Help me make sense out of this.

[m48xhp 10+ year member]

Ok, when guys come in sayin they need "fo twells" i just dont understand why. maybe someone can educate me with numbers. wattage wise when you put 2 500w subs on you are putting out 1000w, but is it as loud as a single 1000w sub? it doesnt seem like it would be to me. i understand it would be louder because of cone area and air displaced, but twice as loud? doesnt seem like it to me. its like putting the tv on mono and switching it back to stereo. it does not automatically get 2x louder. please tell me i am right.

also, consider all things between install equal per sub. lets say, in separate boxes.

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[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Ok, when guys come in sayin they need "fo twells" i just dont understand why. maybe someone can educate me with numbers. wattage wise when you put 2 500w subs on you are putting out 1000w

No - the subs don't output power. They accept it from the amp.

but is it as loud as a single 1000w sub?

This will be dependent on a number of factors. Which drivers are the 500w ones? What driver is the 1000w one? How are they installed? (Sealed? Ported? Appropriate airspace?) And how much power is going to whichever setup? (see above statement about subs not outputting wattage - whatever they are rated to safely accept doesn't mean the amp you use will output that exact amount)

it doesnt seem like it would be to me. i understand it would be louder because of cone area and air displaced, but twice as loud? doesnt seem like it to me. its like putting the tv on mono and switching it back to stereo. it does not automatically get 2x louder. please tell me i am right.

Not trying to be a smartass but no, I can't tell you you're right.

 

[Moe Lester 10+ year member]

a TV in mono uses both speakers but has no L&R separation, they play the exact same thing. When it is in stereo they play L&R. One speaker doesnt just turn off in mono.

 

[m48xhp 10+ year member]

a TV in mono uses both speakers but has no L&R separation, they play the exact same thing. When it is in stereo they play L&R. One speaker doesnt just turn off in mono.

ya i guess you are right. i was just thinking of an easy example. but you get what i am talking about.

 

[m48xhp 10+ year member]

No - the subs don't output power. They accept it from the amp.
This will be dependent on a number of factors. Which drivers are the 500w ones? What driver is the 1000w one? How are they installed? (Sealed? Ported? Appropriate airspace?) And how much power is going to whichever setup? (see above statement about subs not outputting wattage - whatever they are rated to safely accept doesn't mean the amp you use will output that exact amount)

Not trying to be a smartass but no, I can't tell you you're right.

also, consider all things between install equal per sub. lets say, in separate boxes.

-yes i know the subs dont 'put out' power. again, you know what I mean. doesnt really matter how i word it.

-this is why i said everything is equal in equal seperate boxes. i think you may have missed that sentance when quoting me. just think the average sub and the average sub at 2x power

 

[trow100 10+ year member]

without going into all the factors that could change it...theoretically the two should be 3db's louder. double the cone area with halving the power equals 3dbs. doubling the cone area with keeping the starting power to both subs equals 6dbs. considering these are the same subwoofers of course.

2 at 500watts would be 3 dbs louder then 1 at 1000 watts.

2 at 2000 watts would be 6dbs louder then the 1 at 1000 watts.

this of course isnt always true but just theoretical and is base upon many different factors. no way to tell for sure besides testing.

 

[m48xhp 10+ year member]

i am assuming this is just a number based on total wattage + cone area = spl. or something down that road. but in the real world it seems like a 500w sub can get up to 500w and another 500w sub can get upto 500w. just cause there are 2 of them doesnt really mean that that equals a 1000w sound, right? it will only go to 500w and come from 2 sources. this only seems to matter if you are standing in betwee the subs and hearing them both. but in a trunk wouldnt the subs produce the same level, thus not making it louder by more than just the air moving.

 

[_PuNiShEr_ 10+ year member]

i am assuming this is just a number based on total wattage + cone area = spl. or something down that road. but in the real world it seems like a 500w sub can get up to 500w and another 500w sub can get upto 500w. just cause there are 2 of them doesnt really mean that that equals a 1000w sound, right? it will only go to 500w and come from 2 sources. this only seems to matter if you are standing in betwee the subs and hearing them both. but in a trunk wouldnt the subs produce the same level, thus not making it louder by more than just the air moving.

How many watts a sub is has nothing to do with output how many watts a sub is compared to out put is efficency thus you could have a really high power sub that isnt efficent and get very low output or have a really low power sub that is very efficent and have high output. Then you throw a box into the mix and you add another variable to screw with the output. As said many times in this forum you cant take one of the subwoofers specs and predict its performace

 

[trow100 10+ year member]

^^ word up

 

[m48xhp 10+ year member]

well i know that makes sense so I guess there is no exact reasoning proving this theory right or wrong.

but would you guys say that getting too many subs rather than just one or two high output subs is a waste of money, power, and trunk space?....in general.