How to Choose a Subwoofer Amp

Choose the right amp, and your subwoofer will sound great

The combination of an amplifier and a subwoofer is the building block of many powerful car audio systems. Putting the right pieces of the puzzle together is very important if your amp and subwoofer combo is going to do the job you want it to do. Approach the process step by step and ask a few questions along the way, and you'll enjoy the results.

Things You'll Need

• Subwoofer specifications
• Amplifier specifications

Instructions

1. Find out the power handling specifications for your subwoofer. These will be listed in the manual or the promotional materials for the subwoofer. Take note of the RMS power rating, not the Peak power rating.

2. Find out the impedance of the subwoofer. This will be a number expressed in ohms--four and two ohms are the most common ratings.

3. Examine the specifications of subwoofer amplifiers, and find one whose output power, measured in watts RMS, matches the power handling specs of the sub. For example, if your subwoofer can handle 500 watts, and is rated at 4 ohms impedance, find an amplifier that produces 500 watts power when connected to a 4-ohm impedance load.

References

• "Car Stereo Cookbook"; Mark Rumerich; 2005