SA-12s bottoming out.

[poolman966554]

What can i do other than back off the volume to make it stop? bigger box? smaller box? lower tuning? Maybe settings in HU or amp gains wrong?

At first i though it was "clipping" in a hard core version. It sounds like a very loud clap/pop during bass dropping. It happens on every third song or so i play from my library. Although i will say listening to DJ Slowfets mixes makes it virtually disappears.. The "sail" song by him bottoms out though so i cant play that song, and a couple others.

I didnt dmm my gains, i just played a 40hz test tone and creeped up the gain till it didnt sound like 40 hz anymore. then backed it down a smidge.

i like the sa-12s, dont get my wrong.. but i think i expect way too much out of them. They will get my windshield wipers dancing off the glass on certain songs, but that just makes me wanna turn it up a tad more lol

So what is going on here and what are my options? thanks

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[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

some songs you just need to dial back the bass on, do you have a headunit with a subw option? I usually have to turn mine down on some songs because its recorded wayyyy too high. another option would be a bass knob.

is the 3.8 cubes you have those subs in the internal volume after displacement? what are the specs on that amp? I have a hard time believing the power is why you'd be bottoming out those subs unless you're giving at least 1kw rms to each sub.

 

[poolman966554]

yeah the HU has way too many sound options tbh.. dont know what half of them even are ..

i had a suspicion at first it was the amp causing it.. and it still may very well be.

I only have 4 gauge ran to the back, with an exide agm up front. ground is sanded and solid.

That said, i have the bass boost on the first db boost. otherwise, id have to get amp gain turned just over 5/8 up to get good power. i dont have an oscope, so idk if that was clipping there or not.

I turned on the boost to 3db(i think?) and now gains "sound" happy at 12 oclock position vs 2 oclock without.

My gut says that the bass boost is doing something Un-natural the the signal and making the subs pop

i have a bass knob ran to front, 3.8ish before subs, so just over 3.6cu ft after displacement (i tried to save space) I will burn this box if a full 4cu ft after subs/port will help get louder!

Audiobahn and mylows said this amp at 1 ohm will do 2200rms. one of them clamped it

When i started into the car audio again, the review from them two was the deciding factor on a decent budget amp.

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

with that amount of power you're going to definitely bottom those subs out at the frequencies they have the most excursion at, hence why it occurs on only some music. im not sure if an extra half a cube of space would help or not, maybe someone with more experience building boxes for these subs can chime in.

id leave the bass boost off, and just use the gain. if your headunit has a subwoofer setting in the EQ just turn it down when you play songs like that. is your electrical bad? i do know that if you're starving that amp with crappy CCA 4 gauge wire it won't sound right, you definitely need OFC.

 

[Dmac1991]

turn the bass boost off. All the way. And invest in equipment to set your gains the right way

The amp is nice for a budget amp. Definitely puts out power for its price point. I know of people who run 3.5k's to SA pairs so I doubt that the power is the problem. After rise, each amp is probably seeing rated rms, if that.

Are the dustcaps hot at all after playing?

 

[poolman966554]

turn the bass boost off. All the way. And invest in equipment to set your gains the right way
The amp is nice for a budget amp. Definitely puts out power for its price point. I know of people who run 3.5k's to SA pairs so I doubt that the power is the problem. After rise, each amp is probably seeing rated rms, if that.

Are the dustcaps hot at all after playing?

Not at all. thats what wade me scratch my head. i took a 2 hour drive last weekend and slammed the whole way. amp was "mildly warm" and there was no smell, or heat on the caps.

 

[Dmac1991]

Not at all. thats what wade me scratch my head. i took a 2 hour drive last weekend and slammed the whole way. amp was "mildly warm" and there was no smell, or heat on the caps.

Turn off the bass boost, turn on the same songs that used to "bottom out" the subs and report back

 

[poolman966554]

turn the bass boost off. All the way. And invest in equipment to set your gains the right way

will the $60 cheapo fit the bill??

Portable Mini Nano Arm DSO201 Pocket Sized Handheld Digital Storage Oscilloscope | eBay

 

[TheFiverMan 10+ year member]

Turn off bass boost, get equipment to set gains. It doesnt matter if your gain knob is 5/8 for the power. All you are doing is matching voltage to the amp. I have a 2v preout HU. I have to put my gains to 3/4 before it sees the 2v from my HU.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Turn off bass boost, get equipment to set gains. It doesnt matter if your gain knob is 5/8 for the power. All you are doing is matching voltage to the amp. I have a 2v preout HU. I have to put my gains to 3/4 before it sees the 2v from my HU.

Wow...that *****

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Its the amp, swap it out with a decent amp and you will be blown away by how crappy those vfl hybrids are in comparison.

 

[Dmac1991]

Its the amp, swap it out with a decent amp and you will be blown away by how crappy those vfl hybrids are in comparison.

LMAO man come to Texas and demo Audiobaun's truck on those VFL Hybrids

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Its the amp, swap it out with a decent amp and you will be blown away by how crappy those vfl hybrids are in comparison.

Oh no. You just butt hurt this entire forum. How dare you

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

100 dollars that its the freaking amp that's the cause for disappointment.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

..dbl post