How much will the MM2104DVC really handle?

Geoguy

I previously posted this question in the wrong place - sorry

I'm finishing the box/enclosure and will soon install a new 10" momo dual voice coil sub in my son's truck. My mono amp is rated at:

220 watts RMS at 4ohms and 350 watts RMS at 2ohms,

The MM2104DVC is rated at 300 wats RMS.

I really want to wire the sub in parallel to get the most out of the amp at 2ohms but I'm affraid I may overpower the sub. I've read that some people recommend a higher power amp that is as much as 15% more watts than the speaker, but I'm not sure. If it were me, I think I could restrain myself and not overpower the sub with distortion and potentially blow it out but it's going into my 17-year-old son's truck.

What do you think? Should I just use one voice coil and settle for 220 watts out of the amp to be conservative and not risk damage to the sub?

Thanks,
Geoguy

Eric W

Please do not use only one voice coil. The other alternative is to wire it in series for 8 ohms but the amp will not maximize the amplifier's power.

All speaker power ratings are extremely approximate- it depends on the enclosure used, the material being played, the duration and what frequencies.

Soooo that being said, go ahead and wire it in parallel, but have your son keep in mind if he's thumping the stereo, keep a sharp ear out for distortion or signs of woofer distress like farting noises (which may be hard to do if everything else around him is rattling). In addition, if he tries to turn the woofer louder and it doesn't get any louder, then it has also reached it's limit and it's time to back down. If he can't get the SPL he wants out of the setup, he needs to add more woofers and more amplifiers.

Geoguy

Thanks, Eric,
Can amplifier settings, such as gain, etc., be adjusted to limit the power sent to the sub? The kid will crank the volume knob but it takes a little more effort to change settings on the amp under the seat.

Thanks,
Geoguy

Eric W

Lowering the gain will not prevent amplifier distortion nor limit the power the amplifier will produce. The amplifier gain merely adjusts its level relative to the other components in the system. A lower gain setting will only make it slightly harder (not impossible) to get to the higher volume levels.

Geoguy

Thanks, Eric, I did as you suggested and the 10" Momo sounds great! It probably won't win any competitions for decible levels but it sounds fantastic in a quad cab Dakota! It sounds like a good, strong sub with little distortion at even extreme volume levels. I think it will be fine with both voice coils wired and pulling 2ohms and 350 watts RMS.

Thanks!