Wire your subs wrong and the amp either shuts down, runs hot or sounds weak. Wire them right and you get every watt you paid for. Here is how we wire subwoofers in the bay, from one sub to two, single coil or dual.
- SVC vs DVC
- What you need
- 1. Pick the load
- 2. Pick the wire
- 3. Wire the coils
- 4. Wire the subs
- 5. Check polarity
- 6. Meter it
- 7. Connect the amp
- Mistakes
Single vs Dual Voice Coil Subs
Flip a sub over and look at the terminals. One red and one black means a single voice coil, or SVC. Two sets of red and black means a dual voice coil, or DVC.
A DVC sub is rated per coil, so a "dual 4 Ω" sub has two 4 Ω coils. That second coil gives you more wiring choices, which is why so many subs are dual coil.
What You Need
Grab enough speaker wire to reach from the amp to the box, plus a short piece for jumpers. Pure copper OFC is worth it on subs because they pull the most current in the system.
- Speaker wireOFC, sized for your power.
- Jumper wireSame gauge, a few inches.
- Wire strippersClean cuts, no nicked strands.
- MultimeterTo check the final load.
- Your amp specsIts lowest stable ohm load.
- Zip tiesKeep wires off sharp edges.
Nemesis NA-12D4 12" Dual 4 ΩShop now →
SoundQubed HDS3.3 12" D2/D4Shop now →
AudioControl EPICX 12" DVCShop now →
Sundown X v.4 8" Dual 2 & 4 ΩShop now →
DS18 PSW12-4D 12" DVC 4 ΩShop now →
Step 1 Pick Your Final Load
The final load is the ohm number your amp sees after everything is wired. Check your amp first. If it says 1 Ω stable, you can go as low as 1 Ω. Going below that will overheat it or send it into protect.
Lower loads make more power. Many 1 Ω stable amps make close to twice the power at 1 Ω that they make at 2 Ω.
Step 2 Pick the Right Wire Size
Thin wire wastes power as heat before it ever reaches the sub. Match the gauge to your amp power. Lower ohm loads pull more current, so go one size bigger if you are running 1 Ω or less.
Run the wire away from sharp metal and use a grommet anywhere it passes through the box or a panel.
Step 3 Wire the Voice Coils
On a DVC sub, wire both coils the same way and always use both. For series, run a jumper from coil 1 negative to coil 2 positive, then use coil 1 positive and coil 2 negative as your inputs. For parallel, jumper positive to positive and negative to negative, then use either pair as your inputs.
Step 4 Wire the Subs Together
With two subs, treat each wired-up sub as one load. In parallel, run both subs' positives to the amp positive and both negatives to the amp negative. In series, connect sub 1 negative to sub 2 positive, then wire the leftover positive and negative to the amp. Most boxes have a terminal cup, so do all of this inside the box and run one pair of wires to the amp.
Step 5 Check Polarity
Positive to positive, negative to negative, every time. If one sub is backwards, its cone moves in while the other moves out and the bass cancels. Your system gets quieter and thinner instead of louder. Color code your wire and double check every connection before you close the box.
Step 6 Meter the Final Load
Before the amp is connected, set your multimeter to ohms and touch the probes to the two wire ends that will go into the amp. You should read a little under the rated number. That is normal.
If you read way lower than you planned, or close to zero, something is shorted or wired wrong. Fix it now, not after the amp goes into protect.
Step 7 Connect the Amp
Connect the positive lead to the amp's speaker positive and the negative lead to speaker negative. Tighten the screws on bare copper, with no stray strands touching the next terminal. Then set your gain the right way. We walk through it in our guide on how to install a car amplifier.
Common Mistakes We See
- Wiring below the amp's stable load
- Leaving one coil of a DVC sub unused
- Mixing different subs on one amp
- One sub wired out of polarity
- Thin speaker wire on a big amp
- Stray strands touching at the amp
Let Woofer Wizard Draw It
Pick how many subs you have, their coils and ohms. Woofer Wizard shows every safe wiring option with a diagram and the final load your amp will see.
Wire My SubsGear Up to Wire Your Subs
Everything in this guide is in stock and ready to ship.
Want the math behind it? Read our breakdown of series vs parallel wiring and how to match subwoofers with a monoblock. Need a box first? Here is how to build a subwoofer box.
