# headunit handle 2 ohm drivers?



## illnastyimpreza (Oct 25, 2006)

I'm looking @ some infinity Kappa 62.7i coax speakers with the external crossovers. They are supposedly 2 ohms. 

Has anyone ran 2 ohm drivers off headunit power ??

Headunit is a stock 2001 Ford F150.


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## Schriever sound (Sep 9, 2011)

I've got the same setup, they actually metered at 3 ohms . Run mine off a kenwood deck daily, no problems!


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## nick650 (Feb 7, 2011)

Don't worry about it, you will be perfectly fine!


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## illnastyimpreza (Oct 25, 2006)

cool guys thanks


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## ou812 (Oct 25, 2008)

I have heard of people doing this exact thing and it didn't work out very well. Email any hu manufacturer and ask them if they suggest doing so and they will flat out tell you that you have voided the hu warrenty. IMO...Skip the 2 ohm rated speakers on hu power and try to find something with higher sensativity.


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## KSUWildcatFan (Jun 11, 2006)

It doesn't sound like a good idea to me, but if they meter at 3ohm it would probably be OK. It might even be OK if they metered at 2ohm. That said, I wouldn't do it in my own install, but I wouldn't run HU power anyway.

If you run them, I hope it works out well for you! You should check into a small outboard amplifier at some point if you can swing it. The fidelity improvement is astounding.

-Jordan


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## nick650 (Feb 7, 2011)

Guys these speakers work perfectly fine. I ran kapas front and rear without issue off my head.


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## ou812 (Oct 25, 2008)

nick650 said:


> Guys these speakers work perfectly fine. I ran kapas front and rear without issue off my head.


I'm glad it's worked out for you but it's not worth it to me. I have seen people doing this off Alpine HU's and the hu shut down on them. To me it's just a marketing scheme. Running rated 2 ohm drivers on hu power the difference in output would be minimal at best. Higher sensativity drivers or like mentioned above get an amp.


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## KSUWildcatFan (Jun 11, 2006)

I'd have to agree with the sentiment above, although I just don't understand putting HU power to use these days anyway. It's not clean enough for my tastes and a small amplifier is so cheap now, HU power is just not worth using. But we're all different and for some people it's perfectly fine..

-Jordan


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## nick650 (Feb 7, 2011)

fine to run for about 2 months then I got an amp for that very reason


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## kyheng (Jan 31, 2007)

Most of the time HU's speaker output are cleaner than amp's output...


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## computerjlt (Nov 29, 2010)

kyheng said:


> Most of the time HU's speaker output are cleaner than amp's output...


Lol......


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## smgreen20 (Oct 13, 2006)

Keep in mind, it's a STOCK Ford F150 HU. Me, I wouldn't do it. It hasn't been but the last few years that stock HU's, diving external factory amps are running speakers of that low of an ohm. 

Music is dynamic, so they will drop lower then 2 ohms and higher. Being that it's a factory HU that's 11+ yrs old, I wouldn't.


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## ChrisB (Jul 3, 2008)

I've been through this before:




























If you don't trust my Crapsman meter from when the test was performed in 2008 or so, I can snap a pic with my Fluke 117.

Edit: Generally, a 2 ohm nominal speaker will have an impedance in the 1.5 to 1.8 ohm DCR range NOT over 2 ohms!


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## ZAKOH (Nov 26, 2010)

I believe Infinity's excuse is the following.. if you're connecting your speakers to the stereo's amplifier, it's likely that your using the flimsy factory wiring. Since a thin speaker wire usually increases the impedance quite a bit, they say that your stereo will be fine. At the same time, if you use an aftermarket amplifier, you presumably have replaced the factory speaker wiring with something better, so the impedance at the amplifier end of the speaker wire will be close to 2ohms.

Both of these assumptions are quite stupid IMHO. What if the car factory wiring is actually very good? Next, what if you don't replace the factory speaker wire when you install the aftermarket amplifier? Both of these could potentially happen.

In the end, I think you shouldn't spend a long time worrying about this issue. Infinity speakers are quite popular for factory speaker replacement. I haven't heard of anyone complaining of the stereo amplifier not working with them, etc.


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## robert_wrath (Apr 24, 2011)

You're HU's output can handle the 2 Ohm load just fine using it's IC power to drive the speakers. Upon adding an amp however will dramatically change the game.


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## Old Scotch (Jan 3, 2012)

I ran Kappas on the stock Ford HU in a 2000 F150 for several weeks until my Pioneer AVH3300BT came in and I found time to install that instead. 

No issues at all, save the fact that the stock HU doesn't have enough wattage to make the Kappas sound like they should. Remember there is a breakin period also - they definately get better with time. 

The Pioneer HU helped a lot with the sound quality, but I am (as expected) lacking much bass below about 100 hz or so. The high end and mids are nice however. 

The grand plan is a sub and amp next, with a second amp for the Kappas to follow. I need to buy and install as my time and money budgets allow, and want to thinnk through next steps (and get input from others) before implementing. Which is essentially why one would run upgrade speakers from a factory HU...Step 1 of a bigger plan.


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