I have an MTX 50x2 amp with Kenwood 1687's (6 1/2") speakers running off of the stock head unit so far. I am working up to putting some speakers behind the seats. I am thinking about Kenwood 1077's (4"), but the real question is this. Would I be better off running 2ohms and putting all 4 speakers on the amp or should I use the rear speaker outputs from the head unit?

Thanks in advance.

 

Note that if you use the rear outputs on the head, the mute button won't mute the rears.

 

If you put them on the amp, you'll have more power available to drive them (as long as the amp is rated for 2 ohms). If you put them on the head unit rear, you get to adjust front/rear ratio, but you lose the mute, as MacGyver says.

If it was me, I'd try the second set of speakers off the amp first, if the 4 inchers can handle the power. If not, you may need to install "bass blockers" to keep from over-driving the 4" guys with low bass. Bass blockers are just a high-pass filter, usually just a capacitor in series with the speaker. Since you're not going to get lots of low bass out of 4" drivers anyway, that may be the best choice.

 

Cool...thanks for the tip.

 

Is there away to fix that I'm going to be hooking up some rear speakers but, I don't want to lose my mute button. Or is this only for the OEM head unit

 

Not easily with the factory unit. An aftermarket headunit with a relay setup (homemade, Pinky's, etc) would make it work.

 

I'm looking into the rear speaker mute issue, I'll keep you posted!

 

OK I did a test last night with my OEM speakers. I hooked the up to my rear speaker output & they did mute. So my Alpine will mute rear speakers.

 

To mute rear speakers with the dash controls, you could always add relays that "open" the rear channels when the mute is activated...