Questions regarding wattage and such.

[Syntax12 10+ year member]

Ok, so here's my setup: (I know it's not good, but i'm just getting into car audio)

Amp: 1000w Sony XPLOD (Rated Out: 185w x 2 (4ohms)) (Max output (1000w 2ohms))

Head Unit: Doesn't really matter, but I believe it's a Sony XPLOD head as well, ran me about $80.

Speakers: See below.

So heres the situation. I bought the above with 2 12in Sony XPLOD 400w speakers... not really knowing much about car audio.

I got a very nice vented box off ebay, and installed the 12's. All went well. Later that night I had it up rather loud, and smelt burning, later on they weren't working, just kind of scratchy vibrating as opposed to bumping. I would manually push on them and hear like a scratching noise. Could tell they had burnt up. (coil?)

anyhow, so both 12's were shot. Is this because the 1000w amp's gain (that little thing I can turn with a screw driver [is that gain?]) was turned up to high and they weren't high enough watt to handle it?

Now what i've done: I went and got a sony XPLOD 1200watt sub, 12in, and placed it in one side of my box, and left the other open for now. I plan on getting another 1200watt amp. My gain is down a little, it's not up all the way, about 3/4... and it's bumping pretty good. Can this sub handle the power better than the previous 2? It is alot heavier and looks like it's built alot stronger... plus cost about triple what the previous ones ($20) cost.

If I get another 1200w sub, have them both running on that 1000w amp, will that hurt anything or should I be good at that point? Wish I understood all this more haha.

Also, there's a little on off switch for depending on if you have 1 or 2 subs hooked to the amp. I had it on when I had the 2 12's that burned up, now I have it off for the 1 1200w sub, so I am using that right... for the record..

thanks for all thoughts. Sorry for the problems.

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[grimreper912003 5,000+ posts]

So you were pushing "185" watts to each 12" if they are 400w sony's, chances are they are 200w RMS. I doubt you were pushing an actual 185 from the amp. You most likely were clipping the signal. Clipping causes extra heat and the lead to frying your subs. You probably had the gains cranked trying to get them louder. Another option is the pre fab box you bought has a high tunning. Im going to assume you were listening to rap, which is alot of low notes. IIRC sony amps do not have a SSF. You could have been playing below tunning, unloading the subs. The combination of this and clipping lead to popping them.

My recomendation:

RESEARCH!

Sell the Sony's on CL

Research some more on here.

Buy new equipment (2 AQ SD2.5 12" - 4 cu ft @ 40hz w/ AQ1200d @ 1 ohm is an option - loud too)

Get help on the install. Ask alot of questions. Anything your unsure of ask questions.

If you would like any hellp feel free to PM me and I will do my best to help

 

[Syntax12 10+ year member]

That probably will be an option in the future. I just want to get all of this working somewhat decent until I ship out to basic training, and once I'm done and back from my AIT I'll be upgrading with some spare cash.

So what are your suggestions so I don't blow this 1200w sony sub like I have the 400w ones? I would think this would hold up better, but you're saying I may not have even pushed too much into the 400s?

the 400w subs boxes say power out, RMS: 40w.... the new sub I just got was like rms of about 250 or something... far over the 40 rms.

So my question I guess is... should I be alright, if I get another 1200w like I just bought, that looks like this: http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/productimages/zoom/sony-xs-l104p5b.jpg

if I keep the nob below full on the amp, and keep my head somewhat down, like not kill it with bass since I listen to alot of rap? Just need to get it working for now, i'll upgrade the amp at a later time.

I should make note: that it IS working and sounds decent right now for 1 12 in it, however I don't want to blow it, because before it sounded like the last 12's were working until I burned them up.

I don't fully understand clipping either or much of the lingo, but i'll try and look into it via google like I do with many other things. thanks

 

[grimreper912003 5,000+ posts]

If you want to stay with sony you should be fine with that sub.

Can you get the model number of the amp?

You will need a multimeter to set your gains. There is a thread about how to set your gains too. I assume the sub you bought is a 4omhm single voice coil (SVC)?

 

[Syntax12 10+ year member]

Here's my amp model: xm-ZR1852 ....

The sub's model is: XS-L121P5W....

and i'm unsure to be honest, all it really says is 5-layer voice coil.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

Yeah dude, you should really look into upgraded your stuff, but if your set on the sony stuff for right now, at least spend 10$ at walmart on a digital multimeter and set your gains correctly...otherwise your likely to burn up that new sub too. It's not that you fed your subs too much power, it's that you fed them a clipped signal. If you read the gain setting tutorial that will be explained.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

Okay so my questions above still stand but I think I have got an understanding of clipping now after I've looked into it, so my question is, to avoid it, is it better to have my head units stuff up and on more (volume, bass, loud) and lower my amps gain a little, or vice versa, or neither?
Picture:http://www.boomboomaudio.com/eBay/Items/BLK_Dual_12_VNTD_3.jpg

Information:

* Brand New - Dual 12" Subwoofer Vented Box.

* Designed and Built for the Deepest Bass.

* Custom Designed & Built with 3/4" MDF Wood.

* High Density Black Colored Carpeting.

* Includes Push-in Terminal to hook up the subwoofers.

* Best Quality Enclosure.

* Your Subwoofers will hit really hard in this enclosure.

* This box is guaranteed not to blow apart !!!

* DIMENSIONS: 15" High x 15" Deep x 32" Wide

* VOLUME: 3.9 cu ft

* MOUNTING DEPTH: 12"

Read the gain tutorial and you'll have your answer

 

[grimreper912003 5,000+ posts]

HU on 3/4 of full volume or untill destortion then back down. Loud off, bass bost off EQ all zeroed out.

 

[Syntax12 10+ year member]

and that should keep me from blowing it?

thanks alot grimreper912003!

and bubbagumper6, I appreciate it as well.

 

[Syntax12 10+ year member]

Final Question, my buddy has these speakers:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/CarAudioVideo/Subwoofers/Champion/TS-W252R

and I have the previously mentioned sony XPLOD.

he has a similar head, and the EXACT same amp, and his hits pretty hard.... he said he has his bass at 0, and his gain on amp about half...

if I upgraded to those speakers, would they be much better than my XPLOD 1200w's?

 

[grimreper912003 5,000+ posts]

Honestly, Forget the mainstream. I dont think you will be putting yourself any further ahead.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

and that should keep me from blowing it?
thanks alot grimreper912003!

and bubbagumper6, I appreciate it as well.

no, those are the settings you should use to set your gain properly. If you don't set your gain with a digital multimeter you will still run the risk of having it too high and clipping the signal.

 

[grimreper912003 5,000+ posts]

Also a member on here (annhorbor or someting like that) has 12" RE Re series sub. 62 each. I would pick up two of those and build a new box. Then upgrade your amp.

Edit: Link to said subs: http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=411364

 

[Syntax12 10+ year member]

K sounds good guys. I was looking at the manual finally, which I should have done first, of my amp...

turns out I have to have that LPF switch on if I have subs hooked up, which I was unsure on, and also, apparently if I only have 1 sub hooked up, I have to hook it into the first + and the second - because it's like + - - + ... but apparently with only 1 hooked up, it has to go (+) - (-) + in order to be properly wired as according to the amps diagram.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

oy, you didn't have the LPF on? What was your signal? If it was a sub output from your deck you should have been ok (most decks' sub outputs are already filtered)