Help with Amp and Sub

[Whatwhatwhat]

I have a Audiobahn A8000T monoblock amp that does 400 watts at 4 Ohms. I want to purchase a Kicker Solobaric sub, and i was about to get a L7 12inch but i was told by a car audio installation place that i will blow out the sub over time because the L7 at 12in is 750 watts Rms. He told me buy a JL audio amp and said he would sell it to me for 500 bucks, but i don't want to spend that much on a monoamp. Am I really in danger if i don't find an amp to match the subs power completely? Should i just got for a Solobaric L5 10inch?

He also tried to tell me to get a Capacitor too, even though i told him i would only be running 1 amp and i have a 2003 Corolla, so i would think the alternator is good in it.

Can anyone help me out with this?

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[TeenWolf 10+ year member]

That doesn't make any sense. How can a 400w amp blow a 750w sub?

I would take the installers opinion with a grain of salt because he's trying to sell you stuff.

You don't need a cap. My 2003 car handles my system no problem and I don't have any electrical upgrade.

 

[Whatwhatwhat]

Well according to his logic, 500 watts is the lowest i should go. Thats why he tried to sell me the JL audio amp. Im wondering what constitutes as "underpowered" and would actually blow out the sub.

 

[Tirefryr 10+ year member]

A clipped 400 watts perhaps, but not likely. Buy what you WANT to buy. You'll be fine with the Abahn. DON'T buy the cap. Do some research on them and I guarantee you'll never buy one.

 

[Whatwhatwhat]

Im not sure what you meaned by clipped. But is the consensus that I am going to be ok with the amp and 1 Kicker S12L7 ?

 

[Tirefryr 10+ year member]

Yes.

 

[stones 10+ year member]

I have a Audiobahn A8000T monoblock amp that does 400 watts at 4 Ohms. I want to purchase a Kicker Solobaric sub, and i was about to get a L7 12inch but i was told by a car audio installation place that i will blow out the sub over time because the L7 at 12in is 750 watts Rms. He told me buy a JL audio amp and said he would sell it to me for 500 bucks, but i don't want to spend that much on a monoamp. Am I really in danger if i don't find an amp to match the subs power completely? Should i just got for a Solobaric L5 10inch?
He also tried to tell me to get a Capacitor too, even though i told him i would only be running 1 amp and i have a 2003 Corolla, so i would think the alternator is good in it.

Can anyone help me out with this?

First thing, you don't need a capacitor, doing "the big three" will have pretty much the same affect as a cap.

Second, you can't blow a sub by under powering it, if that was true all your speakers would go up in smoke the second you turn your volume down.

The only problem with underpowering a sub is that the amp might not be able to push the sub to its maximum potential, if you put the L7 in a ported enclosure its sensitivity will increase and it should wail just fine with 400watts RMS.

The way that undersized amps damage speakers is when the listener turns the gain sensitivity way up to get the speaker to be loud enough.

When you turn your gain up too high you drive the amp into clipping, when the amp clips it will actually put out alot more then its rated power, the signal is distorted all to hell though.

For example if you take your 8000T mono block and crank the gain right up and then turn the music way up the amp will start clipping really bad and its RMS power output will increase dramatically to over 1000watts RMS of pure distorted shit and burn your sub voice coil to a crisp.

Thats why most people will tell you that a small amp will blow your subs, its not true but when ever possible get the biggest possible amp you can to avoid needing to overdrive the amp to get the desired output.

 

[Whatwhatwhat]

Thank you guys so much for clearing that up. I was very close to purchasing the subs then i got a little parnoid for a minute, but i think i know what to get now.

 

[Raven 10+ year member]

First thing, you don't need a capacitor, doing "the big three" will have pretty much the same affect as a cap.

Since when can copper wire hold a charge and be a load on the alternator? The big 3 and a cap are entirely different things. I agree that the big 3 beats a capacitor, hands down, but they will not in a million years have the "same effect" as one another.

Back on topic, if you have 400 watts at your disposal, you want a sub that will get loud off 400 watts and sound decent to you. That's all there is to it. Adire Tempest maybe?