If you are into music, you might want to invest in a subwoofer. But you don’t want to spend a fortune either. You might wonder whether you can wire a dual voice coil subwoofer yourself. The truth is, there is no DIY way to wire a dual voice coil subwoofer if you don’t have any technical background.
In this article, we will show you how to wire a dual voice coil subwoofer using common household materials and tools you already have around your house. So let’s get started.
How to Wire a Dual Voice Coil Subwoofer?
You’ve probably already heard of the term “voice coil,” but what is it exactly? Voice coils are the motor-like components that move the diaphragm of your subwoofer. In the case of a subwoofer, it is the diaphragm that moves, and as a result, produces sound.
Subwoofers can be wired in one of three ways
- Single voice coil
- Dual voice coil
- Dual voice coil with two voice coils
Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. The good news is, it doesn’t matter which type you use because they all work the same way. So if you want to start building a DIY audio system, you can pick up any subwoofer and follow the instructions on the packaging to determine which voice coil design you should use.
1. Select Your Subwoofer:
- Before you start, it is important to know what you are looking for in a subwoofer. Is it one that has the bass response and low-frequency capability? If so, then you can get an idea about the size of the enclosure from the specifications.
- But, you want to make sure that the enclosure is deep enough to accommodate the low-frequency response of your music player. If the enclosure is too shallow, there will be a lot of resonance which might distort the sound of your music.
If you don’t have any idea about how big your enclosure should be, I recommend getting a speaker cabinet measurement. For this, you can either measure the enclosure with a ruler or find a website that will do it for you.
2. Decide On Speaker and Power Requirements:
- You should also look for a best subwoofer that offers good power handling and enough speaker power to drive your subwoofer properly.
- There are many different ways to measure speaker power. One of the easiest ways is by reading the wattage of the amplifier powering the speaker.
- For example, a 100W amplifier would output 100 watts of power. This might sound like a lot, but it’s not that much for a subwoofer.
- The next thing to consider is the wattage output of the subwoofer. The higher the power output, the more efficient the subwoofer. If you are using a subwoofer as a monitor speaker or as a surround system, then you may not need a powerful subwoofer.
But if you are using a subwoofer in a room that is very small and will be used for playing music, then you should select a subwoofer with high wattage output. If you don’t have a good idea about the size of your room, you can also use our free subwoofer measurement tool.
3. Choose the Right Connectors:
- A voice coil connects the amplifier to the driver, and you must ensure that the correct connection is made between them.
- There are a few types of connectors on the market for connecting voice coils, and the type you use can make a huge difference.
- For example, if you buy a power adapter with two or three inputs, you must make sure it’s compatible with your amplifier.
Furthermore, to wire your subwoofer, you will need the following tools:
- Subwoofer enclosure
- Speaker wire with the correct gauge
- Scissors
- Multimeter with digital readout
4. Select a Speaker Cable:
- If you want to maximize the audio quality of your system, it’s important to pick the right speaker cable.
- This is especially true if you are buying high-quality speaker cables. Speaker cables are used to connect your amplifier and your speakers.
- The speaker wires in your home or car have a certain amount of resistance (i.e., resistance value) and the cable should be matched up with that resistance to maximize audio quality.
- You can check the resistance value of a speaker cable by unplugging it and seeing how many Ohms of resistance it has. When choosing speaker cables, it’s usually recommended to look at 2.0 Ohm (1 ohm = 1 volt).
- This will give you a nice balance between clarity and volume. If you need a better balance between quality and volume, you can always buy an aftermarket speaker cable that has less resistance.
5. Install the Speaker Terminals:
- It is always recommended to do speaker terminal installation “the hard way” when it comes to speaker wiring. This is because you are going to need to understand all of the technicalities of the installation before you try and do it yourself.
- If you are not willing to learn these technicalities, it is best to just let someone else do the job. Furthermore, if you have any doubts on whether the job can be done, hire a professional audio or home repair technician to install your speakers properly.
- In this case, you would have to provide them with the schematic diagram of your speaker system and they will be able to do the job for you.
6. Connect the Speaker to Your Amp:
It is important to connect the speaker to an amplifier before connecting it to the rest of your system. When you are choosing a home theater, consider using an audio component amplifier to deliver power to the subwoofer instead of using a dedicated amplifier that is capable of handling the load.
If you have a car stereo system, you can find a universal audio cable to connect the subwoofer to the amplifier. These cables usually include a connector on both ends and can also come with pre-attached volume and tone controls.
Final Words:
A dual voice coil subwoofer is a great tool to add to your home audio system for many reasons. For starters, a dual voice coil subwoofer is easy to set up and can be customized to your exact specifications. It is also very affordable when compared to other high-end audio speakers. They are the only speakers that I can recommend for use in a home theater setting.
They have a very good range and can produce a lot of basses if the right amps are used. They will also not overheat if you get them properly wired. However, it is a good idea to get a speaker kit that comes with the wiring instructions.
