Underpowering Speaker/sub Test (same test as jman kinda)

[XanderMoser 10+ year member]

sadly it isnt that obvious for some people who think they know it all on some other forum that hes talking about

I suppose. Idiots.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

example

some noob on this forum buys an 18" BTL with all the options, thinking its really bad *** (after posting a thread asking where to buy Fi, etc. )

posts a New thread with pictures of this woofer and the bare rectangle mdf box he proudly bult himself

then hooks it to his ultra sweet hifonics 600 watt amp. with 0 guage power wire and 4 guage ground wire. again another New thread with more pictures.

finds out it does not play as loud as it should, posts a New thread complaining, does not listen to any advice hes been given

he then tweeks the amp to its max. etc. to try and get louder.

some day hes driving, with system full tilt, and smells smoke! looks in back and there is smoke coming out of the port. !

makes a New thread complaing about the smoke,. etc.

the end.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

I blew my first sub, a Kicker L7, with only 500W. I was stupid back then and no doubt sending it a horridly clipped signal. I remember taking it in to a local audio shop and having them tell me that it's a common problem to underpower a sub, and that is what lead to it blowing.
...sad

FYI, if you clipped the amp until it sent the sub into thermal failure, you didn't 'underpower' it.
The confusion stems from people calling a sub 'underpowered' just because the amplifier being used has a lower RATED power than the sub was designed to handle. Does this mean, when clipping the amp hard until it can produce 2x to 3x its rated power, that the sub is still being 'underpowered'? Of course it does not. But people want things short and simple.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

when clipping the amp hard until it can produce 2x to 3x its rated power, that the sub is still being 'underpowered'? Of course it does not. But people want things short and simple.

I think 2x is the theoretical maximum.

 

[spoonraker 10+ year member]

FYI, if you clipped the amp until it sent the sub into thermal failure, you didn't 'underpower' it.
The confusion stems from people calling a sub 'underpowered' just because the amplifier being used has a lower RATED power than the sub was designed to handle. Does this mean, when clipping the amp hard until it can produce 2x to 3x its rated power, that the sub is still being 'underpowered'? Of course it does not. But people want things short and simple.

I know it was obviously receiving more than 500W, I was just saying that I blew it with a 500W RMS amp and it was sad that the audio shop said that was the reason it blew, instead of the clipping.

 

[donpisto 5,000+ posts]

If underpowering is such a "problem" in some people's eyes, they should ditch their amp to something more powerful, like an Pyle or American Legacy 3000w amp...problem solved //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

But seriously, as mentioned earlier, most people relate underpowering a sub to its power handling capabilities and the power the amplifier puts out. If it's not the same or near they you are overpowering or underpowering it, so they say. Usually it's the case of not enough power and to compensate for that lack of power, they turn up the gain knob and/or bass boost and notice the sub is hitting harder, moving more, and getting louder. Hmm, sounds better, why wouldn't anyone turn the gain and bass boost all the way up. It sounds much better! Two seconds later........pffttt, "oh shit?! what happened! I knew I should have bought that Pyle 2000w amp, stupid 1,000w (insert good brand here). Well I guess giving half the power will lead to blowing sub." It's teh word of teh n00bz