Back to the original question I just noticed something interesting with my Germ crossovers. I finally got some quality time tuning my system with a Velman O-scope to make sure that I wasn't clipping signals which we all should know can make a system sound like crap. I knew I was clipping pretty badly and the O-scope showed a nasty signal coming out of the amp because I had the gains set way too high. Now this seems to be why the lights are flashing on the crossover. When I got the clipping fixed the lights on the crossover stopped completly.

If you understand that, cool, otherwise keep reading:

Ok let me further explain my theory....

I had 100w going to my germs. I was told these things really perform best with closer to 300w. So tonights I was game but I had to be safe and check the clipping. My headunit, by my surprise, will go max volume and have no, zero, zippo, zilch for clipping. I was tossing all manner of test tones at it and nothing would clip. Now that is damned impressive to me.

Ok so I went to the amp and checked the output on the bridged setup with various mid range test tones adjusting the gains down to a perfect sine wave. I hooked the germs back up this time with 450w RMS coming at them. Again the light bulb never so much as glowed. Everything is working great. I have no ideal how or why yet but that little bulb seems to be protecting the speakers from nasty signals somehow.

If your curious the Germs were singing like nothing I have ever heard! 450w don't even phase these things. OMG you all were not kidding about how these things perform! Oh and Styx I don't miss my rear fill in the least.

 

Ive been told by a few people that kenwood set their internal gains low from the factory so that they dont clip at any volume and then I looked down and you are running a kenwood HU so that must be true, I tend not to believe joe shmo. Also Ill have to get my amp on a scope soon and get it all adjusted right I set my gains by the 3/4 volume thing and this much AC volts out the wire type crap. Now I only need to find someone with a scope to do it with........

 

If you can spare about $100 look on ebay for a Velleman HPS10. Extremely easy to use.

 

I didnt know they were that cheap! Ill ask my stereo shop if they have one if not I might look into getting that. They only problem is I have never used one before i mean I know about them and stuff but never used on, are they easy to use?

 

yea really easy. If you get one i can walk you through the use.