is 8 gauge too small?

[skipper89 10+ year member]

I am currently running an 8 guage wire to power my directed d600 amp connected to 2 mtx terminator 12" subs. when i turn the volume past about 3/4 the amp powers off. I am looking into buying a new amp because i feel this one doesnt have enough power. im not sure what amp i should get. the d600 specs are 600 watts max power, 200x1 at 4 ohms, and 300x1 at 2 ohms. Could it possibly be that the 8 guage power wire isnt large enough? I am looking to spend around $200 to get a new amp. also the gain is turned all the way up.

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[kovemaster559 5,000+ posts]

I am currently running an 8 guage wire to power my directed d600 amp connected to 2 mtx terminator 12" subs. when i turn the volume past about 3/4 the amp powers off. I am looking into buying a new amp because i feel this one doesnt have enough power. im not sure what amp i should get. the d600 specs are 600 watts max power, 200x1 at 4 ohms, and 300x1 at 2 ohms. Could it possibly be that the 8 guage power wire isnt large enough? I am looking to spend around $200 to get a new amp. also the gain is turned all the way up.

use 4 ga

 

[ahillworks 10+ year member]

Well for a 600 watt amp 8 awg should be fine. But what size fuze are we running and general I go with 4 gauge unless needed to go to 1/0.

 

[oldschool4me 10+ year member]

8g is fine for that amp. doesnt sound like a wire issue to me. what are the voice coils on the subs. single 4 ohm or dual 4 ohm?

 

[NewAgeKing 5,000+ posts]

Turn your gain down, amp wont cut out on you i bet.

 

[oldschool4me 10+ year member]

Turn your gain down, amp wont cut out on you i bet.

sounds to me either he has dual 4 ohm subs giving the amp a 1 ohm load or he is clipping the piss out of it. you can run that amp off of 16g for all that it is.

 

[NewAgeKing 5,000+ posts]

sounds to me either he has dual 4 ohm subs giving the amp a 1 ohm load or he is clipping the piss out of it. you can run that amp off of 16g for all that it is.

Its something he is doing. Id make sure to figure out whats wrong with this one before you buy another amp. Operator error doesnt go away with a new amp

 

[ahillworks 10+ year member]

Turn your gain down, amp wont cut out on you i bet.

I agree with this one. If the gain is to high it will cut off because its to much of a load. What kinda of subs are we using? Dual or Single Coil?

 

[truckramrod 10+ year member]

what is the gain set at?

 

[skipper89 10+ year member]

the gain is set all the way up. I didnt set it like that, when i got the new amp installed, i left everything alone. it is the way that the installer had it set. The subs are svc. these are the specs for the subs...

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/MTX-Terminator-Dual-12-Subwoofers-in-Enclosure-TNE212D/sem/rpsm/context/99001262/oid/207574/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

the amp that i have is a directed d600

http://www.drdetailshop.com/dd600.htm

In the future i wont skimp when buying electronics!!

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

the gain is set all the way up. I didnt set it like that, when i got the new amp installed, i left everything alone. it is the way that the installer had it set. The subs are svc. these are the specs for the subs...
http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/MTX-Terminator-Dual-12-Subwoofers-in-Enclosure-TNE212D/sem/rpsm/context/99001262/oid/207574/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

the amp that i have is a directed d600

http://www.drdetailshop.com/dd600.htm

In the future i wont skimp when buying electronics!!

The gain should never be set all the up, I would set that accordingly. But I would say up to a 4 guage. It never hurts you know. But it sounds like ur clipping the amp.

 

[SPL Blazer 10+ year member]

Your wire is too small, here's a chart to figure out what ga you should be using.

And depending on the preout voltage from your headunit the gains may have to be set higher. The higher the preout voltage then the lower you set the gains. A 5 volt HU should have the amp gains all the way down. A 2 volt HU would need the gains 3/4 to full.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

It's a 300w amp -- the 8 ga wire is NOT the problem. 10 ga would get it done.

As for your gain -- the sensitivity range is .150v to 7.5v so if your HU is ---

2v, set the gain at about 3:00

4v, about 12:00

5v, about 9:00

 

[GreenBook 10+ year member]

According to that crappy description on CC's site, the subs are svc 2 ohm. Sounds to me like he has them wired to a 1 ohm load. To be sure I would pull one of the subs out of the box & tell us everything, if any, it says on the backside of the subwoofer. Also tell us how many sets of wire terminals are mounted on the backside of the speaker.

If they really are svc 2ohm subs I would drive my car back to circuit city with your reciept, and make them take back the amp they sold you & give you credit for whatever install you paid them for. They shut down all their install bays already, I was there last night. They need to sell you an amp that is 1 ohm stable. If they don't have any left in your local store, get a gift card so you can get what you need online.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

Mtx's site just says "2Ω"

Seems to me the enclosure as a whole is 2 Ω