How to Bridge Power Amplifiers
A bridged amplifier combines the output from a multichanneled amplifier and uses it to drive a fewer speakers with more power. Bridging an amplifier is ideal when high output is desired, but there are only a limited number of speakers with which to work. This makes the full output power of the amplifier available when there are fewer speakers than channels to be utilized. Bridging a stereo amplifier will give one mono speaker output, and a four-channel amplifier can be bridged to a stereo amplifier. The procedure is easy, but do not attempt to bridge an amplifier that was not designed with that capability.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Consult the owner's manual to be sure the amplifier is capable of being bridged. If the manual is not available, there is typically a diagram located by the outputs of an amplifier with a line connecting the outputs to be used for bridging.
-
2
Choose speakers that are rated to handle the load produced by the bridged amplifier. Output impedance doubles when an amplifier is bridged, so a 4 ohm output becomes an 8 ohm output. Always use speakers rated equal to or higher than the impedance of your amplifier, and be sure your amplifier is off before connecting any speakers.
-
-
3
Run a speaker cable or wire from the "+" output of the first channel to the "+" terminal of your speaker cabinet. Then run a speaker cable or wire from the "-" terminal of the speaker cabinet to the "-" output of the second channel in the bridgeable pair.
-
4
Power on the amplifier and test for proper sound output. If output is absent, power off the amplifier immediately and check that all connections are correct.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Bridging an amplifier will not necessarily produce a higher output than an amplifier that is not bridged. With all channels connected to a speaker, the output will be the same as when the amplifier is bridged.
Do not bridge an amplifier that is not designed to be bridged. This will cause damage to your speakers and amplifier.
