Pops from speakers.

[RangerMan Premium Member]

Originally posted by maylar Nope. Keeps gettng louder up to the point where it starts popping. Only good thing is the Kickers at least go to 30 Hz, so they're filling the void for the bottom end but no where near loud enough.

 

This weekend I'm gonna take the RMB8's out and mount them to an MDF plank and see if I can get them to take the power they're supposed to. I'm curious to find out if it's the speakers or the installation that's lame.

I would be willing to bet it is the speakers...I trust your install

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

what are the speakers mounted in???????? the box design has a direct effect on the amount of power a speaker can handle before reaching the mechinical limits-----POP....

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

Originally posted by chris229 what are the speakers mounted in???????? the box design has a direct effect on the amount of power a speaker can handle before reaching the mechinical limits-----POP....

RMB8's are free-air mounted under my rear deck. With the size of my trunk, I think it's the definition of "Infinite" baffle lol.

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

Originally posted by maylar RMB8's are free-air mounted under my rear deck. With the size of my trunk, I think it's the definition of "Infinite" baffle lol.

then it CAN'T take full rated power----- as there isn't a box to work against-------------- that's your problem---- get a box or reduce the power---- the poping will then stop

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

These speakers are ~designed~ for IB applications. Kicker doesn't even list box sizes for them. I don't think they'd spec them at 175w free-air if they meant otherwise.

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

Originally posted by maylar These speakers are ~designed~ for IB applications. Kicker doesn't even list box sizes for them. I don't think they'd spec them at 175w free-air if they meant otherwise.

i'm telling you free air systems can't take much power. The baffle would have to be airtight too. If the speaker can handle 175W free air that would require a STRONG suspension and THAT would make the speaker MORE inefficient. The 175w rating is a termial rating----------- not a mechanical one

 

[h2dav 10+ year member]

I found that the usual rated power handling is the least amount i.e. bandpass box power for a sub, infinite baffle for a 6x9 I have the same speakers giving them a 150w RMS although I never get close to the max for fear of my ear drums bleading I've never gotten a poping sound I have boxes foe them now but the only noticeable diffrence is low end response. By the way i recomend you set your cut off at 100HZ. The poping sound usually comes when you turn your volume up all the way and your amp clips. Just because it says 60w your only going to get about 50 at the speaker depending on your wiring try a larger amp.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

Originally posted by h2dav I found that the usual rated power handling is the least amount i.e. bandpass box power for a sub, infinite baffle for a 6x9 I have the same speakers giving them a 150w RMS although I never get close to the max for fear of my ear drums bleading I've never gotten a poping sound I have boxes foe them now but the only noticeable diffrence is low end response. By the way i recomend you set your cut off at 100HZ. The poping sound usually comes when you turn your volume up all the way and your amp clips. Just because it says 60w your only going to get about 50 at the speaker depending on your wiring try a larger amp.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

you ran 150w to them when they DIDN'T have a box and they sound fine??????? poping isn't caused by clipping

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

Originally posted by chris229 i'm telling you free air systems can't take much power. The baffle would have to be airtight too. If the speaker can handle 175W free air that would require a STRONG suspension and THAT would make the speaker MORE inefficient. The 175w rating is a termial rating----------- not a mechanical one

Chris, I think I'm getting the picture, but I'm still confused a bit. Kicker calls these midbass speakers, and says that they "go low enough to be used as free-air subs", which is what I'm doing. I have no room for boxes. So if the speaker can handle 175 wrms doesn't that imply you could put that much into them in their typical (unenclosed) application? What good is that power rating if the speaker maxes out at 50 watts? If you bought a set of comps rated 150w and they bottomed out at 50 would you be pissed?

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

Originally posted by maylar Chris, I think I'm getting the picture, but I'm still confused a bit. Kicker calls these midbass speakers, and says that they "go low enough to be used as free-air subs", which is what I'm doing. I have no room for boxes. So if the speaker can handle 175 wrms doesn't that imply you could put that much into them in their typical (unenclosed) application? What good is that power rating if the speaker maxes out at 50 watts? If you bought a set of comps rated 150w and they bottomed out at 50 would you be pissed?

BUT----------------------------- if it only takes 50W to reach FULL cone movement then there isn't any reason to be mad-------- unless your concerned about being the BIG guy who uses 1000's of watts. you see in ANY box design the BIGGER you make the box ---- the less the air holds the sub making it MORE efficient because the cone is free to move. In free air systems the box is so big (trunk) that it really has no effect on the cone anymore. Now the only thing holding the cone is the subs suspension( which are normally made stiffer to control the cone better) ------ because you stated that the compant really calls it a midbass---- that can be used as a sub makes me stand stronger on my point. WITHOUT a box the sub DOESN'T handle bass very well at higher power. AS most people know if you play most subs in the open air not mounted to anything--------they can't take much power before maxing out. This same idea applies to free air design the only difference is your keeping the back wave of the sub in a really huge box

 

[h2dav 10+ year member]

Say Chris do you think this applies to say a 6X9. Do you think the manufacture list the max RMS in a free air setup because that's how there mostly used or is that a number in a box. Because I know the RMS listing for most subs (non free air) is for a bandpass box because they exert the least control over the speaker cone and cn easily cause over x. My subs handle 300 RMS in a bandpass while 500 RMS sealed. I always had the feeling for other speakers the RMS number was for free air that would partialy explain the really high max numbers on some of these speakers. By the way have you ever heard a pair of polk Momo's hooked up to a 200w X 4ch RMS amp I tried but my ears couldnt take it peace and thanks for all the info //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

I emailed Kicker about the power rating of their RMB8's an here's the response:

We rate this speaker at 175 watts but we also recommend that it be used as a midbass driver. Since this is a shallow mount driver it has very limited excursion. Since lower frequencies cause more excursion it is easy to make the speaker bottom out. Even with the right amount of power. If this speaker is used as a dedicated midbass driver where lower frequencies are filtered this will not happen. Many people have the misconception that this speaker can play low because it is an 8". It is designed, marketed and recommended to be used as a midbass driver only. You can play this driver as low as 50 Hz with a 24dB/octave crossover. Don't allow it to play down into the

subwoofer range and it will not pop.

So I guess they lied about it being useful as a free-air sub. Now I gotta find another solution.

Anybody want to buy a pair of RMB8's?

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

Originally posted by h2dav ]Say Chris do you think this applies to say a 6X9. Do you think the manufacture list the max RMS in a free air setup because that's how there mostly used or is that a number in a box.

The way I see ratings is---- they are thermal numbers---- the wattage at which the coil would melt down any mechincial interference BEFORE thermal melt down is just bad designing or cost cutting-------- UNLESS it is meant to be used at higher frequencies. So it should be noted 8" subs and 6x9 that playing bass heavy music UNcrossed over to these little things is going to cause poping---- as they are meant to be highpassed

for ratings on 6X9's, mids, highs it should be thought of as free air numbers----- no need to have a sealed box when there not meant to play bass-------even if the response chart says it has output in bass range

Because I know the RMS listing for most subs (non free air) is for a bandpass box because they exert the least control over the speaker cone and cn easily cause over x.

Where did you hear that subs are tested in bandpass boxes???---4th or 6th orderdo you have any links or book names??

My subs handle 300 RMS in a bandpass while 500 RMS sealed.

who says the manufacturer or a box program?

I always had the feeling for other speakers the RMS number was for free air that would partialy explain the really high max numbers on some of these speakers.

could be but the X MAX is just a measure of how far the motor assembly can push the cone

By the way have you ever heard a pair of polk Momo's hooked up to a 200w X 4ch RMS amp I tried but my ears couldnt take it peace and thanks for all the info //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

really what size are they?

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

Originally posted by maylar I emailed Kicker about the power rating of their RMB8's an here's the response:

 

We rate this speaker at 175 watts but we also recommend that it be used as a midbass driver. Since this is a shallow mount driver it has very limited excursion. Since lower frequencies cause more excursion it is easy to make the speaker bottom out. Even with the right amount of power. If this speaker is used as a dedicated midbass driver where lower frequencies are filtered this will not happen. Many people have the misconception that this speaker can play low because it is an 8". It is designed, marketed and recommended to be used as a midbass driver only. You can play this driver as low as 50 Hz with a 24dB/octave crossover. Don't allow it to play down into the

subwoofer range and it will not pop.

 

So I guess they lied about it being useful as a free-air sub. Now I gotta find another solution.

 

Anybody want to buy a pair of RMB8's?

for every drop of one octave the cone must move 4x as much