Simple question, how do you not blow subs?

[Farris2k1 10+ year member]

I know this is kinda stupid but im about to purchase a pair of jl 10"s and im kinda worried about blowing them...although i've heard from people that theyre awesome speakers and they've never had them blow, i know that you'll blow speakers of you drive around all the time with them cranked way up but, is there anything else i should know as to not blow them?

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[ghs_wrestler189 10+ year member]

A couple rules of thumb:

1. make sure the volume is down when you turn your car on

2. check the gains and make sure the sub is not distorting

3. get the correct amount of power from your amp

4. don't crank it up to show up anyone when you know they have a louder system, just show em your SQ

btw, I blew a jl 10" by way of rule 1

 

[Mark_ab 5,000+ posts]

I know this is kinda stupid but im about to purchase a pair of jl 10"s and im kinda worried about blowing them...although i've heard from people that theyre awesome speakers and they've never had them blow, i know that you'll blow speakers of you drive around all the time with them cranked way up but, is there anything else i should know as to not blow them?

Heat kills speakers, this and this alone. Don't overpower them, don't send them a clipped signal (gain too high on your amplifier), keep in mind power handling goes down the larger the enclosure (including ported).

 

[EarDrummin. 10+ year member]

Bass Boost Death Fire Flames Smoke Death.

 

[supraman1379 10+ year member]

I say dont over power or underpower them.

One way to make sure yer puttin the right power to them is: turn yer volume up to where u usually listen to them and make sure you turn yer gain or level (depending on amp) al the way down along with the bass boost. the when you have the volume to where you listen to it normally slowly turn up the level or gain and bass boost until they distort. then back them down to where they dont distort anymore. then you shouldnt blow them.

eston

 

[Tear 10+ year member]

How, actually, can you identify distortion?

 

[EarDrummin. 10+ year member]

Bass boost increases the db of certain frequencies that often makes it sound "boomy". This is my opinion, of course, but noobs seem to like it. They see "BASS BOOST" on their amp, and are instantly compelled to turn it up. I was one of these noobs, and I also blew my first pair of Infinities doing so. Again my opinion, but unless you're trying to tweak to get high numbers, it makes your drivers sound like crap, and they usually don't move in a healthy manner to do so.

 

[nosaj070 10+ year member]

I say dont over power or underpower them.

Underpowering a sub will not hurt it assuming you set the gains the way he told you in his post. That is a big myth.

 

[Farris2k1 10+ year member]

thats cool i was worried that underpowering them would hurt it somehow

 

[supraman1379 10+ year member]

It will hurt them if you underpower them for too long, but like i said dont over power them either.

You can easily hear distortion. Just keep messin with the levels and bass boost until the sound coming out of your speakers sound like you cant understand them. Thats distortion. When you hear it, back down the gain and boost til you dohtnt hear distortion any more.

 

[simon21 10+ year member]

How do you know when you blow your speakers?

 

[supraman1379 10+ year member]

If you think theyre blown take them out of the box and smell the little hole in the bottom of the magnet and if it smells like somethins burnt, then its blown, also, if its blown you will hear the voice coil stretchin most likely. But stick with the smelling of the bottom of the sub thing. It works. Trust me

Eston

 

[ShizzA1 10+ year member]

Light a band aid on fire on your back porch.. Sniff it in, take it, remember that moment..... If you smell that smell when your cruisin down the road, its time to make adjustments or in some cases it maybe already too late..... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/nerd.gif.c6fa51ddf7ff75f1c0371fbc648f70ae.gif

 

[nosaj070 10+ year member]

It will hurt them if you underpower them for too long, but like i said dont over power them either.

No you are wrong. Do you honestly think your speakers are getting full power when the volume is down? No, and it does not hurt them what so ever. Speakers are only blown due to thermal reasons, how in the hell could a sub getting less power than it can safely handle go beyond its thermal limitations, it simply is not possible. That myth comes from the fact that idiots drive their amp to clipping by cranking the gains to try and make the sub louder, which will to a point, but also increase the output of the amp in a certain band a whole lot, it will kill the sub and the amp. I suggest you stop giving uneducated/wrong advice.

 

[marleyskater420 5,000+ posts]

No you are wrong. Do you honestly think your speakers are getting full power when the volume is down? No, and it does not hurt them what so ever. Speakers are only blown due to thermal reasons, how in the hell could a sub getting less power than it can safely handle go beyond its thermal limitations, it simply is not possible. That myth comes from the fact that idiots drive their amp to clipping by cranking the gains to try and make the sub louder, which will to a point, but also increase the output of the amp in a certain band a whole lot, it will kill the sub and the amp. I suggest you stop giving uneducated/wrong advice.

X2...... I was wondering how come my speakers don't blow..... and then I realized youre full of **** supraman.