Wetsounds Threesome/Alpine PDX 4.150

So I've searched but haven't come up with a definitive answer. I've also called Wetsounds but didn't get a clear answer either other than they wouldn't recommend this amp? ( I thought this amp was almost a perfect fit?)

Pro 80/Pro 485 threesome with Alpine PDX 4.150 amp - What's the best settings/wiring for this. The manual isn't real clear & I figured enough people had used this set-up someone would have the quick lowdown?....................Thanks

Good question. That amp is 4x150 or 300x2 - 2 or 4 ohm. I'm guessing you run 1 channel to each pro 80(150 each) and then bridge the other 2 to the 485 (300 watts)? You're really underpowering that setup though. I could be totally off-base as I have never wired up that combo. Really you could bridge the channels and run 300x2 for your pro 80's and then get another amp for the 485.

Probably going to end up being under-powered.

1st question, can that amp be run in 3 chnl mode? If so, 150 to a Pro-80 and 300 to a Pro-485 is on the light side, but should sound ok.

I like Timmy's idea, bridge that amp into 2 chnl for 300W to each pro-80 and then get a 500-600 watt x 1 2 chnl for the Pro-485.

the PDX has two separate power supplies so you can run it in 3 channel mode... but why such an awesome tower set up to waste with an amp that is way out of it's league? if it was me I would run a wet sounds SD6... 585x3 would be sweet on that set up.

300 watts each is ok for the pro80s but I was running almost 800 to my pro485s, 300 wouldn't be doing them justice.

If you already have the PDX you could use it on the pro80s and pick up a second amp for the pro485...you will want something that will do between 500-600 watts full range.

Here is the thing - The boat gets used maybe 10 times a year right now. I bought the threesome from a friend and he was running the same PDX amp. You could hear just fine at 80' why would I need any more power? ( he pulled it all before I could check his set-up). I am not some 20 year old trying to impress everyone at the lake with my stereo.(change "impress" to "annoy" for the reality of that statement). What's funny is that when he bought the speakers from Wetsounds authorized dealer this is the amp they recommended and now it just isn't enough power, lol. I have a few other amps laying around including a few old-school Zapcos from the early '90's but they aren't going to go in the boat as it simply doesn't pencil out. I have around $600 into the threesome & PDX and I'm sure it will work just fine for what I want..............................

I ride in a creek in the middle of no-where so I really don't have to worry about "annoying" anyone

You put a question mark after saying that "I've also called Wetsounds but didn't get a clear answer either other than they wouldn't recommend this amp? ( I thought this amp was almost a perfect fit?)" I was merely explaining why wet sounds doesn't recommend that amp.




As for wiring it up, I would connect your pair of pro80s to one plug of the PDX and connect your pro485 to the other plug. Set your crossover in the 100-110 range since you won't be listening to any young people music and won't need any mid-bass (just a joke, this is really where the crossover should be set. ). Now you're prepared to listen to your music at a moderate level!

That did sound a bit like"Get off my lawn" didn't it?

Wetsounds did at one time recommend this amp according to posts from way back when but obviously now they sell their own they no longer do. Anyway, it will work fine for my purposes and I will just mess with the settings until I get it correct.............

Originally Posted by tracktor

That did sound a bit like"Get off my lawn" didn't it?

Wetsounds did at one time recommend this amp according to posts from way back when but obviously now they sell their own they no longer do. Anyway, it will work fine for my purposes and I will just mess with the settings until I get it correct.............

That amp will work fine for your application, It just that with about doubt that power your speakers will come alive. don't be any benefit to you if you're not trying to provide music for your entire party, but that is why wet sounds recommends different amps now.

send me a PM if you have any more questions once you dig into your install.

Sounds like it'll be just fine. Not ideal for maximum output, but it will work.

I completely bremeber when that amp was the recommended amp for this set up. They always recommended 150 on the 80's and 300 on the 485 RMS. Then all the sudden they needed 300watts and upwards of 700.

You'll be just fine with that amp. Are you getting the absolute max out of them? No. But you'll likely enjoy them plenty. If you find its not quite enough do as the others have said and add an additional amp.

Originally Posted by hatepain

You'll be just fine with that amp. Are you getting the absolute max out of them? No. But you'll likely enjoy them plenty. If you find its not quite enough do as the others have said and add an additional amp.

^^^ IMO, completely accurate.

Thanks for the responses - So I can just run the 80's off the front two channels & the 485 of the rear bridged? There are some posts out there on the interwebs talking about the need for RCA splitters when bridged on this amp? I shouldn't need those correct or will I to get signal to both channels?.......

Originally Posted by tracktor

Thanks for the responses - So I can just run the 80's off the front two channels & the 485 of the rear bridged? There are some posts out there on the interwebs talking about the need for RCA splitters when bridged on this amp? I shouldn't need those correct or will I to get signal to both channels?.......

Sure, you need RCA splitters so that one channel set from your source unit is divided into two sets to populate a 4-channel amplifier. Or, you can run some 4-channel amplifiers in the 2-channel input mode to feed all four channels with one pair of RCAs.
However, that doesn't fix an inherent problem in the 3-channel bridged mode. You can't get around the fact that the amplifier will not sum L & R signals on the third/bridged channel and the two channels are not mixed until reaching the speaker voice coils. So the center speaker (Pro485) will get different program material with differences in stereo phasing from the positive and negative leads in a bridged push/pull configuration. It's not good sounding and I can pick it out of a crowd, although some people say they cannot hear the degradation. They're awfully easy to please IMO. The only technically correct way to set up this combination is to a) have an amplifier with the correct input configuration switches (like Wetsounds has), or b) use an external summing circuit before the bridged amplifier inputs (as Earmark Marine does). But try it and see how it sounds to you. Maybe your easy to please.

I have a 4.100 running my interiors and that's how I have it set up but I can't tell you definitively that it doesn't have an RCA pass through as I do recall it having a switch for the varying ways the amp can be set up.