One of the best ways you can easily enjoy deep bass with a subwoofer is a mono amp that has two speaker terminals. Most Monoblock Amps have just one speaker terminal that you can use with your subwoofer. However, some recent Mono Amp models come with two terminals. This is an added improvement to make connections easier.
The extra connections are included for ease of use when wiring multiple subwoofers (two or more). Note that the two positive terminals are connected to each other inside the amp, and the negative terminals are also connected inside the mono amp. Therefore, this means that these monoblock amps are still single terminal amps but with two outputs.
The following diagram shows how you can wire two monoblock amplifiers to a monoblock amplifier with two terminals.
Good examples of Monoblock amplifiers with two speaker terminals are listed below:
[amazon box=”B01EQUHJ8K”]
[amazon box=”B01NAW3B6P”]
[amazon box=”B07F1FXPH1″]
How to Connect Your Speaker to your Two Terminal Mono
First, it should be noted that one of the easiest ways you can connect a mono amp that has two terminals is simply by:
- Connecting the two speakers directly to each terminal.
- Connecting the two speakers to only one terminal either in series or in parallel.
Below is a detailed step on how you can use either of these methods.
Connecting Directly to Two Terminals
Using a direct connection to connect two speakers to a mono amp with two terminals is one of the easiest methods you can find in the book.
This is because it only requires you to connect the speaker simply by wiring the positive and negative to the amp.
- Begin by connecting the positive terminal from one speaker wire directly to the positive end of the mono amp.
- Repeat this process for the negative wires as well and connect it to the negative terminal of the mono amp.
- Just in the same way, do this for the second speaker till you have your speakers connected to both terminals on your mono amp.
Connecting in Parallel to One Terminal
Check out a breakdown of the steps.
Step 1: Ensure impedance compatibility
Connecting to an audio device with incompatible impedance can cause serious damage to your device.
Before you connect the devices to the mono amp, check all the devices to ensure that they have an impedance that is the right match for each other. This is in a bid to avoid damaging the entire audio system.
However, let’s say you already got everything you need, you can use the connection method to adjust the impedance. You can connect this as either a parallel connection or a series connection to decrease or increase the impedance accordingly. This is discussed in more detail in this article.
Remember to pay attention to this step as it can damage the entire connection.
Step 2: Strip Off Short Wire End
The speaker wires are almost the most important equipment. Ensure you have enough speaker wires that will be okay to join all the speakers together.
To connect the wires, you will need to strip off just about half an inch from the end of each of the speaker wires. You can use a knife or wire stripper to peel off the insulator. However, ensure it doesn’t go down beyond half of an inch to prevent accidental melting of wires in a short circuit.
Step 3: Connect The Wires to The Amplifier
Remember, this is a mono amp, so here is how to go about it.
- Connect the end of one wire to the amplifier’s speaker output terminal. You will have to fix the wire with a screw but after fixing it, ensure that the screw is tightened and secured to prevent a break in transmission.
- Now connect the positive wires that have already been connected to the speakers to the positive terminal of the amp. After ensuring the negative wires have also been properly secured on the speakers, connect them to the negative terminal of the amplifier.
Increasing and Decreasing The Impedance
Remember, the impedance in the connection plays a vital role in its successful functioning. Here is how to increase or decrease the impedance.
- Connect in Parallel to Decrease
- Connect in Series to Increase
For parallel connection, connect one end of the first wire to the speaker’s terminal and connect the second speaker wire to this same terminal. Connect the free end to the amp terminal. Repeat this process for both the positive and negative.
For the series connection, begin with connecting the end of one speaker wire to the positive end of the amp. Continue with the second connection by fixing the negative wire as well. Secure these wires, then repeat for the other terminals in the speaker by connecting another wire from the positive and negative to the corresponding terminal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why Do Mono Amps Have Just One Channel?
Just as the name implies -Mono- it means one. Mono amps are also designed to function with just one channel best fit for its size.
However, anyone asking this question is probably looking to add more than one speaker to their amplifier. In this case, you can look at modern designs with more than one speaker compatibility.
Can I Use Any Other Setup Aside From the Parallel and Series Connection?
Well, with the proper technical know-how of connection, you can try out other methods. However, the parallel and series connection is the best connection method that can easily help you adjust the impedance, saving you the unnecessary cost for repair.
Is a Dual-Mono Amplifier the Same as a Monoblock Amp?
No! A dual-mono amplifier contains two mono amplifiers with a single channel on each. However, a Monoblock amp consists of just one channel, but this amp can run more than one speaker simply by connecting them in series.
But again, it must be reemphasized that before you run a speaker in series or parallel, the impedance must be duly noted. This is to prevent damaging the audio system with unmatched impedance.
Conclusion
If you follow the steps and information in this article, you should be able to get the best out of your mono amp. Now, whether it’s a woofer or regular speaker, you can use this guide to connect them to your mono amp without damaging either of them. Another tip you might find helpful in this article is how to add more speakers to your amp with just the right amount of Impedance.
