so i just picked up....

[Liquid Bass 10+ year member]

an audiopipe ap1500d and put it on my RD alpha. im getting a lot of dimming with my stock electrical, and it seems to be giving the 12in alpha a hard time so i think its clipping. its turned about half way up as far as the gains go. no bass boost. what upgrades do i need to do for 1500 watts?

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[perfecxionX 10+ year member]

sure you dont have any eq cranked up on the headunit?

 

[Liquid Bass 10+ year member]

sure you dont have any eq cranked up on the headunit?

i just turn the bass up and down, but nothing too crazy. theres just a LOT of dimming, and i dont think this amp should be making my alpha warm at all. i have the gain half way. it is in a smallish box though but i dont think that matters that much being ported.

 

[CHEMMINS 10+ year member]

i just turn the bass up and down, but nothing too crazy. theres just a LOT of dimming, and i dont think this amp should be making my alpha warm at all. i have the gain half way. it is in a smallish box though but i dont think that matters that much being ported.

1. Gains can't be set by position on the amp.

2. Box size does matter. Especially with ported.

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

dbl check to be sure your grounds are good and tight.

Have you done the big 3 yet and adding a 2nd battery never hurts.

 

[Liquid Bass 10+ year member]

havnt done the big 3 with this vehicle yet. do you think that would be enough for 1500 or do i need a second battery too? and i didnt think a ported box would have that much of an impact thermally. the sub just gets a bit warm in the center. but its rated for 1500-2k rms.

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

I would bet with voltage drop your clipping your amp.

 

[Liquid Bass 10+ year member]

I would bet with voltage drop your clipping your amp.

thats what im thinking. guess ill just do the big 3 and see if it helps till i get my box built

 

[CoilBurner]

Or turn your gains down dummy

You cant guess that half way is safe, set the gain with a meter

 

[Liquid Bass 10+ year member]

Im just a bit surprised how much this amp is drawing

 

[CHEMMINS 10+ year member]

The gain knob is not a volume knob......

You are potentially killing your subs.

 

[lilboom 10+ year member]

whats the volume'''ex 30 of 50

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Like said above, a few times now, setting the gain at 'half', given a strong headunit signal strength, could still be clipping the amplifier.

This is why amplifier gains, when marked, are never marked with percentage values, or volume-type linear ascending values. When marked (because some amps have no markings on their gains), the value will be in volts. As in volts of signal coming from the headunit.

Do a little research around here and get the basics down on signal voltage, and amplifier signal sensitivity, before you push your system too hard and do some damage.