Rainbow SLC230's vs. CDT HD-52's

[djvi0lent 10+ year member]

I've got the rainbow 5.25's currently installed, and they're just not loud enough for me. They require 80w rms, and I'm feeding them 50w. Doors are dynamated as well. In your opinion, will the cdt's be alot louder? I'm assuming yes, since the cdt's require almost twice the rms of the rainbows.. but I'd just like some opinions on the subject. Also, are the rainbow's easy to blow? I'm considering possibly getting an amp that would give them 75rms. -Marcus

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[acold7dusta 10+ year member]

75 watts would still be underpowering them theoretically

 

[superdooperman 10+ year member]

A speaker sets RMS rating doesnt really effect much as to how loud it will get with a certain power, its just a thermal power rating.

 

[PatFitz9 10+ year member]

when you say 50 watts, is that coming from your HU? and no, just cuz something has a higher RMS doesn't make it louder. especially when you give something that has a higher RMS the same low voltage. power=loudness, so get a new amp and then decide if the speakers are loud enough for you.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

Changing an amplifier is a more sensible option. 50rms simply isnt going to get you balls to the wall louder on another set unless the sensitivity difference is that much more substantial. 50rms amplifier wont cut it to get most performance out of most sets out there, heck they barely ever actually put out that power on a consistent basis to your speakers unless you are clipping it it. Buy an amplifier with some headroom and take power out of the equation before you start replacing speakers. To notice a good amount of loudness you need to double the power you now have at least.

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

You will get a 3dB increase in volume every time you double the power. So going from 50 watts rms to 150 watts rms will yield a 6 dB increase...which is pretty audible.

If you play a clean signal that is within the correct frequency response you can put as much power as you can find on them. http://www.bcae1.com/2ltlpwr.htm

I would not suggest switching to CDT. That would be going down hill IMO.

 

[djvi0lent 10+ year member]

Thanks for the info guys.. My amp puts out 200w x 1 @ 4ohms. Would it be ok to hook them up to the amp bridged into 1 channel?

 

[alteraudiousa 10+ year member]

i would switch amps first. As for the HD's i think they would have a bette midrange to them as I've spent some time with a customers Rainbows and it just didn't fit my listening preferences. It was the SLC320s and they're a little too warm in the midrange for me(and the installers). and no you'll lose left and right if bridged.

 

[kicker06 10+ year member]

Thanks for the info guys.. My amp puts out 200w x 1 @ 4ohms. Would it be ok to hook them up to the amp bridged into 1 channel?

No.

You need a channel for each side (midbass, crossover and tweeter)