some decent Diamond Audio speakers for it- lower end DA, but still, decent overall. Anyway, I wont be able to run an amp, so IF I could use all 4 stereo channels to power the 2 speakers, that would be GREAT! But, I've been told by many people that this could not be done. Have you ever done this before...? Does anyone else know anything about this...?

Thanks again,

inactiveuser92616

Do NOT bridge the channels unless the documentation of the head unit explicitly states that it can handle it. Bridging the channels cuts the impedance in half, which can cook something that isn't made for it.

hpservertech

Yea, dont bridge them unless the HU can do it.

Curious though, why can't you run an amp? Even a small 2 channel for the refrence sepeakers should be good enough and small enough to fit almost anywhere.

What kind of car are you putting this in? Doesn't sound like a 944.

GodSpeed

+1 to not bridging the HU. Just run the front wires only. It will not hurt anything.
Dan

Robby

No guys- not a 944. I had a little Porsche prob the other night & was driving my parent's old 1970 280SL- the hacked to all-hell stereo that was gone- the speakers had blown & the HU sucked, etc... They asked me to do a decent stereo for it & when I pulled it out I realized what a serious hack job it was. Long story short, I just need 2 speakers & one Hu- would like to do a seperate amp, but would be tough to put in w/out cutting holes & the car's a classic- despite it being in poor shape, I don't want to do any more damage than the a$$holes who cut the door panels to put some cheap-$&it crappy 6.5 coaxes in, years ago... So, I ordered some Diamond Audios & am about to order an Alpine HU... Trying to keep the budget under $200 total & do the work myself, but just wanted to make 100% positively sure I didn't buy a new HU & blow it by wiring it up wrong or something...

thanks a lot everyone...!!!

nh7cy

if the job is that messed up i seriously suggest rewiring the system yourself just so you know for sure what goes to what.

Robby

Yeah, I really don't have a choice on that one... :-)