HELP! I need some knowledge!!!

[r0llinlacs 10+ year member]

So....the Big3 upgrade would be important for me if I wanted to reach max power on the amps, but if I do that I may need to consider, either an additional sub or a smaller amp????

You should never even come close to drawing full power on your sub amp with a 400watt sub and you won't even come close to drawing 400watts from your high amp either considering it's a DB drive and its claimed 400 watts is probably more like 100 if you're lucky.

 

[gimling]

When you say make my adjustments at 39, you meant to turn the volume to 39 (just under max), then run the gain to distortion, and back off til it is gone? Is that correct?

no not to distortion on the subs. to the voltage level of 28.2 volts. remember your using a more powerful amp than what the subs can handle. your setting that amp to those subs, being its alpine it does 1000 watts, you dont want to put all that to the sub the sub overpowered doesnt always distort it will heat up and melt your coil eventually.

 

[r0llinlacs 10+ year member]

no not to distortion on the subs. to the voltage level of 28.2 volts. remember your using a more powerful amp than what the subs can handle. your setting that amp to those subs, being its alpine it does 1000 watts, you dont want to put all that to the sub the sub overpowered doesnt always distort it will heat up and melt your coil eventually.

More than likely it's going to bottom out and seize and destroy the coil before the coil ever overheats...

 

[d2jlking]

You should never even come close to drawing full power on your sub amp with a 400watt sub and you won't even come close to drawing 400watts from your high amp either considering it's a DB drive and its claimed 400 watts is probably more like 100 if you're lucky.

So....DB drive is not a good brand? I wish I had known more when I bought things, honestly, I didn't realize the knowledge that was out here available to me, I basically just paid for whatever the guy at the stereo store said was fine. Mistake. Oh well, I spent enough cash that I need to see this setup through, when I do upgrade, I hope to do a better job of buying appropriate equipment.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

So....the Big3 upgrade would be important for me if I wanted to reach max power on the amps, but if I do that I may need to consider, either an additional sub or a smaller amp????

Its important regardless if you run an aftermarket system or not in my opinion.The big 3 helps the alt from working as hard(running harder to charge the batt,and keeping your voltage up when you draw more than stock supply than the vehicle is currently needing).That alt is already working its azz off already just keeping up with the stock supply and demand.Car manufact. place/do the bare min that they can get by with, and the cheapest.Ever run down the road and decide its pretty hot outside at night and turn on the a/c and experience that jolt/down draw with the lights dimming?Thats the struggle/amp draw thats wearing out the alt,and batt isnt keeping up with the demand,thus working/wearing out the alt do to the ****** electrical supply that they get by with,costing you more money in the future to buy alts a batts sooner than you really need.I mean, $50 bucks to do the big3 verses buying another alt and batt sooner than need be and spend $130+ on an alt and $120+ on a batt? No brainer there.As for the amps..They need 14.4v to get the max potential that they need to perform at theyre best,but low voltage constantly will ruin/fry an amplifier do to poor supply and demand.Most amps these days will do fine in the lower 12v range,but never see the actual performance that they can produce given the upper voltage,yielding in less performance/output,and those wanting more and experiencing less than expected.Dimming lights when you are playing a system is an indication of poor supply/not enough power for the demand which will ruin/damage an amplifier/amplifiers,along with components within.Im not an electrical engineer, but I have experienced failures(money loss,and equiptment loss) due to poor voltage issues,and have experienced what the big 3 has done to maintain my voltage,and keeping up with my supply and demand needs for as little as it cost.I recommend the Big3 on any vehicle whether it be adding an after market audio system or not if you want your alt and batt to last longer.If you experience dimming lighting..do the big three,and run what you have

 

[d2jlking]

Its important regardless if you run an aftermarket system or not in my opinion.The big 3 helps the alt from working as hard(running harder to charge the batt,and keeping your voltage up when you draw more than stock supply than the vehicle is currently needing).That alt is already working its azz off already just keeping up with the stock supply and demand.Car manufact. place/do the bare min that they can get by with, and the cheapest.Ever run down the road and decide its pretty hot outside at night and turn on the a/c and experience that jolt/down draw with the lights dimming?Thats the struggle/amp draw thats wearing out the alt,and batt isnt keeping up with the demand,thus working/wearing out the alt do to the ****** electrical supply that they get by with,costing you more money in the future to buy alts a batts sooner than you really need.I mean, $50 bucks to do the big3 verses buying another alt and batt sooner than need be and spend $130+ on an alt and $120+ on a batt? No brainer there.As for the amps..They need 14.4v to get the max potential that they need to perform at theyre best,but low voltage constantly will ruin/fry an amplifier do to poor supply and demand.Most amps these days will do fine in the lower 12v range,but never see the actual performance that they can produce given the upper voltage,yielding in less performance/output,and those wanting more and experiencing less than expected.Dimming lights when you are playing a system is an indication of poor supply/not enough power for the demand which will ruin/damage an amplifier/amplifiers,along with components within.Im not an electrical engineer, but I have experienced failures(money loss,and equiptment loss) due to poor voltage issues,and have experienced what the big 3 has done to maintain my voltage,and keeping up with my supply and demand needs for as little as it cost.I recommend the Big3 on any vehicle whether it be adding an after market audio system or not if you want your alt and batt to last longer.If you experience dimming lighting..do the big three,and run what you have

Sounds like a must upgrade. Thanks audiobaun, I appreciate the info. I'm just overwhelmed by all there is to know about this topic, but I can't wait to learn as much as possible. Appreciate you helpin out a beginner, bro.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Sounds like a must upgrade. Thanks audiobaun, I appreciate the info. I'm just overwhelmed by all there is to know about this topic, but I can't wait to learn as much as possible. Appreciate you helpin out a beginner, bro.

You will be fine as stated on the draw for now,as you will not be seeing a massive demand,but if you do experience dimming,just do the big 3,and it will help the electrical tramendusly (MS)and you will gain alot from it,and will save you some money as well,and be beneficial if cranking it up with larger subs for the demand needed and any other upgrades such as batts in the future.Do read up on it. DB drive is an OK brand of amps,but there are better quality amps out there for the money. The Alpine amp is a decent quality amp,though there are more effecient quality amps for the money as well.Alpine has always been pretty good amps over the years

 

[r0llinlacs 10+ year member]

So....DB drive is not a good brand? I wish I had known more when I bought things, honestly, I didn't realize the knowledge that was out here available to me, I basically just paid for whatever the guy at the stereo store said was fine. Mistake. Oh well, I spent enough cash that I need to see this setup through, when I do upgrade, I hope to do a better job of buying appropriate equipment.

DB drive is cheap. I thought they were made by Maxxsonics and basically replicas of PlanetAudio amps but after looking at their website they're not quite as crappy as PlanetAudio. But 400 watts from a 30 amp fuse? The most you could possibly get is a theoretical 360 watts @ 100% efficiency.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

DB drive is cheap. I thought they were made by Maxxsonics and basically replicas of PlanetAudio amps but after looking at their website they're not quite as crappy as PlanetAudio. But 400 watts from a 30 amp fuse? The most you could possibly get is a theoretical 360 watts @ 100% efficiency.

DB drive A7 amps are some of the best. They are not made by maxxsonics

 

[TaylorFade 10+ year member]

OMG. Just what a guy looking for help needs... a bunch of people arguing over insignificant crap.

Disregard all info in here other than setting the gain conservatively and clean. Make it so that even if your son gets bananas on the knob that it will stay clean and at the proper levels.

DB Drive is a good brand. You have a nice system. Set it up properly and enjoy.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

lol bro i've seen those amps in action on 8 gauge with factory electrical and it was still enough to fry 2 L7 10s. 40-60% my ***. it will draw as much as it can until the wires melt...

Clipping creates heat. Doesnt matter if you set it with an Oscope in the beginning, if the factory electrical could not support the amp's draw along with tiny wires, It will cause the amp to clip from lack of voltage after some time playing. You control the output the amps sees with the gain anyways. I've had 2k amp on a 300 rms old school W3 no problem with proper gain settings used.

DB drive is similar to orion, used to be decent now its a hit or miss but a lot better than maxxsonics.

 

[d2jlking]

OMG. Just what a guy looking for help needs... a bunch of people arguing over insignificant crap.
Disregard all info in here other than setting the gain conservatively and clean. Make it so that even if your son gets bananas on the knob that it will stay clean and at the proper levels.

DB Drive is a good brand. You have a nice system. Set it up properly and enjoy.

Thanks. I'm going to start today with setting the gain on both amps properly.