it bugs...any suggestions? i'm powering it with 2 channels of my rockford fosgate 600a4 which should be around 300 watts. it should be able to handle it. could it be the adjustable line level converter??

thanks
johann

 

Define what you mean by distorts...does it just sound crappy?? Do you have the low pass filter setup on the amp? How big is the box? Gimme some more info and I will try to help you out. I have had some experience with JL's. If you don't have it in the right size box, then too much power will cause the sub to bottom out and sound like crud. If you don't have the LP filter on, then the sub with definietly sound like crud.

 

so the box is built for the sub by jl audio. distortion meaning it seems like the sub is being pushed too hard, but it should be able handle the power.

 

10 w 3 single voice coil? two channels bridged? souns like something is not set up right, need more info!

 

What impedance do you have your subs wired in? 10W3's are DVC woofers. If you use all three, it is best to run them in a parallel and series configuration.

The following link will help you determine whether or not your subs are wired properly. A common misconception is that distortion is caused by overpowering a sub when actually underpowering a sub is even worse.

http://www.jlaudio.com/subwoofers/pdfs/10W3_BDS.pdf

 

the 10w3 is a Dual voice coil sub that came pre-mounted in the enclosure built by JL Audio. Therefore it was pre-wired as well. The impedence on it is 4 ohms.

 

Have you opened the trunk and listened to it with the trunk open to make sure the sub is distorting? I know when I put my 12 in, it sounded like it was distorting when it was really the trunk that was causing it. . . After I lined the trunk with Dynamat, it disappeared completely and made it sound a lot better.

 

I know that the JL box you have is a 4ohm MONO load box. Fosgate amps put out the most at 4ohms. You said you have the 600a4 amp pushing just one 10". Thats total overkill right there!! That sub according to my JL brochure in the Pro Wedge box handles 250 continuous. I say turn down the gain to alittle more than 1/4 of the way up and make sure that the punch boost is less than 1/2 way up. I have had experiances with the fostgate amps and the punch boost levels settings. That alone can disort your sub if its set too high. IMHO i would have bought a smaller amp for only one 10".
Also consider this, when you open up the trunk of your Max the sub will not have anything to work against it when its moving, like when the trunk is closed the air the sub is moving will bounce off the trunk and back up to the front of the car. So by opening up the trunk while the sub is jamming that can cause it to reach its peak excurtion level, therefore giving you that distorting sound. So when you open the trunk make sure you dont slam the sub to hard cause that can damage it big time.

 

oh it's only 300 watts going to the sub and the other 2 channels are going to my components up front....could it be because i dont have a aftermarket head unit???

 

turning the gain down on the line converter, set the crossover less than 100hz. the line out converters are a pain to get set right, they are less than perfect, but should not cause distortion.

go easy until you get it figured out,distortion (clipping) will screw a speaker pretty quicfkly

 

if its a buzzing sound then it might me that the magnet is loose and causes it to chatter