Alpine subwoofer "break in" period..

[stanza 10+ year member]

hey guys so i got a pair of Alpine SWE 12" about a week ago and they have about 6 hours of play time on them. Ive played them at a moderate level (not to high not to low) most of the time and just recently today got to cranking them. Now im in a GMC Sierra single cab (reason why i went with these subs, shallower mount of them) and im running them off a JL JX500/1 amp. Wow these things hit pretty f'n hard for what they are and they sound very crisp and clear. There are some songs how ever where the bass is muddy, but then again my box isnt really built to specs. (gonna have custom boxes made here soon). But anyways what im getting at is, what do you guys think a reasonable time period is to know that your subs are fully broken in and its safe to crank them and not be paranoid about something blowing out on you? I just wanna get some of you guys who have a lot of experience in car audio opinions. Thanks guys!

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[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Set the gain right and beat them out of the box.

 

[Fiendstolemyamp 10+ year member]

You don't really need to worry about breaking the subs in. You do need to make sure your gain is set properly so you don't send your subs a clipped signal as that is how you would be most likely to damage you subs.

 

[stanza 10+ year member]

according to JL Audio the correct voltage for a 2ohm load is 31.6.. so what do you think would be a proper voltage for how new these subs are? should i put it right on the dot?

 

[tc300 10+ year member]

Still prolly wouldn't hurt to be easy on the volume knob for Lil while longer.....

 

[VWBobby 10+ year member]

Well........not entirely true. I look at it like breaking in a new/rebuilt engine. Some people beat on them right away, while others baby the engine for the first 500-1000 miles, change oil twice during break-in, and have it last much longer.

Most production/mainstream subwoofers don't even go through a live test, past QA. As long as they pass visual inspection and an electrical load test, they are considered good.

Personally, I would run them at least 5-10 hours at moderate power level (like you have done) before bashing away at full RMS power. This gives the suspension time to loosen up before you go tearing away. The spider and triple-joint take the most abuse along with the surround itself. After these have had a chance to stretch a little, there is little chance of the triple-joint breaking or the coil walking around in the gap.

 

[Falcons 5,000+ posts]

just stop this thread. he will never get a straight answer.

 

[stanza 10+ year member]

tc300, yea i want to give the subs maybe 2 more weeks of breaking in before i go crazy on em. I think im just gonna set my gain to JL Audios chart and after about a month turn the gain up a taaaad bit more and see what they can do.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Too each is own. I beat mine like a step child. If they are going to break I want them to break within warranty time

 

[stanza 10+ year member]

VWbobby thanks for the input

 

[stanza 10+ year member]

Falcon i see you got the pioneer DEH 6300ub HU.. i just got one the other day.. out of curiosity, how do you like it man?

 

[Falcons 5,000+ posts]

Falcon i see you got the pioneer DEH 6300ub HU.. i just got one the other day.. out of curiosity, how do you like it man?

its not bad. i like how you can change colors and stuff. the hpf isnt bad. the only complaints i have is it is a dual preout. i like three pre-outs. also it is a 2v preout and not 3v. other than that, it does exactly what i want. def a good buy for a budget

 

[mast240 10+ year member]

There is scientific data that shows that the parameters of a speaker will change after break in... due to the spider loosening up, coil seating, etc...

With that being said, break in period is really more opinion than fact. Some people will claim its absolutely a must, while others will claim its all BS. Depending on the sub, i will personally give them atleast 10 hrs of break in prior to full tilt. But thats just cuz i like to play it safe with my money. Will not breaking them lead to early failure? Impossible for anyone to say yes or no, as a definate. However, it is a way that MANY companies get out of their warranties... by claiming you didnt break them in properly... just food for thought

 

[stanza 10+ year member]

good point on the statement about companys getting out of the warrenty because you didnt break in the sub right. idk tho man it just makes sense to let a subwoofer break in a little bit before giving it hell.. but thanks for the input guys

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

I dont see how they could unless its like DD and AQ do and state it on the site. Ive never seen another do this.