What Impedance is car audio?

[Electricblue]

So ive found a chassis mount car amp in my garage, im gonna make a little boombox out of it. But first, what impedance is it?

I cant find the amp anywhere on the net.

Its 2x50w...

Thanks

[elgecko]

We're supposed to guess from THAT information?

[Electricblue]

I'm guessing too... I have no idea about the amp, it doesnt say any specs on it at all, cant find it ANYWHERE on the net. I didnt know if there was a standard impedance for car audio or something...

[MJ5150]

Hook up some 4ohm car audio speakers to it and see what happens. Please, please, please tell me this is not another "using my car audio amp to run my bass cabs" thread.

-Mike

[DRafalske]

They're usually pretty similar to bass amps actually...
Probably 4 or 8 ohms, might even go down to 2.

D

[Electricblue]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Hook up some 4ohm car audio speakers to it and see what happens. Please, please, please tell me this is not another "using my car audio amp to run my bass cabs" thread.

-Mike

Haha, definitely not.

Im going to make a little enlosure with a couple of 6x9's in it.

Screw the little amp onto the top, add a handle, couple it with a lead acid battery, it should be a decent little beach party rig.

[Electricblue]

Is there a way to measure what impedance the amp is?

[Electricblue]

I ran it on some 6 ohm speakers ages ago, kept the skatepark drowned in some cool tunes.

I ran it at 2 ohms a few weeks after, it was just fuzzy and breaking up.

Does that help at all?

[WJGreer]

While I take no responsibility for whatever you might do to your amp, I do think that a 2 ohm minimum rating is normal for car amps, like 4 ohms is normal for bass amps.

[Electricblue]

Originally Posted by WJGreer

While I take no responsibility for whatever you might do to your amp, I do think that a 2 ohm minimum rating is normal for car amps, like 4 ohms is normal for bass amps.

Per side or total? I ran it a 2 ohm per channel. That was when it fuzzed out.

[Electricblue]

?

[elgecko]

How about run it at 4 ohms then?

[randall p]

I would stick to 4 ohms per channel. Most full range car speakers run at this rating.

[dBPete]

I wouldn't run anything lower that 4ohms per channel unless the amp says it can handle lower. 4 ohms seems to be the standard unless it's higher end equipment.

[dBPete]

Originally Posted by Electricblue

Haha, definitely not.

Im going to make a little enlosure with a couple of 6x9's in it.

Screw the little amp onto the top, add a handle, couple it with a lead acid battery, it should be a decent little beach party rig.

Or.... a wicked awesome beach guitar amp!!! Koombaya Mutha F*****!

[Electricblue]

Cheers, dBPete what will happen if its the wrong impedance?

Instant campfire, or a blown fuse?

[Floridabwoy]

I wouldnt try to run it at 2ohm's unless it is a Precision Power or high end. Car amps get very hot. Most car amp's are 4 ohm stable.

Back in my day if you had Precision Power amps and JL Audio speakers you were the S**T. I was Stillwater Designs man myself

[dBPete]

I doubt it'd be a simple blown fuse. Fuses give out when the amp tries to pull too much power or receive/produce a shock. Dropping your ohms too low would produces something more to the effect of a brown out at a power plant. It could fry the power amp.

[Electricblue]

Just had a look on good ole ebay, all the 6x9's ive seen are 4 ohm each. does that pretty much answer it? would it be better to play safe and go for 8 ohm each? How much volume would i lose?

[dBPete]

Go with the 4 ohm speakers. I dont know about loudness, but you'd be cutting your power (Watts) about in half if you go with the 8 ohm.