blown sub/damaged coils???

craigCDC
craigCDC Posts: 5
edited February 2009 in Car Audio & Electronics
Hey there!!!

Was just wondering if sum1 could help me. I've got a Pioneer 900w 12" sub hooked up to a 2000w amp. I've had the sub hooked up for about a week now, but last night when i was driving, the sound from the sub just turned off suddenly. I turned my amp off and on again, and the sub started working. However, now the sound which it is putting out is a lot softer and it sounds really crap... As opposed to the usual nice-sounding long bass tones, it is now short little grunts of soft bass. A slight distortion is also present. I thought originally that it might be the "gain" of the channel which got turned down, but this is not the case as I checked today.

Can anyone PLZ help me!!! Did I blow it or something?
Thanks a million...
Craig. :eek:
Post edited by craigCDC on
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Comments

  • TNRabbit
    TNRabbit Posts: 2,168
    edited February 2009
    You blew something. You can't run a 900 w sub at max output with a 2000w amp!
    TNRabbit
    NO Polk Audio Equipment :eek:
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  • craigCDC
    craigCDC Posts: 5
    edited February 2009
    Thanks a lot!!! Correct me if im wrong, as im not that clued up on this stuff... but its a 4-channel amp. I have 2-channels being used by my 6x9's, and the other 2 i crossed over for my sub. So now my sub is getting 1000w max. (i hope im right). I have set the dials so that they do not give out max power to the sub. So technically my logic is telling me that my sub is getting less than 900w. Am i wrong? If im right, I do not understand the reason for something to blow???
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  • TNRabbit
    TNRabbit Posts: 2,168
    edited February 2009
    Well, 900w may be the maximum that the sub can withstand for a second or two, where as the maximum CONTINUOUS rating may be much less. You need all the specs on both items in order to make an informed decision about this. Did you buy both of them new? If used, there could also be prior abuses from the previous owner. Car audio companies tend to be somewhat "enthusiastic" with their spec claims....
    TNRabbit
    NO Polk Audio Equipment :eek:
    Sunfire TG-IV
    Ashly 1001 Active Crossover
    Rane PEQ-15 Parametric Equalizers x 2
    Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature Seven
    Carver AL-III Speakers
    Klipsch RT-12d Subwoofer
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited February 2009
    What amp and sub are you using? I dont know of any 4 channel that makes 1000 watts with the rear channels bridged.

    Either way tho it does sound like you killed your sub. Chances are you had the gains set too high, overdrove the amp and pushed it into clipping which sounds like pushed your suspension too far.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
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    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • craigCDC
    craigCDC Posts: 5
    edited February 2009
    Cool thanks. I bought both the sub and amp brand new. (oh ya, its a 900w pioneer sub and a 2000w Digital Starsound 4-Channel amp).

    So ya, what would you say my best move from here on is? Obviously it sounds like im going to have to buy a new sub. So which is the best one to buy to match my 2000w amp. I don't ever want to have to deal with this crap again. So what you reckon?
    Thanks a lot for the help!
    ciao.
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  • craigCDC
    craigCDC Posts: 5
    edited February 2009
    and oh ya... if i do get a new sub, do you think it would be better if I rather leave the sub in one channel instead of crossing it over? My logic tells me that I should cross over, but perhaps get a sub which is like 1600w or something...
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited February 2009
    WHAT AMP AND SUB ARE YOU USING?!?!?! I need actual model numbers.

    I have never heard of Digital Starsound in my life. Sounds like a flea market brand. Either way, I found Starsound on Google and the only amp I found even close to 2000 watts was the SS1-4150 which doesnt give actual ratings, just 2000 watts max. Judging by this Id say youre lucking if youre getting 300 watts to your sub with the rear channels bridged which wouldnt even warm up a 900 watt Pioneer, so Im guessing that 900 watts rating thing is a max rating as well which means a 300 watt sub probably. By the way, the MAX rating is totally meaningless. The continuous or RMS rating is the only on that matters.

    Now just a hunch here but Id guess youre a total novice at this stuff so Id say youve got your gains cranked way too high, were slamming on the volume, drove around with the amp clipping most of the time which eventually fried the amp. Of course it is possible youve got a faulty ground from your amp but Im leaning to the gain being the cause. The gains should not be any higher than the "noon" position or halfway if that. And your bass boost shouldnt be on either.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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  • exalted512
    exalted512 Posts: 10,735
    edited February 2009
    Mac, the 2000 watt is probably the IHBL rating (if hit by lightening). There's lots of those amps out there these days.
    -Cody
    Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
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  • megasat16
    megasat16 Posts: 3,521
    edited February 2009
    exalted512 wrote: »
    Mac, the 2000 watt is probably the IHBL rating (if hit by lightening). There's lots of those amps out there these days.
    -Cody

    :D:D:D Most amps are so over rated these day so it becomes a norm. :eek:
    Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited February 2009
    Actually pretty much all QUALITY brands of amps are underrated. MTX, Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, PPI and countless others will easily exceed their ratings. Now your cheaper brands like Profile and Power Acoustic will meet their ratings but you wont get much more.

    There are a few out there that fall short tho like Hifonics and Alphasonik to name a couple.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
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