Why RMS?

[killdevil fox 10+ year member]

I am told that the worst thing you can do to a sub is clip it. This may be a real noob quiestion but I am told to get a 1000W amp for a sub that has 1000W RMS. Why? If the sub has a 2000W peak wlould'nt I want a 2000W amp to avoid clipping at extreme output?

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Click to read more...

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

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[99grandprixGT 5,000+ posts]

Cuz peak dont mean shit. go by RMS.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

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saw teh title...had same face

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[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Max power ratings mean nothing. Don't pay attention to them.

 

[1rockford1 5,000+ posts]

u gota try to match up the rms. peak is just some bs they put on there boxs or websites to sell that shit. rms is what u wana go by .

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

I have not seen a good answer explaining why yet:fyi:

http://www.bcae1.com/

 

[Xprime4 10+ year member]

max power is a big turnoff! If it's listed on the sub/amp, don't buy it!!!

no seriously, only look for rms, peak doesn't mean a shit

 

[BIGsherm7272]

lulz.

 

[99grandprixGT 5,000+ posts]

try it out. by a xplode with a 1300 watt maxx rating and send 1300 watts RMS to it and see how long it lasts.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

I am told that the worst thing you can do to a sub is clip it. This may be a real noob quiestion but I am told to get a 1000W amp for a sub that has 1000W RMS. Why? If the sub has a 2000W peak wlould'nt I want a 2000W amp to avoid clipping at extreme output?
//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/chicken.gif.218ea7401db50d5e31a7e0b37e05e21e.gif

quoted for future reference

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

oh lawdy.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

 

[Xprime4 10+ year member]

weird tho that this guy know about clipping at this stage of noobness //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

I am told that the worst thing you can do to a sub is clip it. This may be a real noob quiestion but I am told to get a 1000W amp for a sub that has 1000W RMS. Why? If the sub has a 2000W peak wlould'nt I want a 2000W amp to avoid clipping at extreme output?
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Clipping is when the regular sine wave becomes a tangent wave (IIRC). Basically, instead of sending your sub AC (Alternating Current... to view this, turn on any song, and use the 'scope' visualization. That's what the signal wave looks like. When a signal clips, it flattens out at one point in the wave.) current, it sends it DC (Direct current) which lowers sound quality and over time damages the coil due to thermal repercussions. Clipping has nothing to do with your sub, it has to do with your amp / processor (Head unit, or otherwise noted.)

RMS = Root Mean Square (IIRC), which is basically the mean of the power that your sub is seeing. It's a nice way to round to see how much power a woofer is seeing. Max power is it's thermal and mechanical limits, and should never be seen... it's also a marketing hype... a lot of manufacturers that don't really sell to the mass public won't even give a max power rating, just an RMS power rating

 

[RAB 10+ year member]

whats rms?