Damping factor 50 at 50 hertz

[Steveopevo2]

Most companies rate it at 100 hertz What would it be at 100hertz and is it a poor damping factor especially at 2 ohms

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[Buck 5,000+ posts]

If that’s a sub amp, that’s an awful dampening factor.

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Most companies rate it at 100 hertz What would it be at 100hertz and is it a poor damping factor especially at 2 ohms

Most amps have poor damping at lower impedances, hence their ratings at 4 Ohms (maybe something related to headroom). Rating them at lower frequencies would also bring the score lower because a speaker moves more at 50 hz as opposed to 100 hz causing more voice coil induction. There should be an app that helps you calculate damping factor, but you need ro know the resistance of every item you use with the amp.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Most amps have poor damping at lower impedances, hence their ratings at 4 Ohms (maybe something related to headroom). Rating them at lower frequencies would also bring the score lower because a speaker moves more at 50 hz as opposed to 100 hz causing more voice coil induction. There should be an app that helps you calculate damping factor, but you need ro know the resistance of every item you use with the amp.

Great explanation man, I enjoyed that.


The dampening factor of the amp is one of the most important values to check when you're buying an amp. Dampening factor seems to play a massive role in how well the amp controls the sub across a wide frequency bandwidth. When I buy sub amps, I try to get an amp with a rated >250 dampening factor. I've actually tested amps, and I know for sure that dampening factor really changes how well an amp can control a woofer's excursion, especially if you're playing below tuning frequency or way above tuning frequency with a ported box. IMO, higher dampening factor = less chance to bottom your sub out playing below tuning frequency, and sort of a similar story on the high end, but high end bass usually doesn't cause nearly as much excursion due to way less polarity duration vs low notes.

Pretend you have a box tuned to 34 hz. An amp with a dampening factor of 100 might only play down to 30 hz. An amp with something like a 250 dampening factor might be able to control the subs down to 28 hz. So, think about that as you choose your amplifier. You tend to get what you pay for with amps. If an amp does a ton of power and is really small, the dampening factor is probably doo.

***Damping not dampening

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

IMHO: Another way to put it is that amps with a higher dampening factor will basically be able to apply more consistent amplifier power across a wider frequency bandwidth than lower dampening factor amps.

***Damping not dampening

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

The word is damping, not dampening.

Stay away from suspiciously small amplifiers, as in the "too good to be true" power ratings. The first design features to be sacrificed in order to shrink the chassis are heatsink mass and power supply capacitance. These both add mass and weight and aren't necessary to pass the old CEA amplifier power standard test.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

The word is damping, not dampening.

Stay away from suspiciously small amplifiers, as in the "too good to be true" power ratings. The first design features to be sacrificed in order to shrink the chassis are heatsink mass and power supply capacitance. These both add mass and weight and aren't necessary to pass the old CEA amplifier power standard test.

You are correct. I do that all of the time on accident going too fast. I need to work on that, it's like I have a dyslexia with spelling that word. I think I used to spell it wrong and still do. Ugh I hate it when I misspell stuff

Here's a little write up I found: https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-damping-factor-isnt-much-of-a-factor

 

[DRBOOM]

I'm glad my Precision Power PC450 has a damping factor over 500!!!!!

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Great explanation man, I enjoyed that.

Right on, birds of a feather.

>250 dampening factor. I've actually tested amps, and I know for sure that dampening factor really changes how well an amp can control a woofer's excursion,

Yes, since I use passive xovers, I can hear better vocals and subtle background cues when I use class a/b amps, which have better DF ratings. The bass notes sound noticeably separated during Metallica's foot pedal attack on the bass drum. The HiFonics VIII series and US Amps A series are great at this. But I have noticed that a DF rating of 100 db is ok; or it may be complacency.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Most companies rate it at 100 hertz What would it be at 100hertz and is it a poor damping factor especially at 2 ohms

This is one of those published stats that is very easy for a manufacturer to exaggerate or flat out lie about. Important to some degree but if you really care stick to running higher impedance as the lower you go the more effect just your wire, terminal connections, and other small resistances after the output stage throw that ratio into some very low numbers. You will be hard pressed to find anybody giving an honest number for this and without precision equipment in your specific install you will never know where you actually land with this.