can a sub be blown due to underpowering?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=38770
Printed Date: May 09, 2024 at 5:36 AM
Topic: can a sub be blown due to underpowering?
Posted By: ricetech
Subject: can a sub be blown due to underpowering?
Date Posted: September 07, 2004 at 10:06 PM
i heard that a sub can be blown by being underpowered. How can this happen if it can happen at all? My first thought was an amplifer clipping, however that isnt being underpowered is it? Just wonderin thanks.
Replies:
Posted By: Alpine Guy
Date Posted: September 07, 2004 at 10:08 PM
Technically no you can't blow a sub from underpowering, , , , whayt people are meaning by that is by useing too little of an amp and driving it into clipping trying to get the sub to get louder when the amp really isn't capable. Thats why its best to meet or exceed the rms requirements.
-------------
2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.
Posted By: Teken
Date Posted: September 08, 2004 at 7:10 PM
Sending the wrong frequencie(s) / harmonics which the sub woofer is not capable of reproducing will also affect the unit.
ie. Cross over points.
Regards
EVIL Teken . . .
Posted By: thapimpfromchi
Date Posted: September 08, 2004 at 9:43 PM
well, i think you can. if you are giving a 1000 watt sub 300 watts, and you try to play it full blast, its gonna get a sloppy signal (distortion). and we all know distortion is no friend of speakers.
-------------
1990 Honda Civic HB:
Clarion DXZ545MP H.U.
2- 6.5" Power Acoustik interiors
Diamond Audio 600.1 amp
Diamond Audio 15" M6MKII
Pyramid PB881X 4 CH. Amp
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: September 08, 2004 at 10:01 PM
Well, no, chi-pimp, that may be a bad example. If a sub is capable of getting 1000 watts all day long, then an amp that outputs 300 watts will never give it enough heat to ruin it, no matter how severely it's clipping. What follows is from https://www.bcae1.com/2ltlpwr.htm: "Note:
If your speakers are capable of handling significantly more than your amplifier can produce, driving them with a clipped signal will not likely hurt them. If the speakers can handle 3 or 4 times the power that your amplifier can produce, there's virtually no way to damage your speakers (no matter how clipped the signal is). If your speakers are rated for the same power handling as your amplifier is capable of producing cleanly, driving them with a clipped signal for extended periods of time may cause speaker damage and/or premature failure. If your speakers are rated for the same power handling as your amplifier is capable of producing cleanly, driving them with a square wave signal for extended periods of time will likely cause speaker damage." But like Alpine and chi-pimp are saying, it's the act of pushing an amp beyond its limits to get more power to the speaker that causes failure...damage to the speaker caused by heat.
-------------
Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: September 08, 2004 at 10:25 PM
Meh, crank it, blow em, blow em all. See that baby start to smoke, launch that cone right out of the basket. Ok, anyone else have a brutal day?
-------------
Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: auex
Date Posted: September 08, 2004 at 10:35 PM
Here we flocking go again with the over/under power issue again.
Hehehe.
-------------
Certified Security Specialist
Always check info with a digital multimeter.
I promise to be good.
Tell Darwin I sent you.
I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.
Posted By: Chad7n7
Date Posted: September 08, 2004 at 10:49 PM
Like someone has put it best, electronics operate on smoke..........once you let the smoke out, they don't seem to want to work anymore.......hmmmm, puzzling isn't it!!! -------------
Posted By: bp_viper
Date Posted: September 08, 2004 at 11:11 PM
that ones going on my list of favorite quotes....nice
Posted By: ricetech
Date Posted: September 09, 2004 at 2:07 AM
Chad7n7: i love that saying!
thanks for all the input.
now i have personally driven subs to the breaking point with a cheesy little amp while runnining them in free air. with a higher ferq. no they werent free air subs. my buddy and i were blowing them so we could return them to BEST BUY and get the new line. (gotta love BEST BUY) we succeded in blowing them. so if a sub is blown by heat how can it blow in free air?
Posted By: thapimpfromchi
Date Posted: September 09, 2004 at 4:45 AM
if a sub isnt meant for free air, and u use it for free air, its real easy. cuz you can go past their excursion points/limit and tear that sh*t apart. and sorry about my example earlier, i guess that doesnt work for subs/amps, but i know it goes for regular radio stuff.
-------------
1990 Honda Civic HB:
Clarion DXZ545MP H.U.
2- 6.5" Power Acoustik interiors
Diamond Audio 600.1 amp
Diamond Audio 15" M6MKII
Pyramid PB881X 4 CH. Amp
Posted By: jeffchilcott
Date Posted: September 09, 2004 at 12:46 PM
i will say go for it unless you are using 2 brand new eclipse subs ahhhemmmm myself I was giving rms power but gains fairly low to limit the power during break in dont know what caused the prob but their cooked. ohh well I will have new one's tomorrow
-------------
2009 0-1000 Trunk WR 154.0DB 2009 1001+ Trunk WR
2007 USACI World Champion
2007 World Record
2006 USACI Finals 2nd Place
|