max gain, low output at 2 ohms

Whats going on people. i registered here for some help because i didnt know who to turn to. i dont want to go to some installers around my way telling me i a)need bigger and better amp or b)need better subwoofer or c) need a ported or vented enclosure. i have installed numerous audio systems on my own cars but i have never experienced something like this. makes me feel very "noobish" because i think i used cheap amps. so because of this i dont know if its my amps, the amps settings, receiver settings or the subs or enclosure. :( im using a kenwood receiver, 2 Sony XM-1S amps at 2 ohms per sub and 2 kicker comp vrs 12inch dual dvcs at 4 ohm. each sub is ran in parallel to its own amp for a 2ohm load at 500watts rms (supposedly). here is the situation. the amps gain is set to almost maximum, bass boost to half way and the bass is clear but its still not loud at all. the receivers bass is set to +3 which maximizes at +15. the amps stay cool to the touch even after playing for a couple of hours on trips at max sound. sound is clear but i always lower the bass setting on receiver to be sure i dont compromise the subwoofers life. as soon as i hear the car rattling i lower the bass just to be safe because the gain is so high. it sucks because i HAVE to have the gain this high to hear any bass and even then with receiver powered interior speakers the bass is overwhelmed; even at the supposed 1kwatts. just for reference, i am using 0 gauge wire from battery with 100amp inline fuse. then a block for both amps with 2x60 amp fuses for each amp. i was thinking maybe the 100 amp in line fuse form battery was holding it back but then again, i had this install professionally done. i dont know what gives. i was thinking of upping the amps to 2x Kenwood KAC-9105D Mono subwoofer amplifier -- 900 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms--- one for each sub. with this amp powering each sub at 2 ohms i was thinking of keeping the gain to lowest possible and bass boost off. i just want to give these subs the maximum power they can handle and then some. i never distort my audio. i just want clear thumping jelly vibrating bass that can overpower my vocals when it needs be. does that make sense? any help you guys can offer will greatly be appreciated. thank you :)

Check your polarities, and not just the marking on the woofers.  Use a battery to check the polarity of each voice coil, and make sure everything is in phase.  Then make sure the signal going to both amps is in phase and that the amp wiring is correct.Support the12volt.com

DYohn wrote: Check your polarities, and not just the marking on the woofers.  Use a battery to check the polarity of each voice coil, and make sure everything is in phase.  Then make sure the signal going to both amps is in phase and that the amp wiring is correct.

ditto

thanks for replying. yeah, everything is in phase and wiring is good. had the installer check everything again after i checked it myself to see if he was trying to screw me over. its all good. he actually said though, the amps arent powerful enough. thats why the gains need to be set so high. we changed the xover to max on amp and started using the receiver to adjust per song. max on amp is 300 i think, dont remember off the top of my head. then used 120 on receiver. another guy at a different shop told me that i need a vented box. but that would just give me audible bass, i want hard thumping vibrating bass from my sealed.

those subs are rated at 400W rms and 800W peak. so 500 watts rms per sub is plenty of power. Try decreasing the xover to about 100-150 and see if it makes a difference. what I would also check is to make sure the correct pushin terminals are paired together. 1 set has a white dot on them.

another ? what output from your head unit are you using? front or rear or do you have a sub out that may be at a low level?

I have the older kenwood 9103d amp pushin a kicker L7 15" and it knocks, the newer amps are running 90 amps though so u would need new fuses on ur dist. Block. Have u tried running your lpf around 65-80 and lowering your gain. Also is your enclosure big enoughMastermindz

thanks for everyones input. just checked the wiring again and everything is fine. i dont understand. my head unit is the kenwood kdc mp642u, maybe this head unit doesnt cut it for the signal? maybe my voltage isnt up to par? i dont know. its a 97 jetta glx vr6. my llights dont dim with heavy bass unless the gain is all the way up to max and even then the bass is at 0 at moderate sound volume. maybe close to half way volume. deep heavy bass on rap i got to -3 and the vocals still overpower my bass. on trance or rock the bass is minimum +3 and still vocals overpower my bass. im literally lost. the subs are 12cvr124, dual 4 ohm coils. im thinking of upping the amp to two audiopipes AP15001D for each sub at either 2 ohms or 4 ohms. depending how much power it "sounds like it has". help :(

just found this for my head unit.. •     Maximum Output Power : 50W x 4 •     2.5V 3 Preouts •     Source Tone Memory •     Rear AUX Input with Input Sensitivity Adjust •     Attenuator (-20dB) with Smooth Volume Return 2.5v preouts, could that be the cause?

mastermindz wrote: I have the older kenwood 9103d amp pushin a kicker L7 15" and it knocks, the newer amps are running 90 amps though so u would need new fuses on ur dist. Block. Have u tried running your lpf around 65-80 and lowering your gain. Also is your enclosure big enough

tried that. played with the xover multiple times from hu to amp and vice versa. no difference in loudness except muddiness.

blanx218 wrote: another ? what output from your head unit are you using? front or rear or do you have a sub out that may be at a low level?

it has a sub out that im using. the output volts is 2.5. i did some research and it sounds like that is divided by the 3 sets of outputs it has which is kind of low. that would explain the high gain/bass boost required. the cheapest route ill attempt either today or tomorrow is upping the inline fuse from 100a to one with at least 120a. each amp is 60amps which is fused accordingly with the distro block but the inline fuse is set to 100amps. thats the cheapest route to take and hopefully itll add the extra oomph i cant seem to gain from the settings. let me know if the inline fuse is the proper way to go before attempting to replace amps and/or receiver.