Hardly any excursion?

[AtillaTheHung]

So I have a Cerwin Vega V122D paired with a JVC KD-R850BT and a Hifonics ZRX 1000.1D. It sounds good and bumps loud, but for some odd reason I don't have hardly any excursion. I figured it would be because I'm running 8AWG wire to my amp from my battery. I guess that would be a dummy mistake, but I'm already purchasing true 4awg from sonic. So what would be causing no excursion? Nothing gets hot, and nothing smells. Not one thing seems out of the ordinary other than the fact my subwoofer barely moves. I have a vented enclosure by the way. I think my box is tuned to around ~38-42hz something. I'll have to look at it.

Click to read more...

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

So I have a Cerwin Vega V122D paired with a JVC KD-R850BT and a Hifonics ZRX 1000.1D. It sounds good and bumps loud, but for some odd reason I don't have hardly any excursion. I figured it would be because I'm running 8AWG wire to my amp from my battery. I guess that would be a dummy mistake, but I'm already purchasing true 4awg from sonic. So what would be causing no excursion? Nothing gets hot, and nothing smells. Not one thing seems out of the ordinary other than the fact my subwoofer barely moves. I have a vented enclosure by the way. I think my box is tuned to around ~38-42hz something. I'll have to look at it.

either not enough power, box too small or you might just be playing music at your box tuning. You get less excursion when you play notes closer to your box tuning.

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Not enough power. If you're running 8 gauge to your amp (which I'm assuming is most likely CCA) and the amp isn't getting warm, your gains are probably low and you're not getting everything out of your amp. I don't just recommend turning your gain up though, because you need bigger/better wire.

Also, don't expect much. That amp is rated at 1000 MAX not RMS.

The RMS rating would probably be around 500. It's the Zeus series, so I wouldn't expect more than 200-300 out of it.

 

[AtillaTheHung]

Not enough power. If you're running 8 gauge to your amp (which I'm assuming is most likely CCA) and the amp isn't getting warm, your gains are probably low and you're not getting everything out of your amp. I don't just recommend turning your gain up though, because you need bigger/better wire.
Also, don't expect much. That amp is rated at 1000 MAX not RMS.

The RMS rating would probably be around 500. It's the Zeus series, so I wouldn't expect more than 200-300 out of it.

So, when I buy my 4AWG should I bump up the gain a bit or would it blow my sub? The Vega is rated like 450rms, but I believe it may be a bit underrated.

 

[AtillaTheHung]

either not enough power, box too small or you might just be playing music at your box tuning. You get less excursion when you play notes closer to your box tuning.

I actually thought about this too, but even if I play a few decaf songs it still doesn't move all that much. I guess I should just buy some 4AWG and bump up my gain.

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

So, when I buy my 4AWG should I bump up the gain a bit or would it blow my sub? The Vega is rated like 450rms, but I believe it may be a bit underrated.

If it is already set to maximum output, don't bump it up. If it was set conservitavely, set it correctly.

 

[AtillaTheHung]

If it is already set to maximum output, don't bump it up. If it was set conservitavely, set it correctly.

This is probably a noob thing, but what do you mean by that? I have my amp set at around 2.4 and my HU preout is 2.5. I have the sub level at +08 and no bass boost/loud settings are on at all on anything.

 

[ancorp 10+ year member]

Some headunits don't put out nearly that voltage at all, unless certain settings are quite cranked. My pioneer claims 4v output, but my gain is set to below 2v. I personally would adjust your gain.

 

[AtillaTheHung]

Some headunits don't put out nearly that voltage at all, unless certain settings are quite cranked. My pioneer claims 4v output, but my gain is set to below 2v. I personally would adjust your gain.

I wanna try the "Poor mans oscope" with a tweeter, but I have no idea how to determine distortion with something like that. I guess I'll have to get my amp tuned professionally since I'm kinda low on cash and can't really afford an oscope.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

play with the volume knob on the head unit. keep turning it up and if the bass stops getting louder, then you are at clipping point, back it off and if you end several notches from where you started at your current listening level, then you need to redo the gains at your listening level.

Check heat levels afterwards along with voltage levels.

 

[AtillaTheHung]

play with the volume knob on the head unit. keep turning it up and if the bass stops getting louder, then you are at clipping point, back it off and if you end several notches from where you started at your current listening level, then you need to redo the gains at your listening level.
Check heat levels afterwards along with voltage levels.

That's something that I can do. Thanks, and by heat you mean my subs cone and the amp right? I can check all the voltages as well. I'll probably go ahead and wait till I get my 4awg before I do this though. If set properly do you think the Vega can handle the ZRX? So far it seems pretty good, but then again I think it's a bit underrated when it comes to RMS.

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

What Jeff said

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

That's something that I can do. Thanks, and by heat you mean my subs cone and the amp right? I can check all the voltages as well. I'll probably go ahead and wait till I get my 4awg before I do this though. If set properly do you think the Vega can handle the ZRX? So far it seems pretty good, but then again I think it's a bit underrated when it comes to RMS.

yup sub cone and amp heat after 5-10 minute full blast sessions. If its not even close to bottoming out or heating up, then it can handle a lot more than what the ZRX can give it atm.