Can underpowering subs ruin an amp?

[tjmortenson 10+ year member]

I had a cheap SSL 300 watt max amp, I believe it was 100 watts rms, powering two 12 inch subs that are 300 watts rms each. So 600 watts rms from the sub, but the amp could only provide 100 watts rms, and I had it bridged and running 2 ohms, and the amp burnt out, literally with smoke. I checked for shorts in my wiring and there aren't any, 12.2v with the car off, and all the audio is hooked up correctly. I need some help with this, as I didn't think an amp could be hurt from not being enough watts. But I guess it might be from being wired 2 ohms.

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[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I expect it's not stable below 4 ohm bridged and was junk to begin with.

Everyone has to learn somehow I guess.

 

[basswiigee]

it will usually cause the amp to run hot, which will shorten the life of the amp, but i believe it just wasn't 2 ohm stable...

 

[tjmortenson 10+ year member]

Yea, I figured it was probably from being wired 2 ohm, I got the amp free and I was planning on getting a new one anyway.

 

[basswiigee]

when you get a new amp get one over the rms and turn the gain down... it'll run better

 

[Peggle]

Oh yes it can

I had a little better system in my car, 2 12 Rockford P3s ran by a POS Boss PH3000d. The amp was maybe putting out 500w rms and each sub can do 600w rms so i was down 700w. Before too long the amp blew because it was trying to put out too much power. Car audio is something you cant go cheap on, you seriously get what you pay for

 

[Kingstroker 10+ year member]

Oh yes it canI had a little better system in my car, 2 12 Rockford P3s ran by a POS Boss PH3000d. The amp was maybe putting out 500w rms and each sub can do 600w rms so i was down 700w. Before too long the amp blew because it was trying to put out too much power. Car audio is something you cant go cheap on, you seriously get what you pay for

The amp probably blew because it was a "POS Boss PH3000d" not because it was under powering the subs. Unrealistic expectations damage more equipment due to driving it way beyond its electrical/mechanical/thermal limits. An example would be trying to get 1200 wrms out of a PH3000d.