Does an amp put out more voltage @ 60hz or 40hz?

[justafifteen 10+ year member]

I was just wondering because I tuned my amp with a 40hz tone, but the guide on here says to use 60hz. So If I pop in a 60hz tone, will it be putting out more voltage at the same volume, or less?

Click to read more...

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

The reason 60Hz is recommended is because a cheaper DMM might be more closely calibrated at the frequency of AC wall power (60Hz).

The amp doesn't care.

 

[tidy max]

in theory it should be the same voltage, but buy a multimeter and measure it yourself to see!

Why are you interested just out of curiosity?

 

[justafifteen 10+ year member]

Righto. I'll head back to my local NAPA and borrow their DMM again and try using a -6db 60hz tone like the RoE site says to use. I'll see if the voltage is comparable.

And I'm just interested because little things like that just interest me. I'm always trying to fine out more about how watts/volts/things like this works.

edit - Also, I used a 0db 40hz tone. RoE says to use a -6db 60hz, so I'm sure that will make a difference.

 

[Wingman0121 10+ year member]

A speaker is a reactive load so the exact amount of power being sent from the amp will depend on the frequency and impedance rise. Your amp might only see a 6 ohm load or something quite higher than what the sub's are rated for at or near the resonant frequency. Then after a while the coil in the sub gets hot and that also adds resistance to the overall equation.

/\ /\ /\ Calculating the resonant frequency and box impedance rise is how people are able to run an amp down to like .7 or .375 ohm when the amp is only suppose to push 1 ohm loads.

 

[Databyter 10+ year member]

You basically want to use the tone that will be the mid for your speaker range, or the hardest work for it if you want to think of it like that.

Lower frequencies require more power, but middle frequencies usually hit more so 60 is about right (assuming average big woofer).

If you have a DB boost in a certain frequency range, and you plan on using it, turnit up and set the gain with it on and use a tone in that range.

What your looking for is the tone that does the most work, because what your trying to do is set a top limit.

It doesn't matter that you like to listen to music that hits alot at 40, what matters is that you match your tone to something that resembles average Peak for your speaker.

Disclaimer, I'm not an expert, but I understand this and have recently done some reading in the area.

 

[302yota 10+ year member]

i'd like to learn more about this also.....i normally set amps on a -3db 50hz test tone....but i'd really like to learn more when it comes to imp. rise....because if i can wire my subs .5ohms and my amp see it at, around 1.5-2.5 ohms....then i' dont see a problem with running my subs at .5ohms.....but i'm sure there's a lot for me to learn when it comes to this

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

SSA forums recommend a 50Hz 0db tone and thats what I used for my ID8's.