Can a rockford P3D4-12 take over rated RMS

[Scalian]

I have a Rockford P3D4-12 powered by a alpine 500 watt amp. I had it tuned by ear and was pretty happy with the output. I recently picked up a DD-1 and set the gains and the output has went down, i was clipping the signal before. If i want to get back where i was happy do i just need a amp that will supply more clean RMS than the one I have now. Does anyone has experience running these subs at over the rated 600 rms. I was thinking about picking up something like the soundqubed 1200.1D and running it to my one sub in 2 ohm. The 870rms rating seems a little to high for a 600 rms rated sub. Can i just set the gain with the DD-1 and then back it down some? My thoughts is that if i have 1200 available at 1 ohm it would allow me to add a sub or change to a 1200 rms sub later down the road if i want to.

[SIDE SHOW]

Should be fine if it's a clean signal and you don't crank it

[Cj Kumz]

^^^ x2.. The secret is clean signal.

[alaskanzx5]

The p3 series can take more then rated but it has to be clean with clean music.

by clean music I mean at least something like iTunes. Free music isn't clean and you can't beat the quality of a cd player.

when overpowering a sub you have to remember your pushing its limits in 2 ways.

1. Heat

a sub can only handle getting so hot. More power means more heat and reverse mounting could possibly help with cooler air on the voice coil but don't count on it.

2. Mechanically

the more power will push the subs more as far as xmax and bottoming out. Over exertion and bottoming out can damage the speaker physically. A way to prevent that is a smaller box to add back pressure/cone control. It won't completely get rid of the risk but will help lower the risk.

I'm sure people with more knowledge will chime in.

[SQL50]

I have experience with these subs. I've never owned a p3 12, I'm assuming you have the newest series with the anodized aluminum cone and dust caps (2011 model). But I do have the p3 15, which has the same rms rating at 600. When I set my system up I bought a r500x1d to go on it because I wanted to match the sub and amp's rms ratings together. The birthsheet came out at 637 rms, and the system was set with an o scope, so everything is perfectly clean. In my honest opinion, I believe these subs can take more than what they are rated at, how much? I couldn't say for sure, but I know that my p3 15 could take more. I believe I could trust it running on 750-800 rms without a doubt. But yes, you have a dual 4 ohm sub, so you can add another p3d4-12 and wire down to 1 ohm to get the most out of your amp. If you want the spl, that's what I would recommend doing if you have the space to sacrifice. It would be a fairly cheap upgrade since you can pick one up new for about $130. Just set it with that dd1 and you shouldn't have anything to worry about, clean signal, the spl you want, you'll be good to go. I have my p3 15 in a L port tuned to 35 hz and it sounds awesome. I'm actually about to add another one and slap em on a r1200-1d at about a 30 hz tuning, but 35 hz on those 12's would sound awesome. Give em about 2-2.25 cubes of airspace, and you'll be set. Btw, before I got my p3 15 I had a p2 10 in one of those probox superbass (glad I got into building my own boxes, so much cleaner and louder) but the probox was alright. Anyways one day I had the urge to see how it would take the r500 since its a 300 rms sub. And it actually handled it pretty well, full tilt for about 20 min. But the sub did heat up and I won't do that again, it was a little too much for it. Doubling the rms on it. I think it could handle 450-500 daily. Hope this helped.