Hookup Advice (wiring)

wewjr32

Hello all,

I just recently got a PA 200.4 amp along with 4 new MM speakers to install in my GMC Sierra. The speakers I have for the front doors are MM6501 UM and the rear pillar speakers are MM461p.

My question is how I should best wire this all up. I figured that I had a few options.

1. I could wire all four new speakers through the amp and run 35x4 watts to each speaker
or
2. I could bridge the amp and only run the two front door speakers to the amp and get more power to those and run the rears off the HU.

If I choose option 1 I feel like I might get a more well rounded sound and not worry about having distortion in the back speakers b/c the headunit wouldn't be powering any of them. Although if I went with option 2 I will get the two front speakers closer to their actual potential of running at 125 watts but then I might run the risk of messing up the rears by running too much distortion through them off higher levels.

Anyways, I am just looking for some advice on what might be the best wiring for this setup. I've never put an amp to door speakers in any of my cars so I'm kinda new to this part. I do have a 1000watt amp and two 10" subs under my back seat though.

Thanks for the help!

MacLeod

Head units make horrible power sources, even for rear speakers. Plus, with no gain control on the head unit, itll be hard to get the rear to blend in with the fronts.

I suggest using the amp the way God intended. Front channels to the front speakers - rear channels to the rear speakers.

wewjr32

Is running those nice speakers up front so below their rated RMS going to hurt them at all? I know with subwoofers it is typically not advised to have such a power difference but I just didn't know if it would matter for the speakers. Ideally I would have gone with the PA 500.4 for this but I wasn't able to get one so I just have to make do with what I have.

MacLeod

Just remember that youve got a smallish amp and dont try to compensate for it by turning up the gain to 100%. That amp is big enough that if you pushed it into clipping it could eventually fry those speakers.

Just keep the gain set properly and you should be fine.

wewjr32

What's the best way to set the gain? Turn it up to 80% of the max volume, listen for distortion as you turn up the gain then back off a bit once you hit it?

MacLeod

Pretty much. Pick a CD that best represents the music you listen to and is very well recorded.