Help!!

 

New member
Username: Dinseadly

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-11
So currently I have 2 12" Clarion Pro Audio subwoofers in my trunk. Quick specs for speakers are: 350 watts RMS DVC, and for the amp its 1 ohm 700 RMS mono. I got the installation done professionally and ive checked myself too and the wiring is all correct with no visible shorts. The amp is matched to the subs perfectly and they were working perfectly until recently. The subs work when i first turn my car on and everything works, until I turn the volume above to 20(20 is not very loud at all deck goes up to 35). The moment 20 shows on the deck my amp goes into protection mode and shuts itself off. I have tried taking all the wiring off the amp to make sure the amp is fine and it is. In fact everything works fine with just the right sub. But the left one seems to be causing the problem. When the left one is hooked up all by itself it does not produce any sound or move at all, and then when the volume is turned above 20 the amp goes into protection mode. So a couple questions: 1. is the left sub blown? 2. Why is the amp going into protection mode only when going to 20 volume? 3. Is it safe to run just one sub on the amp until i buy a new sub or figure out the problem?
 

Gold Member
Username: Joe1234

Post Number: 1010
Registered: May-09
Ok a quick test can show if the subwoofer is shorted, wire them in series and if you only get sound from one of them then the other one is shorted, you can test the non sounding sub one coil at a time to know more about the issue, also swap wiring form one sub to the other just to make sure about the wiring.

You can run the system up to 350W with one sub, just lower your amp gain.
 

Silver Member
Username: Alonzoub

Post Number: 328
Registered: Apr-10
What joe said.

Also if you have a Digital Multi Meter by chance, set it to read ohms and set it to the lowest setting. Since you said you have two DVC subs hooked up to a 1-ohm stable amp... im going to ASSUME your subs are Dual 4-ohm.. if you read the resistance of each coil, they should be in the range of 3.3-3.7.
 

New member
Username: Dinseadly

Post Number: 2
Registered: Dec-11
Thank you for the help. I found out the sub is completely fried . It was fully seized up. After taking it apart i found that the voice coil was completely black. So now i have a new problem, finding either a replacement sub for that one or getting 2 new subs. I cant seem to find the exact model and ive been told to never mismatch subs so I guess that means getting 2 new ones. I found the specs on my box (it is a bassworx box) and they are 1.5cu.ft per sub of volume and it is ported and the port is tuned to 42hz. Im not exactly sure what the porting being tuned means. But any help to point me in the right direction to get 2 new subs would be amazing. Keep in mind my amp is a 1 ohm 700RMS mono.
 

Silver Member
Username: Alonzoub

Orlando, Florida

Post Number: 331
Registered: Apr-10
Any chance you have the model of that amplifier on hand?

That's a pretty high tune. Look like you go yourself a boom-box. My honest suggestion would be to ditch that box, but I figure you probably don't want to buy a new one, nor build your own... so I guess that is besides the point.

My suggestion for that box would be a pair of DC Audio Level Two's. Or maybe Rockford Fosgate P2D4-12's.
 

Gold Member
Username: Joe1234

Post Number: 1020
Registered: May-09
OK Curt most SPL oriented subs can work in that enclosure including the famous and not too expensive Alpine type Rs if you are looking for loud.

If you didn't like much the bass of your setup anyways maybe a bass "makeover" is in order.
 

Gold Member
Username: Sinful_systems70

15 INCH WANG...

Post Number: 1345
Registered: Nov-06
Since you are cooking subs with correct power at no where near full volume, I would have to say something is not right. Gain too high, Bass boost too high, clipped signal, or improper use. You should have been able to run this setup 24/7 (at full or near full volume) without any problems. I would figure out what went wrong before spending more money with the same end result. JMO
 

New member
Username: Dinseadly

Post Number: 3
Registered: Dec-11
Hmm, How can i find out if the signal was being clipped? And what do you consider "improper use" of a subwoofer? I did not have my gain close to high at all and there is no bass boost on either. I have the settings on my deck to about half for each sub woofer level and bass level so its not like I have everything maxed out. I was very pleased with the bass i received from these subs, they were great until this happened :P.
 

Gold Member
Username: Joe1234

Post Number: 1021
Registered: May-09
Curt, although you can get a defective sub that can burn by itself, is good practice to review everything that was done. I would ask you the following:

The brand and model of your amp.
The same for the sub and if you don't have anything on them get at least a pic and I will research.

If you were happy with what those subs were doing for you then probably getting something like them can be a good bet.
 

Silver Member
Username: Alonzoub

Orlando, Florida

Post Number: 332
Registered: Apr-10
Yes like sinful said, its VERY likely that the sub blew due to a clipped signal, this is why I asked about the amplifier model number. I have never dealt with a clarion amplifier but (I mean this in the most respectable of ways) I do know that some of their other products are shoddy.

Although, the source of the clipped signal isn't always the amplifiers fault, It could be the wiring (causing excessive voltage drop, in turn causing the amp to clip earlier than expected), the song, or the pre-amp in the head-unit being over driven. Speaking of which, whats the model of your head-unit?
 

Gold Member
Username: Sinful_systems70

15 INCH WANG...

Post Number: 1347
Registered: Nov-06
I have worked with Clarion amps before, they are not that bad. They do not do rated power but are not as bad a legacy, pyramid, Boss, etc. They are right under Hifonics in my opinion. Never used their subs though.
 

New member
Username: Dinseadly

Post Number: 4
Registered: Dec-11
I am using a Kaption amp. It is the Kaption 700.1 - D 1 ohm stable D class amp 700 RMS at 1 ohm and the system i have set up is wired to 1 ohm.
 

New member
Username: Dinseadly

Post Number: 5
Registered: Dec-11
Here is a link with the most information i could find on that amp:

http://www.carstereo.com/forum/showthread.cfm?tid=19735

And here is a link to my subs:

http://www.clarion.com/ca/en/MungoBlobs/533/903/SRW1285%28Manual%29,1.pdf
 

Gold Member
Username: Sinful_systems70

15 INCH WANG...

Post Number: 1348
Registered: Nov-06
Improper use: Box size incorrect, over driving suspension of woofer (bottoming out), dirty (clipped) signal, (amplified) distortion, over boosting (either on amp or HU EQ), under voltage / insufficient amperage supply, overheating, improper break-in of woofers, etc.
 

Gold Member
Username: Joe1234

Post Number: 1023
Registered: May-09
Ok here it is, get it and be done with this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CLARION-SRW1285-750W-12-SUBWOOFER-NEW-FREE-CONT-USA-SH-/ 300184815364?pt=Car_Subwoofers_Enclosures&hash=item45e468c704

However you will need to check your electrical system and your gains to make sure this was not caused by user error.
 

New member
Username: Dinseadly

Post Number: 6
Registered: Dec-11
Thank you for that link Joe, however they only ship the the US and I live in Canada. Ive been going to multiple shops in town and asking questions about what I should be doing/looking for, and one thing a shop brought up that I need to ask here is: is any amp REALLY truly stable at 1ohm? Or is running an amp at 1ohm just asking for clipping to happen? So pretty much should I be running my amp at 2ohms instead of one and get some subs like an Alpine type-S SWS-1223D, or will I just burn those out too. My amp is said to put out 700RMS at 1ohm and 350RMS at 2ohm. Im looking for something that is made to take some abuse and play loud and make my car shake, not something that will blow again when being strained slightly.
 

Gold Member
Username: Joe1234

Post Number: 1030
Registered: May-09
No Curt your amp was working with a "shorted" speaker so I guess It's pefectly stable at 1 ohm. Type Rs DVC4 should suffice if that's what you want, you should however check your cabling, terminals and your amplifier's grounding, and your car's electrical system, if it's all in perfect shape the go through a proper gain setting procedure so it's safe to operate.
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