EXACTLY!!!

BTW, have I mentioned I hate ported boxes?

 

I actually prefer the sound of a ported box over a sealed box, (mine being tuned to 35Hz, sub responds as low as 18Hz) but then I don't have nearly as much experience with stereos as you so what do I know, really.

I do know that my buddy has been running a 1000watt D class amp into a little 8" 250watt RMS Jensen tube sub for a good two years without any problems (sold his 10" bazooka triangles and never bought anything new)

 

I like ported boxes but only if they are tuned lower than 30hz. now transmission lines. thats where its at

 

i have the exact opposite problem, i have tried 2 different amps, current one is new out of box kenwood 500w x 1 mono amp, with bass boost, input gain control, and all the crossover and cutoffs you want.. i can barely get my 2 kicker 10" 4ohm DVC's to thump wheni have the gain and bass boost turned all the way up!

i think my problem is too low of an input signal strength to the amp from the OEM low level input lines.. I am going to get an adapter to hook into the sub out in the OEM HU with RCA inputs and see if it helps to go direct to the HU, and not splice into where the OEM amp was getting it's low level signal..??

or.. maybe the OEM signal to the OEM amp..isn't really low level at all, in fact maybe it's speaker level, and i have it input into my low level amp inputs..that seems like it would cause the same underpowered result??

 

Ok boys and girls, once again, repeat after me. "The gain **** on an amp is NOT a volume ****".

 

Don't rule out subs wire config either.

 

The gain **** on an amp is NOT a volume ****.




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Now what?

 

Do I actually have to further clarify the statement in regards to under powering and blowing speakers? Give the stupid "Well then every time you turn the volume down" example a break already. No freaking crap it requires pushing it too hard WHILE being underpowered, but what do you think 99.9% of people do? Maybe 1 in 100 cars I pull up next to, or hear drive by thumping AREN'T pushing their stuff too hard...everyone pushes it further then they should so they can be louder than the next guy.

Hence, under powering results in MORE blown subs than overpowering. I ALWAYS run over RMS on every speaker and subwoofer, often times by 3x RMS ratings and I have never blown a speaker or sub in my life. Fancy that....

 

YES, you do! If you simple say "Underpowering blows speakers" then that is a false statement. There are people that believe that though, how do we know if someone really thinks that, or if they actually KNOW what they are talking about and just dont mention it. If they do actuall believe ONLY underpowering causes speakers to blow, and they cant be told anything else, then the "turning down the volume" example is a good one.

Its from misuse, as you clarified in your post here. See, doesnt that make more sence to the people reading this?

Underpowering resulting in blownspeakers, and cranking your gains, are two totaly different things.

 

Let me see if I can explain this in laymen's terms...and see if we all can agree.

Underpowering that leads to "blowing" subs:

When an amp does not have the rated power to match the sub(s) (hence the term "underpowered") and the user does not set the amp properly. Instead the user turns up the gain (on the amp) to attempt to acheive louder subs. This can lead to a "clipped" signal which can lead to a "blown" sub.


Overpowering that leads to "blowing" subs:

When an amp does have 2x, 3x, etc..., the rated power for the sub(s) and the user does not set the amp properly (uses to much gain). This too can lead to a "clipped" signal and can cause a "blown" sub as well.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...but that means that a clipped signal causes "blown" subs.

Which of the 2 examples is quicker (to "blow" a sub) and happens more often...that would be #1. Which is why I think the "underpowering blows subs" misconception started.

 

Yes^. People just dont explain the problem as 'in depth' as they should.


Im sure we are all on the same page here, just have different ways of explaining it.

 

I guess I should have clarified, but I didn't think people would be, um, for lack of a better word, dumb enough to think under powering a sub could also mean turning the volume down.

I thought it was pretty obvious it had to do with lack of power, causing clipping at higher volumes. Oh well.

and what brypink stated above hits the nail on the head, although for "over" powered subs and speakers I think it often has to do with thermal failure, ie actual melting of voice coils and such that causes the sub to become blown.