newbie needs help

[DrEatsAlot]

Ok sooo im not a car audio guy..... yet!!!....one day im hopeful i might get my big boy pants...

Anyways heres my question/problem...

I keep "blowing" subs...two different subs now....first one was this...

Performance Teknique ICBM-5312 12 inch High Performance Subwoofer: Find Brand Name Products About Home Audio Video Receiver Camcorder Digital Camera CD and DVD Home Accessories in USAWorldSales......

Then this one...Sony XS-L1237 12" 4-ohm subwoofer at Crutchfield.com...

Now i know these are very cheap subs and cosmetically challenged and i shouldnt expect much....just wondering if my problem is too much power or is my gain potentially set too high and causing the subs to blow.....

My amp is an alpine mrp-m500...... preamp is clarion esq-746.....

Heres a pic of what happened to my sony.... and the performance tecknique basically just froze

Pre amp gains set a little over half....amp gains 1/4...1/3

Click to read more...

 

[DrEatsAlot]

Anyone?

Subs are wired to 4 ohm load..... only getting 300 rms

 

[caterham09]

are you clipping?

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Burnt leads normally mean clipping.

 

[DrEatsAlot]

are you clipping?

Dont know....is clipping hearable?.... clipping is caused from gains set too high correct??? Thats kinda why im here...lol

Is it only the amp gains or can pre amp gains effect it also???

 

[los33 10+ year member]

Pre amp gains being set to high can cause regular amp gain to clip.

Its like doubling what is sent to the amp in power.

Your best bet would be to get someone to test you with an oscope or get a sub that is made with more quality.

 

[DrEatsAlot]

If i buy 2 sq hds300s.... this amp would be underpowering the subs....which can hurt them as well correct??....

i know a o-scope or dd-1 will tell me if im clipping...but low budget doesnt even some up how low budget i need to be...lol..i need free budget....

Would pics of my gain settings help?

 

[los33 10+ year member]

If i buy 2 sq hds300s.... this amp would be underpowering the subs....which can hurt them as well correct??....
i know a o-scope or dd-1 will tell me if im clipping...but low budget doesnt even some up how low budget i need to be...lol..i need free budget....

Would pics of my gain settings help?

underpowering sub so long as your not clipping is better then overpowering it with clipped power.

Try setting all your gains flat on the headunit and have someone with a scope or dd-1 set the gains on your amp..

If you buy those two sq's and clip the amp again youll end up with two dead sq's

 

[caterham09]

If i buy 2 sq hds300s.... this amp would be underpowering the subs....which can hurt them as well correct??....
i know a o-scope or dd-1 will tell me if im clipping...but low budget doesnt even some up how low budget i need to be...lol..i need free budget....

Would pics of my gain settings help?

Underpowering your subs doesn't hurt them directly its usually caused by someone turning the volume up really high because the subs are underpowered and playing quiet.

use this series of videos to set your gains and hopefully you'll stop blowing subs //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/thumbsup.gif.3287b36ca96645a13a43aff531f37f02.gif

 

[DrEatsAlot]

Ok soooo dont know if this effects anything but..... i dont use my head unit at all.... its not even pluged in to my eq main. .... i listen to my phone.... through a rca/jack cord....

 

[los33 10+ year member]

Ok soooo dont know if this effects anything but..... i dont use my head unit at all.... its not even pluged in to my eq main. .... i listen to my phone.... through a rca/jack cord....

But you do use the eq correct?

Im not 100% on what you just said.

 

[DrEatsAlot]

Phone to jack/rca cord to eq main.....

 

[fly_marlin]

Can you describe your listening patterns? My theory is that you wanted it to sound louder, turned it up high, caused the signal to clip and that fried the woofer. Let's see if I'm right. Be honest though //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[los33 10+ year member]

Phone to jack/rca cord to eq main.....

In other words your clipping the amps signal by tuning the eq main to high.

 

[DrEatsAlot]

Can you describe your listening patterns? My theory is that you wanted it to sound louder, turned it up high, caused the signal to clip and that fried the woofer. Let's see if I'm right. Be honest though //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

listening pattern??? don't know what that means....lol....but ill explain the best I can

so my eq is set and never touched.....I control all volume though my phone.....max usually....sometime 1 notch from max....depending on music....I listen to rap mostly....rock when the mood strikes.....

pics are to show gain settings....volume levels....