How to bridge a car audio amplifier

How to Bridge a Car Audio Amplifier
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By Michael Cantrell

eHow Contributing Writer

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Bridging your car audio amplifier is a great way to get better sound coming out of your speakers. The process of bridging isn't too terribly difficult, but it is very important that you do it properly. A failure to make the right connections can result in permanent damage being done to your car audio set up. Bridging your amplifier is basically just running more power and sound to one speaker, or if you have four speakers, running the power to only two speakers.

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Difficulty: Moderately EasyInstructionsThings You'll Need:
Car Amp Speaker wires Amp manual
Step 1Check all of the paperwork and manuals that came with your car audio amplifier. You have to make sure that your amplifier can be bridged at all. Certain models may state in the manual for you not to attempt to bridge the amp. Some amplifiers also come with a schematic that will help you locate and identify the correct terminals to plug your speakers into.

Step 2Assess how many channels you need to bridge on your amp. An amplifier that is set up for four speakers will need to be bridged to two speakers and two speaker amplifiers will need to be bridged down to a single speaker.

Step 3Find the terminals on the back of your audio amplifier. Each channel on your amplifier will have one positive and one negative terminal to it. So if you have an amplifier with four channels, you will have eight terminals. Or if you have a terminal with two channels, you will have four terminals. Label each terminal in each channel "A" or positive and "B" for negative with a piece of tape, or tape a piece of paper to the amp with the terminals identified.

Step 4Take the red speaker wire and connect it to terminal A. Now take the black speaker wire and connect it to terminal D. Take a third piece of wire and connect it to terminal B and the other end to terminal C. Now your amplifier has been bridged.

Step 5Turn the car on and test your audio amplifier and speakers. Make sure that all the sound is coming through your speakers properly, and if there is a problem, go back and check the wiring to make sure the connections are correct.