Amplifiers come in different shapes, sizes, and channels. One of the popular amplifier units among car audio enthusiasts and those who are just looking to upgrade their factory-grade audio setup for better sound quality is the 2-channel amp – a common amplifier type designed to power two speakers. It can also be modified to run a single subwoofer or multiple subwoofers.
2-Channel Car Audio Amplifier: Design & Function
An independent audio path or a channel consists of two terminals: one negative and one positive. These two wires are both hooked up to the left or right car speaker from the amplifier. Through this link, the amplifier directs the sound signal from the stereo and gives the speakers the needed voltage.
A 2-channel amp is a stereo pair, meaning it has left and right output and powers two separate channels to run combinations such as:
- Two component car speakers
- Two coaxial car speakers
- Two subwoofers
Its circuit configuration design is traditionally categorized as Class A and Class AB: the former means that it has the highest sound fidelity, while the latter means that it is power efficient and produces superb sound.
Bridging a 4-Channel Car Audio Amplifier
Bridging an amplifier means combining the left and right output into a single, mono output to produce more power. Since bass is non-directional, bridging a 2-channel amplifier to power a single subwoofer improves the audio quality by introducing deep bass tones and powerful vibrations to the sounds of your current car audio setup.
How To Connect Four Speakers Using a 2-Channel Car Audio Amplifier
It is possible to connect and run four speakers using a 2-channel amplifier by making sure the impedance levels are within the limits of the amplifier and using Series or Parallel wiring to hook everything together. Doing this wrong could potentially ruin both your amplifier and speakers. If you manage to do this successfully, you won’t have the option to balance the speakers separately and expect that the overall volume of your speakers will be lower than it should be when using the proper amplifier channel requirements.
If you’re looking for a 2-channel amplifier to beef up your car audio system, browse through our available 2-channel amplifiers for sale at Sonic Electronix!
