underpowered sub

Hi,

If I've got a 1000w RMS sub (4 ohm DVCs wired in 2 ohm config) and hook it up to a mono amp which can only provide 400w RMS @ 2 ohms, would that sound worse than wiring the same amp to a sub rated at 500w RMS @ 2 ohms?

Hope that made sense.

The reason I ask is because here in the UK, decent mono amps are expensive and I'm a poor student on a budget. The 2 subs above (Pioneer & Alpine ones respectively) are both priced pretty same but I'd like to know what the difference in performance would be, using the same amp.

Cheers!

jayem7516 wrote:

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If I've got a 1000w RMS sub (4 ohm DVCs wired in 2 ohm config) and hook it up to a mono amp which can only provide 400w RMS @ 2 ohms, would that sound worse than wiring the same amp to a sub rated at 500w RMS @ 2 ohms?

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Hmm.  That might depend more on you than anything else.  The sub with the 1000w power rating probably sounds better at output, and probably has a lower sensitivity than the 500w sub.  However, as you say, you're only gonna run 400w to it.  If you like SQ more, I'd go with the 1000w sub.  If you want output, go with the 500w sub.

If you tell me what kinda of subs they are, and link to a pdf or a manufacturer's spec page with the t/s parameters, I'll model them in WinISD and answer your question definitively.

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"I'm finished!" - Daniel Plainview

Hi, thanks for your reply. The subs I'm thinking of getting are:

Pioneer one:


Can't find the correct manual for the Alpine one, sorry:
Model: SWR-1222D
https://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-swr1222d-p-4573.html?cadid=13a9bdf146fec5ed75c6613dddf62add

Thanks again.

Sorry, the pic above doesn't seem to be working:

They will sound IDENTICAL, if a little bit quieter, on 400 watts. The "sound" comes from the enclosure and the environment, NOT the amplifier.

Your total output will be ABOUT 3.5dB lower on the 400 watt amplifier than it would be on a 1000 watt amplifier, and until EITHER amplifier starts distressing (driven into distortion) they will sound the same.

As far as "underpowering"? Asked and answered... IT CAN'T HAPPEN!

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

I think heamph thought you were talking about a 1000watt amp vs. a 400watt amp.

Anyway.. wow I can't find t/s parameters for that Alpine sub ... the Alpine website doesn't even link to a pdf or anything off the product page.   ...so there really isn't anyway for me to compare them.  What kinda enclosure do you plan on using? 

Just looking at the Pioneer tho, I'm not very impressed.  Any sub rated at 1000w with all of 11mm of excursion tells me this thing probably isn't a 1000w sub.  For about that amount of money have you considered a JLw3?  The pound is *really* strong right now American imports can't be that expensive..

I dunno man.  Anyway, like heamph said, there really isn't a such thing as 'underpowering' a sub.  The RMS power ratings are thermal guidelines.. the actual power applied needn't be what the sub is rated at.  You might be best off getting whichever is cheaper.

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"I'm finished!" - Daniel Plainview

Looks like Alpine has changed their website to a less friendly format.  I did at one time, however, get the parameters for this sub from the site and have them in my WinISD database.  Here is what it looks like:  swr1222ddatabase.jpg

Note that this sub is a DVC 2 ohm model.  It will wire to 4 ohms (or 1 ohm).

These are default alignments in WinISD Pro.  Only change I made was vent diameter to 4" instead of 4.02, and gave 400 watts as power input.  Blue is (Super-) Boom-box and green is (Sub-) Chebyshev:

alpinjeswr1222daligns.jpg

And this is cone excursion for these alignments:  alpinjeswr1222dexcursion.jpg

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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

haemphyst wrote:

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As far as "underpowering"? Asked and answered... IT CAN'T HAPPEN!

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Sorry, when I said underpowering, I meant would it be a waste powering a "1000w RMS" sub with only 400w and whether I should go for something more matched to the amp.

Yep...

sedate and stevdart hit it tho... Stick with the Alpine sub, or consider the JL, as suggested by sedate.

The Pioneer will be LOUD, and I mean FREAKIN' LOUD for the power you put into it, but it won't go deep with any real authority... Mad deebeez, (thanks, DYohn ) or extension, but that woofer WONT do both.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

i had a couple pairs of those pioneers.  i loved how they sounded.  they hit real LOW.  at least, in a sealed 1.25 cu ft box (lined with fiberglass for strength, and a little polyfill in the box).  but, i was a little disappointed that they couldn't seem to handle rated power.  :(    I blew up three pairs in two months- I haven't blown a sub in almost 10 years!) If i was running a smaller amp like you are, they should be fine. 

also, i did try it in a ported box.  it seemed to handle more power, and definitely hit better spl.  but it only hit certain notes  (real hard!)...gave me a headache so i went back to sealed box

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(4)g5-1244, (4)gtr12, (2)ppipcx2400, (1)pcx4125, (1)pc4800.2, (3) pair mb quart 6.5"Q, (4)optimas, alumapro (1)5 and(1)15 farad cap, premier deh-p860mp, pioneer xm -dual H.O. alternators

I used to have a couple Type R 12s in a vented box I built...about 1.8 cu ft per sub and tuned to between 30-35Hz...I forget. Powered by a crappy Profile HA1000 amp rated at 480 watts rms...it was LOUD and got LOW. Sure I was prolly clipping the amp like hell haha but to me it sounded decent and could set off my friends alarm.