Amp gets power but sub doesnt work, help me

[Monsoon26]

I have the amp all hooked up, it is properly grounded, and gets all 12V. The remote wire is hooked up, the wires to the sub are right. The wires in the sub box are hooked up, and i have all the settings on my deck set for a subwoofer. But the sub still produces no bass, even thought the amp's light is on, and it is getting power. Suggestions? Help?

[garychoffmann]

You didn't mention rcas. Hook your phone or ipod directly to the amp and see if it plays. What head unit? Some you need to turn sub on or turn up the level. Some you have to set the sub to on under the different inputs

[Deez54]

I just had this problem. The problem actually ended up being the head unit. I've got a few suggestions for you:

1. Crank the HELL out of all your bass boosts and gains to see if you can get absolutely anything out of your subs.
2. Bust out a multimeter and check all your connections for correct voltages, amps, and ohms.
3. Do the above (what gary mentioned). Hook up an ipod or something to check your RCA cables.
4. If it's not your RCA cables, it's mostly likely your HU as it was with mine.

[CrossoverOre]

whoa! never just crank the hell out of the setting just to see if you get any output. first get a dmm and test the subs and the output from the amp. next get a rca to headphone cable and connect to an ipod or phone and see if you get sound. you can also use the dmm to test voltage on the rca's from the head unit.

[Monsoon26]

I got the system to work for about 4 days, now i have a new problem. The amp gets power and is on when there is no bass, but when the bass is hitting the amp likes to turn off and on randomly. Help?

[los33]

I got the system to work for about 4 days, now i have a new problem. The amp gets power and is on when there is no bass, but when the bass is hitting the amp likes to turn off and on randomly. Help?

You are clipping the amp and making it go into protection mode.

OR your cables are moving around or even you dont have the amp screwed down and its bumping all around messing up the internals.

[Monsoon26]

Clipping? what is that and what causes it? also can i fix it?

And no the amp cant move from where it is now, it is screwed down.

[Jeffdachef]

Clipping? what is that and what causes it? also can i fix it?

And no the amp cant move from where it is now, it is screwed down.

Let me google that for you


Learn how to set gains with a digital multi-meter. Dont make me lmgtfy what that is either lol.

In short, your overdriving the amp forcing it to try and make power it cannot possibly dream of making, causing it to distort the signal and send that dirty clipped and distorted signal to the subs generating lots of heat on both subs and amp which leads to either longterm wear and tear or near immediate failure. In short, gains too high, you blow shit up. Turn them down and set them properly.

[Monsoon26]

I looked up more on clipping, and learned about gain. Then i looked at my amp and there is no gain knob to turn up or down. So i dont know what to do with it then, since i cant adjust the gain at all.

I took a video of my sub working as is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA3GrFR3hdE&hd=1

[Jeffdachef]

I looked up more on clipping, and learned about gain. Then i looked at my amp and there is no gain knob to turn up or down. So i dont know what to do with it then, since i cant adjust the gain at all.

I took a video of my sub working as is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA3GrFR3hdE&hd=1

you gotta let us know what your setup is. We have no idea what kind of subwoofer box, amp, head unit, car, subwoofer, electrical upgrades you have going on in your car and we have no idea how you got things setup, how your LPF, HPF and other crossovers are looking like.

[Monsoon26]

Alright i have a single 12" Hifonics Zues rated at 300watts at 4 ohms in a sealed plywood box, powered by a Kenwood 600watt two channel amp. Wiring kit for a 6oo watt amp, and a JVC KD-S28 deck. I have no aftermarket electric upgrades in my car. The LPF filter is on, on the amp. And the HPF is on in the Head Unit. I'm not sure what other info is needed.

[los33]

Alright i have a single 12" Hifonics Zues rated at 300watts at 4 ohms in a sealed plywood box, powered by a Kenwood 600watt two channel amp. Wiring kit for a 6oo watt amp, and a JVC KD-S28 deck. I have no aftermarket electric upgrades in my car. The LPF filter is on, on the amp. And the HPF is on in the Head Unit. I'm not sure what other info is needed.

Im guessing its a kenwood kac-8405 for the amp..

On your amp where the knobs are you will not see gain as its called input sensitivity and also turn bass boost off if you have it on.

[Monsoon26]

Alright i played around with that knob with my eq on flat, while playing a 40 hz test tone like many places said too. I got it to no longer turn off and on when the bass hits, but it sounds weird. Basically it sounds fine for anything above 85hz. But for anything below that it sounds like there are rocks on the woofer cone as it vibrates.

[los33]

Alright i played around with that knob with my eq on flat, while playing a 40 hz test tone like many places said too. I got it to no longer turn off and on when the bass hits, but it sounds weird. Basically it sounds fine for anything above 85hz. But for anything below that it sounds like there are rocks on the woofer cone as it vibrates.

85hz!?! Thats a little high to be sounding better then on 45hz or lower.

Have you messed with your low pass filter knob??

Take a photo of your current knob settings on the amp. Also make sure you have dont the headunit bass turned up either.

Does your headunit have a subwoofer setting menu?

[CrossoverOre]

plywood will delaminate and sound like ****. I would suggest a different box. But I do think you might have a toasty sub. Thats what I was thinking was causing the problems you described at first and now when you say it sounds like rocks I would deffinately be looking at the sub as the problem.