Help with car audio probs (please!!!)

[Jax8287 10+ year member]

Ok guys, i have been to hell and back with these subs, i originally owned 2 kicker solo baric L7's with two Kicker 600.1 mono amps powering each. One day when i was driving i smelt a funny burning smell, i popped my trunk and found out it was my subs. So i took my subs in to a local store and told them what i has witnessed. They really didnt want anything to do with it becuase of the fact that i bought all my stuff online. The L7's voice coils burnt and i had to replace them. I bought a new set of L7's (12'' by the way) at the store, and got a warr. I had a small dual sealed box that was built to Kickers lowest specs. The person who helped me explain that the small box might be the problem. So i put 200$ into building a new custom ported box. Well about 3 to 4 months passes by and the same burning smell comes back. I was shocked i thought that the prob. was fixed. So i took it back and they told me that it could be the amps. So i sent the amps off to kicker to get them fixed one was (fine) the other was defective. So i sent it off to Kicker for 180$ and they fixed the amp. I was told that the 600.1 mono's were not powerful enough to power the L7's so i downgraded to the L5's with RMS of 600 watts. now with the swithced subs, box and fixed amp another 3-4 months pass by and the subs voice coils burn again!!!! I am furious! i have tried all of there advice and it has gotten me NO WHERE! but wasting money on reslouving something thats not the problem. they keep tellin me that the voice coils are burning up. I just got a new set of L5's back in (thank god they are under warr.) but i have decided not to put them in and burn them until i found out whats really wrong! If anyone has and help or suggestions to what makes a voice coil burn or why, or anything that could help me solve my problem i would be most greatful. Thanks for anyone who would like to help

Kyle

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[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

1. Over powering

2. Clipped signals

You probably have your gains up to high and are clipping the amps to shiznet.

 

[Jax8287 10+ year member]

Clipping the subs??? i have never heard that expression. What does that mean , and about the gain i never set it but before when i saw it i think it was about half way up... any suggestions??... and Over loading the same thing happened to my L7's so what do you mean by over loading... too much wattage for the L5' s or the gain is prob. too high... Please get back to me thanx

Kyle

 

[saywhat? 5,000+ posts]

check out jmacs gain setting tutorial, he will prolly post in here, of look him up on the directory.

 

[Vausen 10+ year member]

Basically clipping means your asking too much from the amp. Instead of putting out a clean signal (think sine wave) to the sub it chops the top off of the signal (think square wave) because it can't meet what your asking for. You end up putting out a lot more total (continuous) power than when you are not clipping which thermally overloads the speaker. It is difficult to understand without seeing it on a graph but you will fry a speaker by clipping your amp. You NEED to set your gains properly or this will happen again.

 

[joshpoints 10+ year member]

1. Over powering2. Clipped signals

You probably have your gains up to high and are clipping the amps to shiznet.

I believe you are absolutely correct. Just to be safe I make sure that my amp is set my gains well below what is recomended and I've had no problems.

 

[Polecat 5,000+ posts]

if you keep burning coils, it's not the woofers...more of expecting possibly too much...ok, you need to set the gains properly (lucky for you, we do have a great warranty department) burnt coils are usually not covered....but, set the gains, and two, are you using the sub-sonic filter? how are your remote gains set? Do you have the bass boost on?

all these are problems with the 'setting up' of the system...not the products...

sounds like the dealer took care of you somewhat helping you with an enclosure, and a warranty...something the online dealers can't offer.

I would get the woofers replaced if possible, and have the dealer set the gains, and turn off the bass boost period.....then, never touch the gains/settings again.... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Jax8287 10+ year member]

thanks i really appreciate the help i think that you guy's help made me find out my problem, I took my car to a car audio... the one other than what has been giving me advice, this guy really seemed to know what he was talking about i mentioned "clipping" to him and asked him to help explain it, he told me that i could be getting clipping becuase my altenator wasn't sending my amps enough power, causing my amps to underpower my subs, which caused the clipping. I only have a 85 amp alt. so i need to upgrade my alt. if this doesnt work than i dont know, I will also look at setting my gains and i was also told not to adjust any sub settings on my head unit... only on the amp. But if you guys have any other help please do not hesitate to respond thank you to everyone who helped me out

Kyle

 

[Vausen 10+ year member]

Hey, have you upgraded all your wiring (the big 3)? I had about the same wattage in my Prelude (small alt.) as you and didn't have a problem but I ran 2 gauge to the amps from the Batt. pos. and 4 gauge under the hood for the Big 3. Big 3 = batt. neg to car body or engine block, car body to engine block, alt. pos to batt. pos. Make sure the amps are WELL GOUNDED with a short heavy gauge wire to the body of the car to a sanded clean location. Having everything well grounded is important.