Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

12v-14.4v why?


racer808

Recommended Posts

I noticed while reading specs on some amps that they say 200watts RM @ 14.4 volts. Or 100watts @ 12 volts? (using these watts as examples). Not all amps state this though. Are all amplifiers then subject to 1/2 reduction on boats? Is it boostable or just buy bigger amps? I have a PPI600.2 that makes my wetsounds pretty damn loud at my house but per the specs I am not giving them 200watts at 12volts? Trying to decide if I should order more amps....

EDIT: It was brought to my attention your system jumps to 14.4volts with the engine running. So with motor running sound doubles? Cannot say I remember my car systems doing that?

Edited by racer808
Link to comment

I noticed while specs on some amps that they say 200watts RM @ 14.4 volts. Or 100watts @ 12 volts? (using these watts as examples). Not all amps state this though. Are all amplifiers then subject to 1/2 reduction on boats? Is it boostable or just buy bigger amps? I have a PPI600.2 that makes my wetsounds pretty damn loud at my house but per the specs I am not giving them 200watts at 12volts? Trying to decide if I should order more amps....

A 50 percent drop in power at a lower voltage sounds excessive unless you are comparing 14.4 volt/2-ohm power to 12.6 volt/4-ohm power.

The CEA-2006 standard power readings are with a 14.4 volt supply at 1kHz and at 1.0 percent distortion at that particular frequency only. It's just an attempt at creating a fair comparision standard from brand to brand. However, it has nothing much to do with real power. Since you can't get 14.4 volts in a boat then it's much like horsepower ratings taken with jet fuel but you can't get jet fuel at the pump.

An unregulated amplifier could lose 25 percent of its rated power with a 12.6 volt supply and lose more power if the voltage is lower. As compared to 1 kHz, the amplifier will produce less power at 100 Hz and even less power at 50 Hz. Maintaining that 1% distortion threshold will be much harder at both extremes of the bandwidth as compared to 1 kHz. So this is going to apply to almost every industry amplifier. Some will not comform to the CEA-2006 standard because there is no regulating body to enforce compliance. And, to be honest, CEA-2006 is a very relaxed standard with very few qualifications. When tested, some will actually meet their 14.4 volt power rating with a 12.5 volt supply. Some will have very high distorion at high frequencies that are not revealed in the 1 kHz spec. Some won't come close to the supplied specs. Just get used to it.

David

Link to comment

Hate to keep tossing it out there but remember to get a 3dB increase in sound you have to double the power. So, from 100 to 200 may only be a 3db change.

Also, efficent speakers will give lots of sound power out, using only milliwatts. 1 watt going to a speaker can yield about 100db.

Link to comment

Hate to keep tossing it out there but remember to get a 3dB increase in sound you have to double the power. So, from 100 to 200 may only be a 3db change.

Also, efficent speakers will give lots of sound power out, using only milliwatts. 1 watt going to a speaker can yield about 100db.

Yes, and 100 to 200 watts is a 3 dB gain as a matter of ratio only. Going from 300 to 400 watts is only a 1.25 dB gain. Questionable as to how audible that would be. Going from 700 ot 800 watts isn't a perceivable difference.

It tales a 10 dB increase (ten times the power) to create a difference that is perceived as twice as loud.

David

Link to comment

Now I am more confused. How do I make my tower sound really good while boarding? I have two pro 80's & a Precision Power amp powering them. Wanting to enhance it

Link to comment

Now I am more confused. How do I make my tower sound really good while boarding? I have two pro 80's & a Precision Power amp powering them. Wanting to enhance it

You can add more and more and more power to get more output. But you will eventually reach the thermal capacity of any speaker. And as you are approaching the thermal capacity you begin to get into dynamic compression....which means....the speaker no longer keeps delivering 3 dB of output as you continue to double the power. There is a point with all speakers of diminishing return. Past that point you risk speaker damage.

I will not make any comment pertaining to any particular brand, model, etc, etc. What I am sharing is just the universal physical law and you cannot trick mother nature, well, maybe just a little, but she always takes back somewhere else in return.

As stated above, I wouldn't get too caught up in unqualified specs. Hook it all up, make your assessment and go forward based on that assessment.

David

Link to comment

I was always told the rule is double the power OR double the size for +3db. So if you want more you go from 100-200 or if you are already achieving maximum potential from the current drivers you double the drivers (i.e. 2 pro80's to 4 pro80's)

Link to comment

I think in general, more speakers will do that. Especially if aligned physically correctly. Modern day rock concerts get away with less drivers overall, but align them vertically so that the wave fronts "focus" at a point out in space.

Then, if done correctly, the wave fronts can be additive and get increased sound output, at a further distance away, while still controlling horizontal dispersion. Ahem, ha.

Steve B.

Link to comment

David won't comment on brand as he is a vendor and a true professional. Doing so on this site presents somewhat of a conflict. This forum has been shut down before for this very reason (no fault of David's). I won't bash anyone else's brand either but I will say the Rev10 is the best sounding tower speaker I have ever heard. I've listened to many as there are always competitions going on in the party coves here in Arizona. I bought a set of them after listening to a fellow boater's sound system on Saguaro Lake here near the valley. Many realy nice looking speakers project a lot of sound but that's it. Their sound quality is like listening to an old transitior radio. The warmness of the music is just not there. I also witnessed how far these things (Rev10s) can project their sound power as another fellow boater pulled away from me and I could still hear his system when he was over a quarter mile away. I have only one set driven by a dedicated JL HD600.4 bridged to 2 channels. Unless you want to damage everyone's hearing who rides with you.....1 set of these will be enough.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...