Wiring Multiple Subwoofer Drivers

@ptheo 

I would like to know if one is better than the other & the pros/cons of each. The two different wiring diagram I’m considering are:

2 sets of 3 series drivers run parallel= 12ohms

3 sets of 2 series drivers run parallel= 5.3333ohms

use a 5 pole two position switch on each cabinet wiring to select 12 ohm or 5.3 ohm. 

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/NKK-Switches/PS5N?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvNbjZ2WlReYnEL%252BmPFDxwPkry0E8...

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/NKK-Switches/PS5N?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvNbjZ2WlReYnEL%252BmPFDxwPkry0E8...

the 12A rated switch can stand max. 760 watts @ 5.3 ohm and the 30A switch over 4.7k watts!

ptheo, it depends on your amps and in your case with that high damping factor you can do anything you want. I would go with 5.3 ohms. This should be amazing with those amps. If you really want to thunder lay the cabinets down long side against the floor right back into the front wall right into the corners. Get two slabs of Granite (cut offs from local shop) and lay them right on top of the woofers. When and if you decide you like the set up tack the granite down with silicone caulking. This will stop a large portion of the cabinet resonance and in that position you will need just a 1/4 the power to get to a certain volume and the comb filtering should be less of a problem. The bass response won't change as much as you walk around the room. You could also use them as a book shelf:)

I don’t want to wire them for 12ohm & find out later I can’t get the output I need/want.

To be clear, what I’m saying is while you can probably measure more output because of the higher power into lower ohms, it is very hard to hear any improvement. Whereas the improvement in bass response being more articulate, fast and flat with higher impedance is very easily heard.

Put another way, the bass at 16 ohms will sound better all the time at every volume level, except for MAYBE right at the ragged edge of max volume when it gets to clipping. While the bass with 4 ohms will sound round and slow and flabby all the time at every volume level with the only advantage being it is able to go a few dB louder before clipping.

In my case the difference I heard between 16 and 4 was huge, with the sound of 8 being closer to the sound of 4 than 16. All in terms of quality. In terms of quantity, of volume, I never heard any difference at all. So like I said before, if you listen to music then you want 16. If you look at meters then 4.