2007-08-08 05:58:35 · 8 answers · asked by Tom L 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Audio
it is a realatively simple thing that gets complicated.
too much from a amp blows a sub that is the bottom line..... too large a sub will never be a cause to blow...
what you have likely heard is too much power is better than not enough...for a amp... thats true given a certain output...
anotherwords. if you want 500 watts... it is better to have a 1000 watt amp play at 500 watts than to take a 250 watt amp and crank it up to 500 watts... and yes a 250 watt amp could posible reach 500 watts (clipping and distorting) if the gains and levels are set incorectly.. see the manufactures "rate" the amp at a point along the power band and pull off specs such as THD.. the amp can go louder but at the cost of dramatically raising distortion, so they dont rate them higher...but they will technically put out more watts...
So a underpowered amp can blow a larger sub if it is takin past its rated power and over the subs capabilities, but this does not happen without warning, the sound will be distorted... and sound like crap. on the other hand a overpowering amp may not distort at all, and still blow the amp because it can cleanly overpowering the sub.
thats why it is best to match RMS of the amp and the sub... and then not turn it up to loud... that my friend is never good..and will always cause headaches.
2007-08-08 06:12:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are two ways to damage a speaker:
Thermally---this happens when the power running through the voice coil creates more heat than the wire in the voice coil can handle. This results in a damaged voice coil. It can only be caused by over-powering. Usually there won't be visible damage to the sub, but it just stops playing (possibly causing the amp to shut down).
Mechanically---this happens when the subwoofer cone is pushed beyond its mechanical limits. It results in physical damage to the surround or spider. The sub will continue playing, but with extreme distortion. Mechanical damage is caused by over-powering, or by using the sub without an enclosure or in the wrong sized enclosure.
Either way, damage is more likely if you use an amp that's more powerful than the sub's power rating.
2007-08-08 06:21:10 · answer #2 · answered by KaeZoo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Acutally there are a few things BUT normally because the amp can produce more power than the speaker can handle and you pumped more power to it.
OR wrong OHM from the amp to the subs but that is very uncommon. More common if you are running a home amp to the sub then it will cook the voice coil.
2007-08-08 06:14:44 · answer #3 · answered by Dareus 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An amp more powerful than the subs
2007-08-08 06:01:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Subs too powerfull for the amp. i have an 1800 watt amp powering two 12" only pushing about 600 watts a piece. no problem
2007-08-08 06:20:42 · answer #5 · answered by cheddar bob 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
too powerful of an amp, or if installed incorrectly, you may be sending more than bass signals to the sub causing it to try and pump out higher frequencies. they dont like that too much
2007-08-08 06:02:02 · answer #6 · answered by tequilujan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
too powerful of an amp, not using a subsonic when the box is ported, sending a clipped signal, wireing it incorrectly, basically they all lead to the amp but not always due to the simple factor of overpowering
2007-08-08 06:06:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What causes a glass to overflow - having a glass that is too big or pouring too much water? Come on now, this is really tough - not more obvious than your question.
2007-08-08 06:02:25 · answer #8 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋