Need help with 6 channel amp..

JustafooL · Newbie Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 9

I recently bought a Kicker km10 sub and 4 polk db651's for my tower. Now I'm ready to get them on my boat and really don't even know how to begin to wire a 6 channel amp..

It claims that the 5th and 6th channel are meant to be bridged together specifically for use on a sub, which is no problem. Where I'm getting confused is how to hook up the 4 tower speakers. I talked to the people at crutchfield and they told me I was going to have to get some patch cables to run the sub and speakers off one amp. I really don't understand what they tried to tell me to do so I'm hoping someone on here can..

Thanks,
Ryan

jjaszkow · Posted: Jan 28, 2010 11:23 am Post subject:

What amp is this, and what headunit do you have? I am assuming it has one set of preamp inputs for each pair of channels (6 RCA jacks). Some headunits have 3 sets of outputs in which case you would use patch cables to connect them to each pair of channels. If you have fewer, you would have to split them.

On the output side, for the sub, (on most amps) you would connect the positive (+) terminal of channel 5 and the negative (-) terminal of channel 6 to the sub to supply the bridged signal. The manual should cover this.

For the tower speakers, assuming you aren't using any of the other channels for anything else, you would use a quality speaker wire to connect each tower speaker to a channel of the amp.

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

Really, to truely help I would need to know what speakers and what amp you are using, plus the Ohm rating on each speaker.

For example, I have a JL audio Marine amp 6 Channel. My Sub is a Polk Momo 10" 4Ohm. So it is bridged on Channels 5&6 as you have been told. My interior speakers are on Channel 1 for the right and Channel 2 for the left (4 total) My tower speakers are on Channel 3 for right and Channel 4 for left (4 total). So, I have 9 total speakers ran off my Amp. My Amp is using all 6 RCA outputs from the head unit. Channels 1&2 receive the right and left signals from the head unit pair that receives signal when the fader is turned completely to the front. Tower is on Channel 3 and 4, getting their signal from teh pairs getting their signal from the head unit pair that has signal when the fader is turned to full rear. Channels 5&6 are fed by the third pair, which is a sub output from my head unit, and receives signal all the time.

Set the low pass filter on Channels 5 and 6, and High Pass filter on channels 1-4.

Low pass should be set around 100 - 150Hz, high pass should be set around 200-500Hz, depenging on speaker design. Gains and Filter settings are really heavily dependent on the speakers designs, quality of amp, Voltage of preouts... etc.

If you need more help, feel free to PM me, but I am going to need to know what hardware you are dealing with.

JustafooL · Newbie Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 9

My head unit is a Kenwood KMR330 and the amp is a JL audio m6000. Hopefully thats the same amp you have because I've not heard anyone say anything about it.. The tower speakers are 4 polk db651's.

I know how the basic hookups work. What I am really needing to know is how to use the patch cables. I haven't ever hooked a stereo up that needs them. Thanks for the help though Kyle.

BTW, where you at on Norris? We have a house between 33 bridge and where they put the new subdivision in, Hickory Point.

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

JustafooL · Newbie Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 9

Ok, I will get to work on it and see if I can get evertyhing going. I'm just trying to get things figured out because I hate to start something and not be able to finish it..

I have an 03 Stingray and the speakers in the boat are just the factory ones I'm assuming.. About the amp situation though, what do you think I should do? I really didn't want to run 2 amps just because of it draining the battery but, I could do that I guess.

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

I really don't think you need 2 Amps, again... the gain control can compensate for the power of the amp, which will mean you are not running it as hard and will sound better. Just have to be aware that you do have to power to pop those speakers.

I got your equipment specs now, the question is how do you want the audio to function? Front Fader in Boat, Rear Fader tower? All on the same channel?

JustafooL · Newbie Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 9

Really, its whatever is easier. It would be nice to have the boat and tower speakers seperate so that I wouldn't have to hear it all the time.

I think the tower speakers running on the rear fader would be fine though. Does that mean I just need to hook the amp into the rear outputs on the head unit? I'm not planning on adding any power to the speakers in the boat..

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

OK, well it’s impossible to have it set up the way I do with the head unit powering the in boat speakers. I am assuming here that you have 4 speakers in the boat. In the bow, 2 in the rear. If you only have to speakers in the rear of the boat currently, I can work something out.

Let me know and I can tell ya what to do.

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

So figuring what I believe an 03 Stingray would have...

Here is how this will work the easiest. I will assume that currently with 2 speakers, they are wired to the rear line outputs from the head unit, if they are on the front, cut and patch them to the rears. Now, rear fader will be inside boat.

Since the head unit you have has a sub woofer out and front out only, using all 6 RCA inputs on this amp will be of no benefit. Wire the RCA outputs of the radio (In the owner’s manual labeled Front Preout.) to the amp using an RCA cable to channel 1 and 2. The Front channel will now run your Tower speakers and Sub. Set the Input Mode selector to “SUM”.

The best thing to do given the power ratings of your speakers is to wire each to its own individual channel. So the right side speakers would be on Channel 2, 4 and the Left would be channel 1 & 4. This sound odd as usually 1&2 would be paired for front left and right and 3 & 4 would be paired for rear left and right, but that is not what we are doing here and you want to keep your lefts and rights together on each side of the tower. Bridge your sub to channel 5 & 6 (Channel 5 + and Channel 6 -).

On Channel 1&2 and 3&4 controls, set the filter to HP (High Pass). I would start at about 150Hz. On Channel 5 and 6 Control, set it to LP (Low Pass), again I would start around 100Hz.

After you have done this, and all is working ok, you really need to wait until you get your boat on the water to do anything else. You need to be in an area where you can turn it up. Most likely to about as loud as you want the interior speakers to be at max volume, then tune you frequency settings and gain controls for the other speakers. You want to set them as loud as possible with no distortion.

JustafooL · Newbie Joined: 21 Jan 2010 Posts: 9

Wow man, thanks for the awesome help! I'm going to save this and print it all off and take with me when I start the wiring. I may could have got the stereo workin but there is no way I could have got it all working like that together... Laughing

kyle f · Addict Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake

If you ever upgrade tower speakers to somethign that can handle more power, I got some tricks for that too.

Dont hesitate to PM me if you have any questions after you get started. I may not check back here much after this since you seem to have what you need.