Can subs get unlouder if u turn too high?

[31337hxr 10+ year member]

Okay I have a 1986 Honda Civic DX 2 door hatchback and I have a Sony XM-1502XM 760 watt amp and I'm powering (2) Infinity Kappa Perfect 12.1 12" subs.

Yes they're underpowered but anyways let get to the point. I have a pioneer head unit with it. When I turn the volume to about 20/40 the subs get pretty good and strong. At about 30/40 when the sub hits hard I can no longer hear my pioneer TGs speakers .....and when I hit 40/40 full flast......i feel that maybe sometimes the subs dunt hit louder no more..... like when the volume was back at maybe 30/40 it was at it's max.

could it be becuz of my battery and alternator? i have a cheap car ya know...and those tiny batteries.

thanks!

I'm using an American Accessories 4guage amp kit...which was professionally wired and using a 40 amp rockford fosgate fuse. anything else u guys want to know? okay a pioneer deh-p4400 head unit

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[Phatillusion 5,000+ posts]

and when I hit 40/40 full flast......i feel that maybe sometimes the subs dunt hit louder no more..... like when the volume was back at maybe 30/40 it was at it's max.

No, I'm 99.9% sure it has nothing to do with your altenator or battery. No matter how much you underpower/overpower your speakers, you will run into clipping/distortion somewhere along the way. So when you turn your h/u volume up, that forces a bigger load on the amp, the amp then sends distorted signals to the subs, and the subs don't know any better and they produce those distorted signals. 3/4 of the way is usually a typical setting for the volume/gain. It can vary but most of the systems I have done, mine included, have usually been set at approx 1/2-3/4 gain, and 1/2-3/4 volume when it's at its peak performance. Even though you are underpowering your subs, those distorted signals are slowly detroying your sub.

 

[dbhittin 5,000+ posts]

i had this same problem. When its down low,it hits and sound good,but when i turn it up my subs,dont hit-i then found out it was the song.Some songs have to low of bass and your subs needs the power to hit that low and if your subs dont get the power they need, then there just going to cut out.so i would get a bigger amp.

 

[Phatillusion 5,000+ posts]

A bigger amp isn't going to make you be able to turn your volume up to 40/40. It gets "unlouder" because it is getting distorted signals. A bigger amp might improve the overall performance, but you still won't be able to turn your volume up all the way without getting distortion. I've seen it happen too many times, you aren't the first and you won't be the last.

 

[phattyex 10+ year member]

very true distortion kills!! its not power that blows speakers its distortion!

you may also want to make sure your subs are in phase because that can cancel out much bass!

 

[jlaine 10+ year member]

Originally posted by phattyex very true distortion kills!! its not power that blows speakers its distortion!

you may also want to make sure your subs are in phase because that can cancel out much bass!

Distortion does NOT kill speakers.

Where did you get this information from????? This very conversation has been completely blown out of the water by some of the industries largest names.

There is only one singular thing that destroys subwoofers, and that is power.

A clipped signal has potential to carry excess power with minimal gain, even so, if it stays within the speakers thermal limitations, it will never, never, never, ever damage the speaker.

 

[phattyex 10+ year member]

i swap out speakers every day for kids who have no respect for what they pay for and can't understand why there coax speakers keep blowing form head unit power and subs that are smoked formpeople pushing the limits of the equipment. now distortion in the right hands can win spl contestsbut very rarely helps out the average system.

 

[31337hxr 10+ year member]

So what do you guys suggest? turn down the gain as much as possible? If i turn the gain up too high , my infinity will start sounding like tweeters. this is bad huh?

haha......anyways, i use the gain +db boost and it's about 45degrees above no +db.

remember, this is sony xm-1502 760watt amp powering TWO infinity kappa PERFECT 12.1 12" subs with a Pioneer DEH-p4400 head unit in a CHEAP honda civic 1986 hatchback.

 

[Phatillusion 5,000+ posts]

Distortion does NOT kill speakers.

Um, I'd hate to be the one to break it to you, but distortion does damage speakers.

Why do some people think that underpowering their sub, can make it blow? Because they actually blew the sub from distortion, to little power, so they tried to make up for it with the volume button. Put it this way, if speakers were made to play distorted signals w/o a problem, you would never get a bad response from your speaker.

 

[jlaine 10+ year member]

Originally posted by Phatillusion

 

Um, I'd hate to be the one to break it to you, but distortion does damage speakers.

 

Why do some people think that underpowering their sub, can make it blow? Because they actually blew the sub from distortion, to little power, so they tried to make up for it with the volume button. Put it this way, if speakers were made to play distorted signals w/o a problem, you would never get a bad response from your speaker.

Interesting....

Do you think speakers have feelings? Are they going to come crying to you because someone sent them a dirty signal? Do they feel bad beacuse of it?

http://www.eatel.net/~amptech/elecdisc/2ltlpwr.htm

You are 100% completely, beyond a doubt, wrong. It all equates to power, and 'underpowering' a sub will never damage it, unless it was a manufacturer defect. Autosound2000 in conjunction with Richard Clark, which is industry backed by nearly every major company on the planet has already figured this out, I have yet to understand why people are still thinking in this archaic, and very foolish way.

It is all directly linked to power. Clipping has zilch to do with it. Clipping can increase power, but will never guarantee a blown sub. As long as you are within thermal limitations, nothing will ever happen.

Sorry to break it to you, but this myth has been broken long ago, I suggest you read up, and buy some of the A2000 tech briefs to catch up with the times.

 

[RangerMan Premium Member]

Originally posted by jlaine  

Interesting....

Do you think speakers have feelings? Are they going to come crying to you because someone sent them a dirty signal? Do they feel bad beacuse of it?

 

http://www.eatel.net/~amptech/elecdisc/2ltlpwr.htm

 

You are 100% completely, beyond a doubt, wrong. It all equates to power, and 'underpowering' a sub will never damage it, unless it was a manufacturer defect. Autosound2000 in conjunction with Richard Clark, which is industry backed by nearly every major company on the planet has already figured this out, I have yet to understand why people are still thinking in this archaic, and very foolish way.

 

It is all directly linked to power. Clipping has zilch to do with it. Clipping can increase power, but will never guarantee a blown sub. As long as you are within thermal limitations, nothing will ever happen.

 

Sorry to break it to you, but this myth has been broken long ago, I suggest you read up, and buy some of the A2000 tech briefs to catch up with the times.

I honestly have always thought that distortion messes up speakes and I don't see how they could not. Lets see what zane thinks. (calls) ZAAAANNNNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jlaine 10+ year member]

Originally posted by RangerMan  

I honestly have always thought that distortion messes up speakes and I don't see how they could not. Lets see what zane thinks. (calls) ZAAAANNNNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Few things for clarification:

1. Distortion is inherent in everything. From amps to head units to processors, and speakers as the foremost issue. You'd be rather shocked to see how much distortion is naturally inherent in some of the highest of high end speakers. The conversion from electrical to acoustic energy is horrible. 8% average distortion is considered doing good, going from CD to measuring the output at the speaker end.

Distortion isn't the main problem, clipping is what's up at the plate for debate right now. The only way (read: only) you can destroy a subwoofer is with either excessive power and thermally destroying a coil, or mechanically exceeding the unit's abilities. A clipped amp, while sounding like garbage, is also putting out extra power under the curve. This is still extra power- and always will be. So long as this amount of power does not exceed the coils limitations, it will never, ever, ever, ever, ever damage the subwoofer.

 

[SuckMikeHawk23 10+ year member]

not to be a pr.ick.... but who the he.ll are you jlaine? u barely enter the board, and it seems like u kno ur ****, but why must u word ur thoughts the way you do, from reading the few posts you have had, i found about 4 ruthless remarks directed to some of the boards senior vip members, although u may know more than some of us, that still gives u no right to be a dic.k about it.

You are 100% completely, beyond a doubt, wrong.

^totally uncalled for

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[jlaine 10+ year member]

Originally posted by SuckMikeHawk23 not to be a pr.ick.... but who the he.ll are you jlaine? u barely enter the board, and it seems like u kno ur ****, but why must u word ur thoughts the way you do, from reading the few posts you have had, i found about 4 ruthless remarks directed to some of the boards senior vip members, although u may know more than some of us, that still gives u no right to be a dic.k about it.

 

 

 

^totally uncalled for

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//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

I'm not going to spend the extra time endearing you with a response, but instead suggesting you look at the post above mine in which I was addressed like such:

Um, I'd hate to be the one to break it to you,

Spend some time calling him a dick while you are at it, I on the other hand am not here to argue with you whether or not you think I'm nice. I start to wonder if this is another attack of who has the higher post count... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/nono.gif.eca61d170185779e0921b0faa9704973.gif

 

[RangerMan Premium Member]

Seeing as your a certified Adire dealer, I believe that you know what you are talking about, but I still have to question it until zane comes back.