Car Audio Fallacies

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

years of being involved in car audio and home audio, i've heard my share of laughers as well as promoted those laughers. I by no way am claiming to know it all, but we have all been told things that we believed but later found out were not true. hopefully we can clear up some of the fallacies out there.

" 3 10" subs sounds the same as 2 15" subs "

" sealed boxes are meant for SQ while ported boxes are meant for just getting loud while sounding like chit "

" you can only have either a good looking install or good sound, you can't have both "

" 4 gauge is sufficient for any install "

here are just a few that i've been told, let's see what you've been told.

Click to read more...

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

Here is one..

"Customer is always right"

haha...that almost never applies in this industry. As sad as that thought is..it is true.

 

[cyn 10+ year member]

If it says 5000 watts it will do 5000 watts including boss, pyramid etc... these are from shops now

 

[chillin 10+ year member]

Here is one..
"Customer is always right"

haha...that almost never applies in this industry. As sad as that thought is..it is true.

That's why most people on this forum do it themselves.

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

That's why most people on this forum do it themselves.

Honestly the DIY crowd is 99% the issue. Far to many "think" they know what they are doing. Then distribute the blame to products and other causes.

Or the "I only had my system full blast for like a hour" crowd...they never understand.

 

[chillin 10+ year member]

Honestly the DIY crowd is 99% the issue. Far to many "think" they know what they are doing. Then distribute the blame to products and other causes.
Or the "I only had my system full blast for like a hour" crowd...they never understand.

Good point. I have just personally had bad luck with shops and I know it was their mistake, just to too long to realize it, so now I do it myself and if there is a problem at least I know who fukked up and I can take the blame.

Ex. I bought a new prs880 and had it installed with my sub, amps and comps and it had a terrible whine. I brought the car back to the shop. They said because my car had an upgraded system with a built in amp, there was nothing they could do. They also said they tried many different HU's and that wasn't the problem. It wasn't until 2 years later when i got my next car and still had alt whine that I looked up the prob;em and found out about the pico fuse. I would say they straight up lied about trying different decks, and fried a $400 Hu in the process but it was way too late at that point.

 

[LBC]

Here are some completely wrong things that come to mind:

It's ok to run less impedence than rated daily

Impedence ONLY rises

You have to tune high to achieve a high spl

Cone area and power are the most important things in SPL

Capacitors hurt more than they help

The gain knob adjusts the percentage of the amp's rated power that it is putting out. eg: It's only turned halfway so my amp is halfway up.

 

[DoesDad 10+ year member]

How about underpowering subwoofers is bad for them. Or subwoofers need a break-in period.

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

Here are some completely wrong things that come to mind:
It's ok to run less impedence than rated daily

Impedence ONLY rises

You have to tune high to achieve a high spl

Cone area and power are the most important things in SPL

Capacitors hurt more than they help

The gain knob adjusts the percentage of the amp's rated power that it is putting out. eg: It's only turned halfway so my amp is halfway up.

How about underpowering subwoofers is bad for them. Or subwoofers need a break-in period.

All good points!!

 

[cfox10 10+ year member]

The more watts it handles the louder it's going to be.

 

[chillin 10+ year member]

I have also noticed a few of the shops i used to go to would always recommend the best comps, but rarely said anything about deadener or proper install of door speakers.

Also @cfox10 where is your user name from?

 

[cfox10 10+ year member]

[quote name='chillin']

Also @cfox10 where is your user name from?[/QUOTE]


First and last name, haha... Also was just the username given to me from my school email account... just kept using it.

 

[ThatChevyGuy 5,000+ posts]

"My box is actually tuned to 68 hz"

"they told me i should be hitting 212 deciMals"

"Get two tens, two 12s and one 15 so you can hit the highs mids and low lows"

"Turn your lpf all the way up, it will make it louder cuz your subs hit all frequencys"

Some i can remember from high school

 

[ThatChevyGuy 5,000+ posts]

All good points!!

Subwoofers do need a break in period DURP but you dont have to baby them

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

Subwoofers do need a break in period DURP but you dont have to baby them

Definition of "break in" is different here. You are talking about the suspension becoming "weaker" and thus giving a different sound and allowing for further travel.

We are not talking about that. We are talking about the idea that if you do not it will damage a speaker and void the warranty and such. That is simply a lie and in no way true what so ever.