Why is my woofer so quiet?

jyobeb · 5th March 2008, 16:13

I have a sony DV2000 in my Dad's car. I used to drive a JBL sub (a GT4-12) with an infinity Kappa 202A amp, which is a 400 watts X1 amp. While the woofer was driven well, I was nor happy with the quality of bass. My amp has blown a transistor and is waiting for the right part, to be repaired.
Now I have a Kicker C124 woofer in a sealed enclosure. This is being driven by a Pioneer 904 amp, which is bridged into one channel, which as per the manual is 250 watts (rms) X1.
However the woofer seems seriously underpowered and while the base sounds good, it requires really high head unit volume for the woofer to be loud.
I thought that the amp might be problematic and checked the woofer on a Pioneer 5000 D510, with no difference.
Is it that the sub pre-out on the sony DV2000 is seriously low voltage or does my woofer need a much more powerful amp?
I cannot try the Kicker woofer on my Infinity till it is repaired and hence my confusion. Help would be appreciated.
I have posted this twice. Request the mods to delete the other one.

dinu2506 · 5th March 2008, 16:23

Why don't you try and increase the gain on the amp so that it puts out full power at a lower voltage. I think it should help.

jkdas · 5th March 2008, 16:25

It works fine with D510?

Tried the gain control on the Pio amp?...904? 944?

JayD · 5th March 2008, 16:26

Tried turning up the gain on the amp? And does the H.U have an option to increase the sub volume like in the pioneer range??

Edit: @jk, i think both of us replied at the same tim! No i think u should REALLY try it!

jyobeb · 5th March 2008, 16:33

The 510 amp did not help. Gain is almost at 90%, the SW level in the HU is at max.

Blue Thunder · 5th March 2008, 16:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyobeb

...Gain is almost at 90%, the SW level in the HU is at max.

Then it must be an impedance mismatch : maybe , the sub is of a higher impedance than what the amp requires.

jkdas · 5th March 2008, 17:22

Its 4ohms for GT4 .
Try lowering the gain. Was it set at 90% or did you try tuning it?
250W should move a GT4. Did the sub go kaput?

alto99 · 5th March 2008, 17:34

Could it be phase mismatch? I mean output of the sub being canceled by other speakers producing bass?

jyobeb · 5th March 2008, 18:33

Woofer is a 4 ohm unit. Gain was set through trial & error. Have switched the phase too, to no avail.

Blue Thunder · 5th March 2008, 21:50

Have you checked the selector for the LP/HP (Low/High pass) filter? Maybe it is not set correctly?

navin · 5th March 2008, 23:23

check woofer impedance. is the Kicker a DVC woofer?

jkdas · 5th March 2008, 23:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by navin

check woofer impedance. is the Kicker a DVC woofer?

no. 4ohms.

50-150W...

navin · 5th March 2008, 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkdas

4ohms.

It's been checked with a multimeter?

jkdas · 5th March 2008, 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by navin

It's been checked with a multimeter?

googlemeter :P

Was thinking if he fed it with too much power as I read that it takes only upto 150W RMS .

low_bass_makker · 6th March 2008, 00:01

If I am not wrong here Pioneer 904 is not 250 watts in bridged mode.

5th March 2008, 16:13	#1
jyobeb Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Madurai Posts: 1,009 Thanked: 705 Times	Why is my woofer so quiet? I have a sony DV2000 in my Dad's car. I used to drive a JBL sub (a GT4-12) with an infinity Kappa 202A amp, which is a 400 watts X1 amp. While the woofer was driven well, I was nor happy with the quality of bass. My amp has blown a transistor and is waiting for the right part, to be repaired. Now I have a Kicker C124 woofer in a sealed enclosure. This is being driven by a Pioneer 904 amp, which is bridged into one channel, which as per the manual is 250 watts (rms) X1. However the woofer seems seriously underpowered and while the base sounds good, it requires really high head unit volume for the woofer to be loud. I thought that the amp might be problematic and checked the woofer on a Pioneer 5000 D510, with no difference. Is it that the sub pre-out on the sony DV2000 is seriously low voltage or does my woofer need a much more powerful amp? I cannot try the Kicker woofer on my Infinity till it is repaired and hence my confusion. Help would be appreciated. I have posted this twice. Request the mods to delete the other one.
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 16:23	#2
dinu2506 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,094 Thanked: 975 Times View My Garage	Why don't you try and increase the gain on the amp so that it puts out full power at a lower voltage. I think it should help.
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 16:25	#3
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,685 Thanked: 1,497 Times View My Garage	It works fine with D510? Tried the gain control on the Pio amp?...904? 944? Last edited by jkdas : 5th March 2008 at 16:27.
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5th March 2008, 16:26	#4
JayD Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cochin! At last Posts: 3,235 Thanked: 2,616 Times View My Garage	Tried turning up the gain on the amp? And does the H.U have an option to increase the sub volume like in the pioneer range?? Edit: @jk, i think both of us replied at the same tim! No i think u should REALLY try it! Last edited by JayD : 5th March 2008 at 16:27.
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 16:33	#5
jyobeb Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Madurai Posts: 1,009 Thanked: 705 Times	The 510 amp did not help. Gain is almost at 90%, the SW level in the HU is at max.
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5th March 2008, 17:22	#7
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,685 Thanked: 1,497 Times View My Garage	Its 4ohms for GT4 . Try lowering the gain. Was it set at 90% or did you try tuning it? 250W should move a GT4. Did the sub go kaput?
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 17:34	#8
alto99 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 348 Thanked: 71 Times	Could it be phase mismatch? I mean output of the sub being canceled by other speakers producing bass?
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 18:33	#9
jyobeb Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Madurai Posts: 1,009 Thanked: 705 Times	Woofer is a 4 ohm unit. Gain was set through trial & error. Have switched the phase too, to no avail.
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 21:50	#10
Blue Thunder Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Right here . Posts: 1,662 Thanked: 398 Times View My Garage	Filter selector Have you checked the selector for the LP/HP (Low/High pass) filter? Maybe it is not set correctly?
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5th March 2008, 23:23	#11
navin Team-BHP Support Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 25,412 Thanked: 9,969 Times	check woofer impedance. is the Kicker a DVC woofer?
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6th March 2008, 00:01	#15
low_bass_makker Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Faridabad Posts: 6,813 Thanked: 306 Times View My Garage	If I am not wrong here Pioneer 904 is not 250 watts in bridged mode.
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