Alpine PDX 1.1000 Speaker Connections & question.
10-02-2008, 07:52 PM
#1
Alpine PDX 1.1000 Speaker Connections & question.
I'm just curious if its possible to hook up those speaker plugs "upside down" on the amp? The online manual isn't that clear to me, so if anyone has a similar Alpine amp with those plugs, maybe they could chime in?
I'm asking because I dont seem to be getting much output from my subs and really have no idea why.
On the amp, the subsonic is on at 15HZ (only 2 settings allowed 15 & 30)
The input switch is set to the high volt setting for inputs (mine are 4v)
Gain is up to about 60% now.
Gains on the 4 channel are DOWN to around 3, H/U now has to be turned WAY up to get loud because the gains are so far down. H/U is currently set flat for now. Have tried the "normal" and "reverse" head unit settings for sub control, reverse is better.
Subs are set at 4 ohms (1 and 4 switch on them), one connection to each speaker plug in the Alpine, in other words, each sub is connected to a separate speaker plug.
The amp is supposed to do 1000 or so at EITHER 2 or 4 ohms.
Hmmm, is it possible the amp is seeing an 8 ohm load and dropping down to 500 wrms? The amp has to be smarter than that doesn't it?
Subs are in phase, gauranteed because i actually REPLACED the wiring as a last ditch effort, as well as the box connectors.
Subs are in a sealed 3.4 cubic foot box, sound deadened and then fiberfill on top of that.
Subs are almost new Infinity Kappa 122.7, 350 wrms each.
All grounds are good, not a whisper of hum or noise anywhere.
Any ideas would be a big help.
AMP LINK
Alpine PDX-1.1000 1000W x 1 Car Amplifier
Thanks
John
Note: I wonder if I should wire the subs together and use only ONE of the Alpine plugs, thus giving it a 2 ohm load?? jeez, maybe thats my stupid mistake right there!!
I'm asking because I dont seem to be getting much output from my subs and really have no idea why.
On the amp, the subsonic is on at 15HZ (only 2 settings allowed 15 & 30)
The input switch is set to the high volt setting for inputs (mine are 4v)
Gain is up to about 60% now.
Gains on the 4 channel are DOWN to around 3, H/U now has to be turned WAY up to get loud because the gains are so far down. H/U is currently set flat for now. Have tried the "normal" and "reverse" head unit settings for sub control, reverse is better.
Subs are set at 4 ohms (1 and 4 switch on them), one connection to each speaker plug in the Alpine, in other words, each sub is connected to a separate speaker plug.
The amp is supposed to do 1000 or so at EITHER 2 or 4 ohms.
Hmmm, is it possible the amp is seeing an 8 ohm load and dropping down to 500 wrms? The amp has to be smarter than that doesn't it?
Subs are in phase, gauranteed because i actually REPLACED the wiring as a last ditch effort, as well as the box connectors.
Subs are in a sealed 3.4 cubic foot box, sound deadened and then fiberfill on top of that.
Subs are almost new Infinity Kappa 122.7, 350 wrms each.
All grounds are good, not a whisper of hum or noise anywhere.
Any ideas would be a big help.
AMP LINK
Alpine PDX-1.1000 1000W x 1 Car Amplifier
Thanks
John
Note: I wonder if I should wire the subs together and use only ONE of the Alpine plugs, thus giving it a 2 ohm load?? jeez, maybe thats my stupid mistake right there!!
10-02-2008, 08:38 PM
#2
John go to canadian tire and get yourself a multi meter with Ώ setting and check your wiring!
If the meter reads 8 ohms change the switch to 1ohm - that means you have the sub wired in series!
If the meter reads 2 ohms that is the right setting!
Do like I told you in person! Turn the amp down change the input sensitivity! This amp kicked the out of my Focals - Sounds like you have a sub wiring issue or not enough input into the amp! You shouldn't have to go past half!
J
If the meter reads 8 ohms change the switch to 1ohm - that means you have the sub wired in series!
If the meter reads 2 ohms that is the right setting!
Do like I told you in person! Turn the amp down change the input sensitivity! This amp kicked the out of my Focals - Sounds like you have a sub wiring issue or not enough input into the amp! You shouldn't have to go past half!
J
10-02-2008, 09:30 PM
#3
Thanks for the reply.
I have no problems or issues with the amp if you thought I might be going in that direction. Very good condition and I wouldn't hesitate to buy/purchase/sell with you anytime. Its obviously something stupid on my part.
I probably just misunderstood you when we met in person. I have the amp input switched to where I THOUGHT it should be, to the right, on the higher voltage setting. So maybe I should switch it to the lower voltage setting?
As for power connections, I have 2 seperate 4 AWG runs from the battery (new 850 cca btw). They each run under one front seat, with seperate grounds as well.
I swapped the two amps over to check the power and the MTX ran perfectly from both locations, so I'm going rule that one out.
Let me clarify the wiring first. The subs ARE at 4ohms, there is no doubt whatsoever. I've pulled them twice since I met you.
Now, as to how they are hooked up...ONE SUB (8 awg speaker wire) into ONE connector, into the amp.
Same for the other sub. They are not wired together in any way, shape or form. As far as the amp is concerned one sub is in BC and one in ON
I have a digital MM. So remove the speaker plug from the amp and check there?
First thing i will do is try moving the input switch on the amp to the lower setting AFTER I turn the gain back down to 1/3 just in case.
I have no problems or issues with the amp if you thought I might be going in that direction. Very good condition and I wouldn't hesitate to buy/purchase/sell with you anytime. Its obviously something stupid on my part.
I probably just misunderstood you when we met in person. I have the amp input switched to where I THOUGHT it should be, to the right, on the higher voltage setting. So maybe I should switch it to the lower voltage setting?
As for power connections, I have 2 seperate 4 AWG runs from the battery (new 850 cca btw). They each run under one front seat, with seperate grounds as well.
I swapped the two amps over to check the power and the MTX ran perfectly from both locations, so I'm going rule that one out.
Let me clarify the wiring first. The subs ARE at 4ohms, there is no doubt whatsoever. I've pulled them twice since I met you.
Now, as to how they are hooked up...ONE SUB (8 awg speaker wire) into ONE connector, into the amp.
Same for the other sub. They are not wired together in any way, shape or form. As far as the amp is concerned one sub is in BC and one in ON
I have a digital MM. So remove the speaker plug from the amp and check there?
First thing i will do is try moving the input switch on the amp to the lower setting AFTER I turn the gain back down to 1/3 just in case.
10-03-2008, 02:41 AM
#5
Ahhh...so THATS what 500 or 600 watts sound like through a pair of subs 
(gain about 40% or so).
All those hours of fcsking work because I forgot what you told me that evening. The subs are actually doing that excursion thing now
I didn't realize how clean that box really sounds with all the deadening & fill in it. It's like I have an entirely new setup now.
So later I get to readjust the whole thing again, neat
THANK YOU very much, owe you a beer or two. Seriously.
Whilst screwing around I also came across another setting on the head unit, on one of the custom equalizer screens: Lo Me Hi with 4 or 5 frequency ranges that can be set for each (1k,3k,5k,8k,10k etc) plus a "N1 or N2" setting after each one. Probably has something to do with slopes right?
Dont think that has anything to do with the subs though because there are totally separate sub menus.
Have to go read up on that, guess its my next challenge.
(gain about 40% or so).All those hours of fcsking work because I forgot what you told me that evening. The subs are actually doing that excursion thing now
I didn't realize how clean that box really sounds with all the deadening & fill in it. It's like I have an entirely new setup now.So later I get to readjust the whole thing again, neat
THANK YOU very much, owe you a beer or two. Seriously.
Whilst screwing around I also came across another setting on the head unit, on one of the custom equalizer screens: Lo Me Hi with 4 or 5 frequency ranges that can be set for each (1k,3k,5k,8k,10k etc) plus a "N1 or N2" setting after each one. Probably has something to do with slopes right?
Dont think that has anything to do with the subs though because there are totally separate sub menus.
Have to go read up on that, guess its my next challenge.
