dual voice coil?

hey guys, I know that dual voice coil subs can be wired parallel and in series and what not, but i was wondering if you can just power one voice coil at the rated rms without damaging the sub? I don't completly understand how speakers are made. So basically what i want to know is: does "dual voice coil" mean that there are just 2 different terminals to the single voice coil for wiring flexibility or are there 2 independent voice coils that have a power terminal for each?   thanks,

-Ryan

Sorry for my inexperience, but do you mean that it is halved if I only power one voice coil? for example: say I have a 4 ohm dual voice coil sub rated at 200 watts rms and i only power one of the 4 ohm voice coils, then I would only be able to put 100 rms to the one voice coil?

In essence I'm wondering if what you are saying is that you cannot supply the rated (200 wrms) to a single voice coil?

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying.  But it depends on the woofer.  Some brands give power ratings "per voice coil" and others give ratings "with both voice coils wired."  If it's "per," then the listed rating would be fine into one VC.  If it's "both," then cut the number in half if using only one.

There are many reasons NOT to power only one VC other than power questions, not the least of which haemphyst mentioned: the Q (and other) ratings of the woofer will change and must be measured to build the correct enclosure.

If I had a sub that's dual 4 ohm and have an amp that can put out the rated rms at a single 4 ohm.

Before I knew much about audio and wiring I put a dual voice coil sub into a powered home sub whos amp only put single 4 ohm, and i guess that's why it sounded so crappy.

I also was just kind of curious. I now understand, thanks guys

sorry if the question was stupid, that was just one part that i didn't quite understand yet, and hopefully the last lol.

thanks again