Underpowering speakers, what are the symptoms?

[KaPPaBaLL 10+ year member]

As you know I have 2 type R subs dual voice coil 10's.

I have it hooked up to the alpine mrp-850 amp. 500rms @ 4ohms

The speakers are connected parallel so both are running at 4ohms. Which would mean that I'm getting ~250watts rms @4ohms each right?

So my question is if i'm running only half what the rms is for the speaker, 500watt rms in this case, will it be bad for the speakers?

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[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

no. they just wont be running to their full potential

 

[Safe-N-Sound215 10+ year member]

x2

 

[KaPPaBaLL 10+ year member]

can you suggest an amp that'll power 500watts to each sub @ 4ohms??

btw, i was told i can't configure the speaker to run at 2ohms because they are 4ohm speakers. any help here?

 

[Thieroff 10+ year member]

NO, it's not bad for the speakers

Thats why they have max power ratings. Not minimum.

The only reason underpowering may be bad, is that in the pursuit of more SPL you turn your gain up, effective clipping the signal from the amplifier and possibly blowing the speaker due to a clipped signal.

An unclipped signal cannot damage your speaker, if within the proper power handling range.

The symptoms, you ask?

Not reaching their full excursion capabilities, immediately resulting in "not as loud as they could be"

CT

 

[Rich B 5,000+ posts]

It will only be bad for your subs if you try to correct for less power by increasing the gains to make it "as loud as possible".

As long as your gains are set to prevent clipping, you'll be fine.

 

[KaPPaBaLL 10+ year member]

Thanks guys.. I was suggested in the other thread that I should go to 1ohm instead of the 4ohm setup that I have now currently.

What do you think?

I forgot to mention. Is my amp safe to run at 1ohm?

 

[bds0688 10+ year member]

Does it say in the manual or online if it is? Not being an ***, but you own the amp, you should know it.

Alpine's site says down to two ohms. I would not suggest running it at 1ohm, will void the warranty, and even if you lie, you risk burning up an amp then having to wait for ti to get fixed. I am not an expert, so perhaps other amp guys can advise you better.

 

[KaPPaBaLL 10+ year member]

Does it say in the manual or online if it is? Not being an ***, but you own the amp, you should know it.
Alpine's site says down to two ohms. I would not suggest running it at 1ohm, will void the warranty, and even if you lie, you risk burning up an amp then having to wait for ti to get fixed. I am not an expert, so perhaps other amp guys can advise you better.

i tried to look it up in the manual and online but it says nothing about operating it at 1ohm.

 

[DejaWiz 5,000+ posts]

Get this amp and wire the subs for 1 Ohm?

 

[bds0688 10+ year member]

If they don't mention 1ohm, it probably can't. It may be able to, and just get really warm in the process, but I do not recommend you try unless you talk to some amp experts. How did you buy it, where?

 

[Juicemane 10+ year member]

can you suggest an amp that'll power 500watts to each sub @ 4ohms??
btw, i was told i can't configure the speaker to run at 2ohms because they are 4ohm speakers. any help here?

PG tantrum 1200.1

I was picking up some ring terminals and I overheard....

This dude at car toys was telling someone that underpowering a sub was worse then overpowering and I said not if you set the gains right.

Dude got pissed and started arguing with me and I asked him if he ever blew a speaker playing it at low volume. He had nothing to say.

 

[KaPPaBaLL 10+ year member]

^^^^^^^

this guy knows something.

 

[saywhat? 5,000+ posts]

....................he IS Jmac after all....

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Yeah, he has his moments //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif