Watts over RMS?

[Demi 10+ year member]

I ended up with an under powered amp for my subs that i plan to replace. It RMSes at 310w at 4 omhs. When i replace the amp will i be able to use it on my speakers? The 4" and the 6" are 100watts and 200watts respectively. Will this nuke em or with careful gain settings will i be okay?

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[jujumantb 10+ year member]

Amps dont blow speakers, people do. That RMS rating is the maximum RMS watts that amp can push at a certain level of distortion. So yes, by setting your gain so that you never utilize ALL that power, you wont blow the speakers.

 

[Demi 10+ year member]

Cool, thanks man. So just keep bumping the gain till i hear clipping?

 

[PollyCranopolis 10+ year member]

Turn gains all the way down, set your volume on HU to 80$ or so. All bells and whistles on deck disabled, EQ flat. Slowley turn up gains until you hear distortion, then turn them back a notch. Maybe it's me getting older and listening to so much loud music, but sometimes it's hard for me to hear when distortion is just starting to creep anymore.

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

Turn gains all the way down, set your volume on HU to 80$ or so. All bells and whistles on deck disabled, EQ flat. Slowley turn up gains until you hear distortion, then turn them back a notch. Maybe it's me getting older and listening to so much loud music, but sometimes it's hard for me to hear when distortion is just starting to creep anymore.

Talk about the GHETTO way to do it.

To the OP:

- use the gain setting tutorial in the amplifier section to set your gains PROPERLY.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Talk about the GHETTO way to do it.
To the OP:

- use the gain setting tutorial in the amplifier section to set your gains PROPERLY.

X eleventy billion.

And how do you set the volume on a head unit to eighty dollars, anyway? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[PollyCranopolis 10+ year member]

Boy, you guys show no mercy. It's called a "typo" and it happens on occasion. As far as the gain settings go, the tutorial is a must (thats why it's a sticky). Theres nothing wrong with doing it by ear unless your deaf.

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

Boy, you guys show no mercy. It's called a "typo" and it happens on occasion. As far as the gain settings go, the tutorial is a must (thats why it's a sticky). Theres nothing wrong with doing it by ear unless your deaf.

Doing it by ear is inaccurate. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[PollyCranopolis 10+ year member]

You'd be surprised. I've seen guys set by ear,pull out the multimeter and come VERY close to calculated voltages. I'm not gona get in a piss'in contest with you though, so I'll say yeah, read the **** tutorial. Shite

 

[iwantmorebass 10+ year member]

how hard is it to relize your speakers are distorting. also cracks and pops aint no good.

 

[PollyCranopolis 10+ year member]

My point exactly

 

[jujumantb 10+ year member]

how hard is it to relize your speakers are distorting. also cracks and pops aint no good.

EXACTLY... for most people it shouldnt be a problem. The gain setting tutorial is a great resource for beginners or extreme pros who want to be perfectly accurate, but for the rest of us, doing it the way gymway said is fine. If you dont trust your ability to do it this way, go ahead and use the gain setting tutorial, but its not a must IMO.

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

Doing it by ear is inaccurate. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

So is using a DMM //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

The thought of the day: Trust your ears!!

 

[Demi 10+ year member]

All gain settings are a moot point for my subs right now im afraid. Got my subs and amp installed. Got the gain on the amp all the way up. Its a shame but my head unit doesnt have a HPF. SO the bass settings on the HU effect the subs. THEREFORE i have to keep the gain all the way up and the bass kinda low (-1) and the sub setting all the way up to get the right mix with out distorting the crap out of my kenwoods. SIIIIIGH. Recon its time for a crossover......jeeze.