Will I damage the sub by playing it without an enclosure?

[SliderX 10+ year member]

I have a 12" Type R, I want to hook it up to the amp without an enclosure to see if it works. Do I risk doing any damage by doing this?

Thanks

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[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

YES

It is VERY easy to overexcurt a sub while playing it free air. It *will* work, but you have to be VERY careful with the power levels you send it or you do run the risk of damaging it.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

YES
It is VERY easy to overexcurt a sub while playing it free air. It *will* work, but you have to be VERY careful with the power levels you send it or you do run the risk of damaging it.

if he is just testing to see if it works then it is not that dangerous //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[GTonDubs 10+ year member]

wouldn't suggest testing it like some of those RE or MTX free air vids i've seen

 

[bimma85 5,000+ posts]

how much power u running it?? I used my my buddies old 250 watt xtant amp to give his type x a little action. Like squeak said though, I would be extremely careful.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

i personally take a 9v batter and wire up the speaker and test it...like they said, it is dangerous if u are purposely freeairing it, but just making sure it works won't usually harm it.

 

[Loudrango112 10+ year member]

Im going to sum up what everyones said...

JUST connect it up... with VERY little power to almost no power... to see if it moves... but after that... you will hurt it...

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Im going to sum up what everyones said...
JUST connect it up... with VERY little power to almost no power... to see if it moves... but after that... you will hurt it...

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[SliderX 10+ year member]

Thanks guys //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif Plugged it in with the hu at low volume and amps gains low, seems to work fine. I'm using an Alpine MRP-M350 amp, it puts out 350watts @ 2ohms. I was trying to put something together on a budget since my HU is powering my speakers, don't want too much bass. (the amp was $90 and the sub was $80 1242D). All I need is to get the woodcut and build the box. The table saw they use to cut wood at home depot is broken, and I just have a circular saw at home, and getting a jig saw soon.

What's weird is that I hooked up my old stock 4" speaker to it, so it was probably getting 200watts RMS @ 4ohms. I turned the headunit at 22 (out of 35 it's last years bottom line Alpine anything after 22 it starts distorting), EQ settings all on 0. Put the gains up all the way on the amp and the crossover at 200Hz and the thing wouldn't blow. It was moving but it wouldn't blow, I never realised how quiet the speakers seemed without an enclosure. Maybe it's just because I was using small wiring. It finally blew after I turned the 50hz bass boost on the amp up +12db.

 

[cjjackson85 5,000+ posts]

Im going to sum up what everyones said...
JUST connect it up... with VERY little power to almost no power... to see if it moves... but after that... you will hurt it...

FYI, this guy has blown his last 4 subs or so... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[GTonDubs 10+ year member]

just dont test it like this free air test

 

[Raven 10+ year member]

I can get full excursion out of my Beals Brothers 8 with between 10 and 15 watts, free air.