Do I need more amp or a higher preout voltage?

[grampi 10+ year member]

And how about this? I STILL don't see where you answered this question.

Sorry, I thought that was covered earlier. I didn't set the gain according to any volume setting.

 

[nismos14 5,000+ posts]

What volume do you usually listen at then?

 

[grampi 10+ year member]

What volume do you usually listen at then?

Usually around 20-23, but rarely over 25 unless the source level is really low. I'm now wondering if I do have a problem with this amp because it's blowing fuses. Could my having the gain and the boost all the way up be causing it to blow fuses?

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

5 pages later you still havent figured out you probably have your gains set wrong? You say they are at max, max bass boost, you dont seem to have any idea what volume your h/u was at while setting them.... and you think the amp is screwed up? Find someone that knows the proper way to set your amp before you start thinking its broken, because up until now I haven't seen anything that gives me any confidence you have your amp even close to set correctly.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Sealed boxes arent where subs show how effecient they can be. It's QUITE the opposite. For example, I had 2 CVR 15s, '02 models, in a sealed box, bridged to my 250 HCCA, and they banged like CRAZY, in the manufacturer's spec box. Now, those same 2 subs were put in a ported box, on a smaller amp, and it was definately louder. Wasnt as sharp, or punchy of a bass, but was definately louder. And this was on a smaller amp.

My point being....IN A SEALED BOX....MORE POWER THAN CALLED FOR ISNT A BAD IDEA

Then you obviously don't know what efficiency is. An efficient sub reaches its potential with a small amount of power. No shit you can get a ported sub louder, but he wants sealed. Use an inefficient sub in sealed box and an efficient sub in a sealed box both on the same small amount of power and tell which has the more satisfying output. What you were hearing is a difference in the box. Nothing to do with the efficiency of the sub.

grampi-you are probably blowing fuses because you have a coil wired out of phase and are clipping the shit out of the amp without moving the cone.

 

[grampi 10+ year member]

Then you obviously don't know what efficiency is. An efficient sub reaches its potential with a small amount of power. No shit you can get a ported sub louder, but he wants sealed. Use an inefficient sub in sealed box and an efficient sub in a sealed box both on the same small amount of power and tell which has the more satisfying output. What you were hearing is a difference in the box. Nothing to do with the efficiency of the sub.
grampi-you are probably blowing fuses because you have a coil wired out of phase and are clipping the shit out of the amp without moving the cone.

The sub is a DVC with 2 ohm coils. I have them wired in series and the only way I can see having them wired out of phase is if the terminals are improperly marked. Is there any way to tell if that's the case?

 

[nismos14 5,000+ posts]

Well you have one + going to a - right? and the the open leads going to the terminal/amp? No other connections are being made right?

 

[grampi 10+ year member]

Well you have one + going to a - right? and the the open leads going to the terminal/amp? No other connections are being made right?

Right

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The sub is a DVC with 2 ohm coils. I have them wired in series and the only way I can see having them wired out of phase is if the terminals are improperly marked. Is there any way to tell if that's the case?

Yes, there is a way. Touch a small battery across the terminals of one coil with correct polarity. The cone should move out. Check the other coil the same way. If one moves the wrong way, the terminals are mislabeled. While you have it out, check the DCR of the coils and then also check the voltage of the RCAs and also the actual output voltage of the amp with the way you have it set.

 

[grampi 10+ year member]

What voltage should I be adjusting my amp output to? I'm confused as to whether I should be looking for 24.5 volts (for 300 watts into 2 ohms) or 34.6 volts (for 300 watts into 4 ohms). My sub amp is rated for 300 watts bridged into a 4 ohm load, but isn't the amp actually only seeing a 2 ohm load when it's bridged?

 

[nismos14 5,000+ posts]

34.6

 

[luvinthebass 5,000+ posts]

set your amp for 300 watts at 4 ohms on w/e ur fav volume is.

 

[IamDeMan 5,000+ posts]

You sure as hell can hear clipping. What do think causes distortion? And I will never use a ported box as I don't like the sound of them. There's nothing wrong with my amp and I may consider a new sub. If I do get a new sub it'll more than likely be a JL 12W6 and I'll use the entire Kicker amp to power it.

You won't hear a cliped signal unless the added power of the clipped signal causes the driver to go beyond it's physical limitation ESPECIALLY WITH SUBS. You can have as high as 10% distortion in sub frequencies and still not notice it.

 

[its_bacon12 10+ year member]

check the way you wired that e12k.. if its dual vc

maybe you wired in series?

 

[IamDeMan 5,000+ posts]

Now, now. 300 rms to a single sub in a sealed box. I think it could very well be, like others have mentioned, he is expecting too much. I am not familiar with that sub though. Could it be that Ben stole a bad design?

DING. This is where I will put my money. He would be better suited with a more efficient sub.

He has 300 watts(today it is childs play). The sub is innefficient and he has it in sealed enclosure. He is not going to get the output he wants. I bet if you plot the response he is probably getting enough technically, but I am guessing he has a little basshead in him and just needs more.