I have read on here and on other forums I belong to a bunch of stuff about matching a amp to subs. I've heard stuff like it's really really bad to underpower a sub (say rms is 350 and you use 150rms on it) Ive heard overpowering is bad I'm guessing this is true lol. So what do I have to match the rms of the subs to the amp rms every single time or is that only for the best sound you can get out of those particular subs?

I have also read that when you set up your amp you match the amp gain to whatever the pre amp voltage is that your decks putting out. Is that true?

 

when some one puts a 150 watt amp on a 350 watt sub, they tend to clip the amp trying to give the sub more power, clipping is what's bad for the speaker, not the underpowering per say. (clipping on a sub is hard to recognize)

too much power can also be bad if the gains aren't set properly by pushing the sub to its physical limits.

Too much power can be controlled by turning the gains down, the leftover power is headroom.

setting the gains to exactly match the per-out voltage of the deck doesn't work so good as music is dynamic and the deck rarely, if ever, puts out its rated voltage during music.

I always want to have my amp have more than enough power, so I always aim high...example, on a 350 watt RMS sub (700 max) I'd look for an amp that has closer to the max than the RMS....again, just my opinion.

 

Ok so to be on the safe side I really should get something thats a bit more then what my rms will be since I have a habit of cranking my music all the time lol. Any tips on how to set up the amp gains though?

 

Lots of different ways. do a search and pick the one you like. i do it by ear, I'm no pro yet but it works, I've stopped blowing stuff up

 

LOL alright thanks. More or less I still need to go get an amp and wires so I'm looking for a really really cheap amp (thought I had a kenwood but the guy backed out) since well with gas the way it is and me doing well over 200kms a day I need to get every penny I can save. BUT I need better sound to my music since well i'm doing over 200kms a day lol.

 

i would over power a sub and try not to go power happey for a long play time or the heat will kill your sub (full/max power for long time like 200km)