Running at 1 ohm

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=48441
Printed Date: May 17, 2025 at 1:01 AM

Topic: Running at 1 ohm

Posted By: bretto
Subject: Running at 1 ohm
Date Posted: January 24, 2005 at 1:07 AM

I have just rewired my Earthquake PHD to see a 1ohm load in search of more power as i was running at 4 ohm and wasn't satisfied at all not only with spl but even though it sounds weird i believe that withextra power that the cone sounds much more controlled and the overall bass is cleaner now at 1 ohm. This may be due to the underpowering (Soundstream T4-12 subs rated 900RMS each.

Now my problem is the it keeps cutting out into some sort of protection but i'm not sure of the cause or any possible fixes, hopefully someone here will. It will run happily at moderate to high volume but when you ask it to go that bit extra which it sounds like it should easily do it just cuts out. I don't beleive its heat because it can happen as soon as you turn it on and at reasonably high volume it sometimes cuts in and out inetermitently.

I believe it may be a shortage of power supply through having to smaller fuse for that power level or gain being set to high. What do you guys think?

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Alpine 9815
Focal 165k3p
Soundstream T4 12's
Soundstream Van Gogh VGA500-4
Earthquake PHD

Replies:

Posted By: Ravendarat
Date Posted: January 24, 2005 at 3:38 AM

Is that amp one ohm mono stable or stereo. I just dont know that amp, but to me it sounds like its cutting out due to a impedence lower than what the amp is suposed to run so its sending itself in to protection.

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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: January 24, 2005 at 8:25 AM

Yep, good call Ravandarat. The PHD amps are rated as 2-ohm stable. In other words bretto, it is not rated to operate at 1-ohm so it is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

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Posted By: bretto
Date Posted: January 25, 2005 at 6:45 PM

ok so should i revert back to 4 ohm to save wrecking a decent amp and look at purchasing something like 2 seperate mono-blocks (Dual 1 ohm voice coils so one amp per sub at 2 ohm) or can i get away with running the amp at 1 ohm at just under the level where it cuts out?

It sounds much better at 1 ohm i think but it's just not worth it if it won't make sound at all when it blows up!

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Alpine 9815
Focal 165k3p
Soundstream T4 12's
Soundstream Van Gogh VGA500-4
Earthquake PHD

Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: January 25, 2005 at 9:45 PM

I can't recomend yu run it at 1 ohm. But it's your amp...

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