Amp question

[KnightHawkUSMC]

Ok I have been having a slew of problems with my system lately so before I go into explaining what is going on and asking for advice, here is what my setup is looking like:

Stock HU (04 Sebring Coupe)

-Treble: Max

-Bass: 0

-Fade: 50/50

Crossover (Used as a LOC)

-Legacy LXR-1

-Levels: R 75%/L 75%

-LPF: 90Hz

-Bass Boost: 45Hz

-RCA to Amp

Amplifier (Bridged)

-Pioneer GM-5400T

-Power Rating: 760w MAX/125w x2 RMS (380w RMS Bridged)

-Gain: Slightly above "Normal"

-LPF: Off

-Bass Boost: 6dB @ 50Hz

-Mounted to back of box

Subwoofer

-Pioneer TS-W259S4

-Power Rating: 1200w MAX/350w RMS @ 4-Ohm

-Sealed Enclosure

Vehicle Electronics

-Alternator: Stock... 95 or 120amp, not exactly sure

-4awg wire from battery to amp

**Big 3/Alternator Upgrade are on hold (winter is around the corner...waiting until spring)**

Ok with that little bit of background information here is what I'm dealing with. Last week I got the crazy idea "Hey lets burn a LMFAO disc and listen to it in my car on 3/4 volume!" Well all was working well until the amp started to overheat and began shutting down. I backed down the volume to a normal listening level disappointed in what was happening. Shortly thereafter even at the lower volume level I blew BOTH my 30a fuses on my amp. Went to Autozone and picked up a couple 40s and put them in to create a 20a buffer in-case I was pushing too much amperage for the 30s. Went well for a couple days as I didn't go over half volume anymore after that episode and then all the sudden the amp starts overheating and shutting off. I started playing with my controls trying to maintain a balance of beat, sound quality, running temp and power consumption/output. I tried just about EVERY combination of controls. Either the amp will overheat and shut off, the lights will dim (never did before), or there will be a big bass "reverb" when I turn the car off. Finally I went back to my original settings (ones listed above) and all got straightened out...until today. Was coming home from work, music on half volume listening to some country of all genres and the amp shut off! Backed the volume down 2 notches and it came back on and ran like that for 5 minutes then returned to previous volume and it didn't shutoff again the for the rest of the way home. What I'm asking is...given my setup, what would you experts recommend me set my controls at for a mixture of sound, quality, and power issues?? What is likely to be the cause of everything that is happening?? ANY help would be appreciated! Thanks!

[Guest]

NEVER NEVER NEVER put bigger fuses in an amp than what comes stock. put them back to what they originally came with immediately. also, turn off all the bass boosts you have. thats probably the main reason why your amp is shutting off.

and i want to add, where is the ground on the amp bolted to? should be on the frame of the car, or the bolt on a strut tower with the paint sanded off so that the lug makes contact with shiny metal.

edit: set LPF to 80hz, ALL bass enhancements off

[KnightHawkUSMC]

I wondered if the fuses would cause a problem. I always go 1-step up in fuses all over electrical and haven't had any issues. Perhaps amp's are diff, but I'll put 30s in again and watch em blow! lol. If I turn bass enhancements off i get next to no thump. turning bass all the up on my EQ and not running an amp/sub actually hits louder then no bass boost on my system. Is my sub or amp not strong enough? The ground is going to a bolt on the frame of the trunk (rear deck frame), and yes...I did same the spot down to the nice bare metal finish. For my LPF setting I have only have 3...90Hz is the mid-level

[Guest]

I wondered if the fuses would cause a problem. I always go 1-step up in fuses all over electrical and haven't had any issues. Perhaps amp's are diff, but I'll put 30s in again and watch em blow! lol. If I turn bass enhancements off i get next to no thump. turning bass all the up on my EQ and not running an amp/sub actually hits louder then no bass boost on my system. Is my sub or amp not strong enough? The ground is going to a bolt on the frame of the trunk (rear deck frame), and yes...I did same the spot down to the nice bare metal finish. For my LPF setting I have only have 3...90Hz is the mid-level

if you dont have any 'thump' if theres no bass boost on, then there is something wrong with your settings. the amp and sub combo is fine, as long as you're bridging the amp. but yeah, put the original size fuses back in. if they blow, then there is something wrong that you are doing, and putting bigger fuses in is just dramatically increasing the chance of a huge problem (whether that be a blown up amp, or a fire).

how did you tune your gains, did you just turn knobs or did you use a multimeter or an oscilloscope or what?

[IBleedMusick]

You're doing something terribly wrong if you tell me that you get no bass with the bass boost off. I would measure your voltage make sure you're not getting crazy drop causing the amp to cut itself off to save it. Two I don't know where you learn electricals but the fuses are there to protect the amp if there is a short or surge somewhere by putting a larger fuse there you are leaving room for the right surge to blow your ish. Using larger fuses will not help your amp from cutting off just cause more damage. Try cutting off all of your setting and go flat on your eq then very slightly cut up the gain just a little and see how the amp holds out. Then get yourself an o-scope or dd-1 and set your amp correctly.

[IBleedMusick]

Yep what kranny said he basically ninja'd my ass

[KnightHawkUSMC]

Lol. I don't have an O-scope or access to one so i was forced to tune by ear. I know that isn't the "proper" way to do it but when that's all you have and the shop here wants to charge an ungodly amount of money to do it for you, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. There any "tips" to tuning by ear that you could offer? I'm still learning systems since I had my last one installed for me. I'd like to figure out what the hell is going on with my controls but i agree there is something wrong when you don't get bass without enhancements.

also, 30's are back in...just bought some new ones and put em in about 10 minutes ago