running subs on a full range signal at low power?

[mat3833 10+ year member]

so im in the process of adapting a low-pass crossover to my home theater receiver, but until then i was wondering if playing my subs as "full-range" speakers at low volume/power(less than 35W) will hurt them?

probobly a really stupid question, but hey i have to ask.

Matt

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[jungstah 10+ year member]

it shouldn't hurt. you're just making it play other frequencies as well as lows.

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

thats what i figured, but once i accidentaly got my wires crossed and threw a low passed @~200hz 30W at a pair of 1" tweeters and well it wasnt pretty. it was funny, and made a really nice POP, but wasnt pretty.

Matt

 

[Kangaroux 5,000+ posts]

thats what i figured, but once i accidentaly got my wires crossed and threw a low passed @~200hz 30W at a pair of 1" tweeters and well it wasnt pretty. it was funny, and made a really nice POP, but wasnt pretty.
Matt

There's a difference between subs playing freq's theyre not supposed to play and tweeters playing stuff theyre not supposed to play. Subs can handle the extra power handling that comes from playing mids and highs as well. Tweeters on the other hand are not meant for high power at all. Give them something much more demanding such as mid bass and they'll burn right up. This is not to say that it's not bad to play full range through your sub, but just be conservative on the volume, because you are sending it an entirely extra frequency spectrum which means that the sub is just more or less doing extra work lol

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

well its a pair of ID8 v3's. the channels they are hooked up too are only rated at 70W and i havent even went past half volume. once i get the crossovers finished they will be getting >200hz. adjustable all the way to 30 hz just for fun.

Matt