hey guys, just got a quick quiry.
my old sub used to distort like shit cos i unscrewed it too many times and threaded all the screw holes so it leaked air from the side. i've just upgraded to a new one which is only being run at half power off my 4channel for now until i get a monoblock for it.
my question is this: at max gain there is no distortion except if your ear is right next to the sub u can hear what sounds like the cone moving (kind of paper flapping sound). is this normal or is it distorting? i'm not usually paranoid but i just don't want to damage my new sub before i get a monoblock..
thnx heaps boys & girls.
Half power should be OK for the time being. Just don't have it up too loud and bring the low pass down to about 60-70hz. An underpowered sub will sound a bit average, less punchy and not really a 'tight' controlled sound. When it distorts you can notice the bass tone change... I guess it kind of tends to go from a deep boom to more of a 'wahh' kind of noise. Best way to keep it in check is to set up the sound balance the way you like it, fade down or turn off the cabin speakers if you can and turn the volume up till you hear the sub tone changing. Take note of your max volume (try a few different songs) and don't go over it.
If you are using the same box, make sure not to use the same holes, screw it down tight and also check for any other box leaks (unless it's ported of course). You can do this by slowly pushing on the woofer cone & then releasing it. The cone should come out slowly and should also not be easy to press in. If you have any leaks, you should be able to hear them, the most common one is the terminal bracket. I've used silicone to seal mine up, just make sure if you do this let ALL the silicone well and truly dry and set before you put the woofer back in, as the vapours etc. of the silicone can damage the speaker material. If you have a sealed box and it is leaking it will sound flat and not that deep. Also adding a little padding to the inside of the box helps to deepen the bass to a more well rounded 'boom' than a 'bang' sound. You'll know if you put too much in as it will sound dull and muffled. Usually if the box is quite small for your woofer you can use a lot, otherwise just use a small amount and try to strech it out over as much of the wood inside as possible.