4 ohm load or 1 ohm load?

[seg_representin 10+ year member]

I have 2 kicker 12" L5's. I have the hifonics titan txi6006 right now. I have it bridged right now doin 600 rms at 4 ohms. I want to upgrade to the hifonics brutus 1206d and run it at 1 ohm for 1200 rms. Right now my amp is pretty **** loud. Am i gonna hear a huge difference in loudness if i upgrade. Cuz if i upgrade i want it to be alot louder. Any suggestions cuz i heard its better and louder to run subs on a 4 ohm load then a 1 ohm load. Please help me out cuz i don't wanna spend uneccesary cash.

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[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Any suggestions cuz i heard its better and louder to run subs on a 4 ohm load then a 1 ohm load.

Find whoever told you that and kick them square in the nuts, because they are horribly incorrect.

But...in theory, and a perfect world, doubling power increases output by 3db. Due to things like power compression, you won't gain the full 3db.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Due to things like that pesky reality you won't gain the full 3db.

Fixed your post.

 

[seg_representin 10+ year member]

So should i do the upgrade? or not waste the money?

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Like squeak said it will be louder to the point that you will be able to hear the difference. Of course the same difference could probably be made by rebuilding the enclosure as well. Whether the increase in volume is worth the expense or not is a decision that only you can make. We all value different things. If it were me, I would not do it. I don't care too much about loud and would be more inclined to spend my money and effort making my front stage better, but that's just me. Your values might be different.

 

[seg_representin 10+ year member]

Yea thats a good idea. I think i might just not get the amp cuz i mean its $250 that i don't really wanna waste, but i don't wanna underpower those kickers and blow them either. I have been wantin some components and interior amp so i might just go with that. But then id have to get all new adapters cuz my car only fits 4x6 in speakers in the doors and i aint cuttin the door up cuz when i seel the car i wanna put all the stock stuff in. I'm not sure what i'm gonna do. I might just invest in some sound deadener. Anyone got suggestions what i should get. I heard dynamat is just overpriced. Anyone kno of any good products that are fairly cheap?

 

[zfactor 10+ year member]

you will notice a difference but not as much as people will lead you to believe,, its up to you whether you want to spend more $$ for minimal gain.. but yes it will be a bit louder

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

but i don't wanna underpower those kickers and blow them either.

Wherever you heard that, get that idea out of your head. If running less than rated RMS power to a speaker would blow it, they would blow during a lull in the music or every time you turned down the volume.

 

[soulstace 10+ year member]

If running less than rated RMS power to a speaker would blow it, they would blow during a lull in the music or every time you turned down the volume.

Then whats the purpose of minimum wattage rating on a sub?

I'm not saying you're wrong, just asking..

Thanks.

 

[dkguitarist 5,000+ posts]

Then whats the purpose of minimum wattage rating on a sub?

that's the ideal level to get the sub moving without compromising the thermal/mechanical limits of the subs handling. some subs can take more than rated rms. but it's posted so you don't just go and throw 1kw at a sub rated for 300rms and blow the bugger in 2 minutes.

the max power rating of a sub is pointless. rarely will you ever reach that point, and if you do, it'll only be a short burst. but it pushes teh sub to its limits. just keep it around the rms range and it'll be fine

 

[soulstace 10+ year member]

Thanks DK, but I wasn't referring to RMS (continuous) wattage. I was referring to minimum wattage.

Apparently minimum wattage is "the absolute bare minimum wattage required to get acceptable sound from the subwoofer".

I was always told that too low wattage could damage the speaker as well. Though it doesn't make much sense why. Perhaps heat from too much clipping and distortion I dunno..

 

[dkguitarist 5,000+ posts]

Thanks DK, but I wasn't referring to RMS (continuous) wattage. I was referring to minimum wattage.
Apparently minimum wattage is "the absolute bare minimum wattage required to get acceptable sound from the subwoofer".

I was always told that too low wattage could damage the speaker as well. Though it doesn't make much sense why. Perhaps heat from too much clipping and distortion I dunno..

slap whoever tells you that bs. you cannot blow a sub for "underpowering" it. if that was true, you'd have to always have your volume turned up at all times

 

[soulstace 10+ year member]

you'd have to always have your volume turned up at all times

But isn't it possible to get terribly clipped and distorted signal even with very small wattage output signal?

 

[dkguitarist 5,000+ posts]

But isn't it possible to get terribly clipped and distorted signal even with very small wattage output signal?

it is possible, but it's not gonna kill the sub by any means at low volumes, because it's hardly even pushing the thermal limits of the sub.

the biggest killer is pushing a sub past it's mechanical/thermal limits and blowing it (usually due to overpowering and not necessarily distortion).

 

[soulstace 10+ year member]

gotcha

So what's the big deal about clipped and/or distorted signal if it isn't gonna hurt the sub? Is all that it affects is sound quality or does it actually make it easier to destroy the sub as well?