underpowering

[terra 5,000+ posts]

I have a dmx stage 2 15 and an earthquake 5000 watt amp. i plan to run at 4 ohm until i get my new alt and then go down to 2 ohm. my question is...my sub has a 3000 watt rms. at 4 ohm my amp gives 1500 rms and 3000 peak. will underpowering hurt my sub? i doubt i have the power right now to push 2 ohm....

2 3 fahrad caps

earthquake 5000

dmx 15

Click to read more...

 

[PhatTonyDeMarco 5,000+ posts]

Yes, it will burn the coils and poissibley cause a fire. You should always give the RMS of the sub, no matter what!

 

[terra 5,000+ posts]

so...should i go with 2 ohm to begin with? and just not play too loud until i get the new alt? i got the stock 80 amp alt right now

 

[PhatTonyDeMarco 5,000+ posts]

Yeah, but crank it all the time man; trust me.

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

Don't listen to PhatTony.

he is being a sarcastic ***.

Underpowering will not hurt your sub.

 

[Kold_Killa 10+ year member]

but don't try and make up for the lack of power with the gain knob... that is where underpowering will fvck ur stuff up.

 

[terra 5,000+ posts]

ok so in the space of 4 3 responses i got 2 completelty different stories. 1 says ill burn my vc, the other says ill be fine.......hmm. basically heres my question. i dont think i have the power to wire to 2 ohm but will i be ok at 4 ohm or not? its a $1400 sub and a **** expensive amp so im not tryin to break none of it haha...

 

[Max_Power 10+ year member]

Dont listen to PhatTony, like the other said, hes being sarcastic. As long as you dont get crazy with the gain trying to get "more" out of the amp, underpowering it will cause 0 problems. The only time it may cause something is when people use the gain as a volume knob, and crank the piss out of it. That usually creates a whole lot of distortion causing the sub to blow from a clipped signal. I would think with over 1000 watts you should be fine.

 

[xtremebassjunky 10+ year member]

.......

 

[terra 5,000+ posts]

so pretty much as long as i dont turn the gain up so loud as to create distortion im good? this is my first time having an amp that wont power the sub hahaha. sidenote here,,,anyone know how to upload pics onto here from a mac? im struggling

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

but don't try and make up for the lack of power with the gain knob... that is where underpowering will fvck ur stuff up.

If you turn your gain knob up to the point your amp blows your sub, you were no longer 'underpowering' it. Hence the term should not be used, noobs see this as underpowering = blown up speakers. Lets not confuse the lil nubs.
"Underpowering" is a myth, pure and simple.

 

[BigRed98Ram 10+ year member]

wow 1400 for that sub and im guessing what 1grand for the amp you got ripped off

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

What got me is he's spending $2k+ on subs and amps alone, but he doesnt understand the logic of underpowering heh. Can you eat a bowl of cereal when the bowl is only 1/4 full of milk?

 

[Twistid 5,000+ posts]

i dont understand how people think underpowering a subwoofer can hurt it? its like granny driving a vette ls1 and thinking the engine is gonna blow

 

[TruckAudioMan 10+ year member]

hey now, i eat my cereal with only 1/4 of the bowl full of milk.