Gain problems?

Ultrabb

CarAudio.com Newbie
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Ok, so my setup is a

-Sundown Audio u-12 wired to 1ohm

-Skar RP-2000.1D

-Line output converter coming from stock subwoofer harness

-Lincoln navigator w/stock head unit

Now that we've got that out of the way, I got the skar amp recently and I installed it. I went to set my gains (I'm doing it with the little speaker and the capacitor method) as soon as I get the gain more than half way it sounds like the subwoofer is bottoming out? I'd suspect this to be distortion, so I adjusted the gains on my line output converter until no distortion was present. I tried again. Same result. Normally I wouldn't be complaining, but something is wrong when a sundown u12 can't even get remotely loud without some form of bass boost on higher than rms power?  -Ps the box is to spec (2 feet cu)

Any help would be much appreciated.

 
As Matt stated above, If its a cheap LOC then thats the problem. Look into audiocontrol or an aftermarket head unit. Thise 10-20 LOCs are trash and will hold back your entire system in output

 
What loc are you using? If it’s a sub $15 one about 1 out of 5 actually work as supposed to 
I'm not gonna lie it's like 15 dollars at walmart. Could this really be the problem?? It worked fine for me on the other amp?

(Basically what's the difference between like a 12 dollar and 70 dollar LOC)

 
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What frequency test tone are you using?

It is possible that the frequency you are using causes an unloading issue with your current box design. Especially if it is below the actual tuned frequency of the box

 
Ps the box is to spec (2 feet cu ft)

To spec?... something along these lines will be closer to what you need for that amp/sub...

VI97cH.jpg


That's a lot closer to spec than that prefab... and should do a lot better.... personally I'd tune a little higher but it was not my call... lol

It's for an XTR2500 btw

 
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The actual listing and the box are different, but yeah I know I know prefabs ****. But like is that causing my problem? I'm still thinking it's just my crappy loc

 
Replace the crappy loc anyways... then remember that the enclosure is super important.

I can't stress that statement enough.
So I got the audiocontrol lc2i and set it all up with gains and such and it made no difference, I still have the same problem, also I forgot to mention this same thing happens on other subs, I tried it on a pair of kicker compc's in a kicker box made for them, same problem. They don't hit nearly as hard on the new amp and they bottom out. So if box isn't a huge problem and line output converter isn't either, is it the amp? I already sent one back because it literally didn't work. :((

 
-Sundown Audio u-12 wired to 1ohm

-Skar RP-2000.1D

-Line output converter coming from stock subwoofer harness

-Lincoln navigator w/stock head unit

The box is just a prefab from ebay while I Figure out what I wanna do with the setup, i'm pretty sure this is it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/282600080773?ul_noapp=true
Just seems like so much fail in your setup to me that It's hard to know where to start

Factory HU

Signal thru loc/lc2i from factory SUB harness?

U12 in a prefab?.. That one above has 21^ of port and is probably 1.8ft3 net ad at best... so it is truly bad with a 30mm x-max driver on 2K... output limiting for sure.

The bottoming is another thing I'd guess tho

Maybe it's me but a good clean signal is always where you start... is that a decent signal coming from the sub harness?.. I wouldn't know as I've always used an aftermarket source.

You buy a decent sub, put it in a prefab and use an loc to tap from the factory sub harness for signal then try a lc2i, try different subs and it's the same. 

Maybe try a different signal source?

Someone on here will have to step-in about your signal source as I've never even tried to pull signal from factory sub wires. Always full range and let the loc/amp x-over do it's thing when I've been forced to use a loc.

Maybe the signal is being adjusted/processed from the factory radio and that's causing part of the issue?

Is it tapped before or after the factory amp?.. sorry had to ask

Just spitballing here as I just dont see the amp probably being the issue, maybe the tune but it sounds like it's bad.

Tuned in now OP... 

Always trying to expand my knowledge.

 
So it's plugged in after the factory amp, I'm using a decent line output converter now, I agree the box isn't great, this is just a temporary setup. I don't think that's causing the problem because this happens on multiple subs in different enclosures. I don't think it's the signal because I had it all on a hiphonics 1800.1d and it all ran great. I'm gonna try and tap into something full range later. The only reason I didn't do that in the first place is because the car already has all the crossovers and stuff like that set because it's got like a thx certified sound system or whatever.

I'll probably just hook the RCA to a friend's aftermarket sterio and see if that fixes it and keep you updated.

 
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So it's plugged in after the factory amp, I'm using a decent line output converter now, I agree the box isn't great, this is just a temporary setup. I don't think that's causing the problem because this happens on multiple subs in different enclosures. I don't think it's the signal because I had it all on a hiphonics 1800.1d and it all ran great. I'm gonna try and tap into something full range later. The only reason I didn't do that in the first place is because the car already has all the crossovers and stuff like that set because it's got like a thx certified sound system or whatever.

I'll probably just hook the RCA to a friend's aftermarket sterio and see if that fixes it and keep you updated.
Do you have an amp you can borrow from a friend to rule that out? 

If it’s getting good signal now as you say, all you’re wiring is in order I.e. power & ground and sub wiring, it’s still not working how you think it should I’d try another amp even if it’s underpowered 

 
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