Subs get louder after amp warmed up?

[scottrc5391]

I have a slight problem, well, mostly an annoyance. See, I have my Planet Audio 2400W mono amp hooked up to my Alpine Type-R Dual 2 ohm voice coil subwoofer in a 1 ohm configuration (yes, amp is stable). What happens is that I will listen to music for about 5-10 minutes and then I notice the subwoofer will all of a sudden get really loud, like from a surge in power. Like I'll be listening with sub at normal volume and then the sub starts pounding like twice as loud as before. What is causing this and how can I fix it? Is it just what happens when the amp or sub warms up some? BTW, the sub is brand new. I've noticed this on at least 3 different songs so I doub't it is the songs themselves. I've leaning towards the amp warming up idea. Let me know, thanks.

[80_Cutlass_mn]

It is a fact that the output transistors in most amps will be able to pass more current through them the hotter they get so when the amp is very very cold then it wont pass as much current to the subs then it would if it were warm. I to have suffered this problem a couple of times before, whenever my amp is very cold like in winter then my subs just wont get as loud till my amp warms up to about 80-90 degrees from staying at like 20-30 all night long. Im really sorry to say it but im afraid your just gonna have to live with it till it at least warms up like in spring, otherwise the amp just wont put out as much power when its very very cold becuase the transistors simply dont put out all that great their very cold.

[scottrc5391]

OK, I guess I'll have to just live with it, but it's only a slight annoyance. Yeah, I never noticed it until it has gotten really cold here lately. Thanks.

[jemorgan85]

Ok, first of all, why do you have 2400 watts on a 500 watt rms woofer?

[Bumpin03]

i doubt its just the amp warming up. it definantly shouldn't get twice as loud once its warmed up. i cant even tell the difference when the amp is cool or warm on my setup. check your connections. you probably have a loose connection somewhere.

[BooLeaN]

Type R's are 300 RMS

[playa1]

Ok, first of all, why do you have 2400 watts on a 500 watt rms woofer?

why not

[scottrc5391]

why not

Thankyou, that's what I was thinking. And, why go buy another, smaller amp, when I got this one free from my brother? He used it to power two 15"s. I'm just using what I have (with gain turned down), it's not like I decided I needed a 2400W amp for this sub (500wrms). Plus it is nice to know that I can expand my system and easily power 4 15" subs with just this one amp if I wanted (hahaha, that's power), or maybe a better single 15" sub like that XXX. Also, it's never bad to have a little extra power on tap. Not trying to be a smart a$$, just answering your question.

Pretty sure all connections are good. I am going to just live with this for now and I take it that the cold is what is causing the difference. Maybe I notice the biggest volume difference because I have so much power in that amp going to just one sub which is hooked up in 1 ohm configuration meaning it would be a bigger surge of power (when amp gets warm) than a 2 or 4 ohm configuration. With my brother's two 15"s, I never noticed it (hooked up in 1 ohm also), but I think that was because power was split between two subs, not one. Know what I am saying? Sounds logical to me.

[Bavarian3]

why not

cuz that is way too much power.

[scottrc5391]

cuz that is way too much power.

NO crap sherlock, thanks for doing that simple math for me, but read my above explanation. Did you ever hear of the gain and level knobs on an amp? You know you don't HAVE to max them out (probably what you do). At least I don't have too little power...

[Bumpin_Ack]

Did you ever hear of the gain and level knobs on an amp?

LOL... umm i'm pretty sure the gain wasn't meant as a volume control. Nor was it meant to put out less watts...but whatever floats your boat.

[helotaxi]

LOL... umm i'm pretty sure the gain wasn't meant as a volume control. Nor was it meant to put out less watts...but whatever floats your boat.

It wasn't meant for that use, no, but it does make a very effective power LIMITER. The problem comes when attempts are made to use it to get MORE power out of the amp.

[Bavarian3]

NO crap sherlock, thanks for doing that simple math for me, but read my above explanation. Did you ever hear of the gain and level knobs on an amp? You know you don't HAVE to max them out (probably what you do). At least I don't have too little power...

lol, idiot. dont make any more threads about why ur sub is smelling smoke or why its blown a week from now.

It wasn't meant for that use, no, but it does make a very effective power LIMITER. The problem comes when attempts are made to use it to get MORE power out of the amp.

not when ur dealing with FIVE times the rms on SQ sub especially that isnt meant to handle shitloads of power. use commen sense.

[scottrc5391]

Never saw any problem using the very simple gain knob which I never said was a volume knob. You can buy me another amp if you want. Helotaxi was the only one (besides 80 cutlass who actually answered my question, thankyou) who made an intelligient statement, saying that you can use it to limit power, but the amp can't put out more than it's rated at (I believe that's what he meant). I won't blow the sub or smoke it because I am not going to let it get that much power, that's just "common sense". Some people use what they have and don't needlessly buy more amps when theirs is already sufficient (unless you just like wasting money). Now instead of just criticizing me for having a big amp and low power sub, maybe you could have actually said something constructive. I have never seen anyone criticized for having too much power (granted they don't use it all), only too little power, in which case the amp would clip the signal (if they pushed it) and THAT would blow the sub or overheat the amp. So let's drop it, this thread is over, I already got my answer, didn't intend for it to turn into an argument or flame war, sorry if I offended anyone.