Subs/clipping/susceptibility to damage.

[The Camry]

Im curious. Is there anything that makes a subwoofer more susceptible to damage from clipping? I dont mean anything as obvious as magnet size or power handling from it but like. lets say you have two subs that both have 2.5 in magnets but different parts elsewhere. Would one be more likely to be damaged from clipping than another?

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[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

well it might not be clipping damage but it could be mechanical limits reached along with thermal limits reached.

 

[The Camry]

well it might not be clipping damage but it could be mechanical limits reached along with thermal limits reached.

what makes a sub reach its mechanical or thermal limits. As much info as you can provide (or links) would be appreciated.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

what makes a sub reach its mechanical or thermal limits. As much info as you can provide (or links) would be appreciated.

I'm sure others can chime in and cover the ones i've missed, especially on the mechanical limits.

Thermal limits:

Too much power to the point where the coil cannot handle the heat. Clipping in the signal causing heat. If you were already pushing your subs to the point where they got pretty darn warm and it just hits summer, there's a good chance if your subs reaching thermal limits even faster since the air is not as cool or sometimes hot and overall cooling decreases.

Mechanical limits:

Playing too low with a lot of power or not good enough of a subsonic filter and too much port area or too big of a box can cause the sub to unload or worse, bottom out which the coil formor slams against the bottom of the magnet or worse, it jumps out of the coil gap. However its pretty rare to get to that gap jumping point. Poorly designed subs with different parts as in too strong of a motor and too weak of soft parts can cause the sub to reach mechanical limits a lot faster.

 

[The Camry]

I'm sure others can chime in and cover the ones i've missed, especially on the mechanical limits.
Thermal limits:

Too much power to the point where the coil cannot handle the heat. Clipping in the signal causing heat. If you were already pushing your subs to the point where they got pretty darn warm and it just hits summer, there's a good chance if your subs reaching thermal limits even faster since the air is not as cool or sometimes hot and overall cooling decreases.

Mechanical limits:

Playing too low with a lot of power or not good enough of a subsonic filter and too much port area or too big of a box can cause the sub to unload or worse, bottom out which the coil formor slams against the bottom of the magnet or worse, it jumps out of the coil gap. However its pretty rare to get to that gap jumping point. Poorly designed subs with different parts as in too strong of a motor and too weak of soft parts can cause the sub to reach mechanical limits a lot faster.

How does playing too low with alot of power come into play? Something along the lines of the louder you get, the more excursion and thus limits? Is that why you need a smaller box for higher power handling?

 

[Massive spl]

Skinny/small tinsel leads will burn up fast on clipping

Junk coil will burn up faster

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

How does playing too low with alot of power come into play? Something along the lines of the louder you get, the more excursion and thus limits? Is that why you need a smaller box for higher power handling?

Basically yes. It will take a huge amount of overpowering to get to that point though.

lower notes below box tuning will also draw more current and can cause clipping a lot easier.