Amp Clipping Out - any suggestions?????

I have Kicker KX850.4 amp that is running 4 pairs (8 component speakers). It clips out (momentarily) when playing the stereo at 3/4 volume for an extended period of time. I have 4 pairs of speakers wired to the amp.

Channel 1: pair of Polk Momo MMC6500
Channel 2: pair of Polk Momo MMC6500
These are the tower speakers

Channel 3: pair of JL Audio M770-CCS
Channel 4: pair of JL Audio M770-CCS'
These are the interior boat speakers.

Any suggestions? I thought the amp has a fan to keep things cool. How can I see if it is working? Should I get a separate amp to run the tower speaker and have one dedicated to the interior speakers?

I plan on keeping the KX850.4. I know it is stable at 2 ohms per channel. I assume it would run cooler if it were in 4 ohm mode.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,

it's going to run alot cooler in 4ohm....even though they say it's stable at 2ohm...at the levels your probably playing it it's going to clip. what guage wire are you using?

I've got the same problem with that amp running 4 tower speakers. The amp is overheating, get a fan on it, make sure you don't have anything up against it, etc..

Adam -

I have 0 AWG Stinger wire from the 3 Optima Blue Top batterys powering the system to fused distribution blocks. The batterys are located in the rear by the engine. The fused distribution blocks are under the observers storage area. The amps are also in that observers storage area. From the fused distribution blocks to the amps, I am running 4 AWG wire. It is probably only 18-24 inches long (the 4 AWG wire).

would suggest a seperate amp and a audiocontrol line driver if you are using the clarion or any other 2v head unit.. good luck !!!!

Clubmyke -

The MasterCraft OEM stuff is long gone - including the Clarion HU. I have a Pioneer Premier DEH-860MP which have 6.5V preamp outputs (front, rear and sub).

Does that change your thoughts on adding another amp?

tom, spoudns liek you have adequate wiring...I liek nu bu's idea...add a fan, stinger makes a low profile fan...kinda pricey ($30) for what it is , but doesnt' stick out like a sore thumb. I installed two on amps that had overheating problems....now my amps barely even get warm. I was amazed at how much they help...both my amps were cutting out.

tom,

i would still add another amp and line driver..

there are very few amps that can run balls out at 3/4 for a long period of time..only the top end zaps ,arc, tru's to my knowledge...

because the accoustical setting is unreinforced, the power needed is tremendous...

still would suggest using a audiocontrol line driver since "most" peeps use a ipod which has really, really low output into your head unit...not to mention this may be compounded by long rca cable lengths...ask anyone who has added a line driver (made in usa...high quality stuff).... results are pretty amazing..

i run a balanced eclipse into balanced zapco at 16v....that makes up for long interconnects and low output from ipod sources...

Clubmyke -

Thanks for the input. Would another KX850.4 be OK plus the Audiocontrol Line Driver? I do have the Pionner iPod Interface unit to connect my iPod rather than going thru the headphone mini RCA jack which I know is very low output.

Regarding RCA cables - mine stretch from the HU which is right by the driver and go around the front of the bow to connect to the amp which are under the glove box in the passenger storage area. Each RCA set of cables is 25 feet long. I would assume that is a pretty long run for RCAs. I did go with some fairly nice Stinger RCAs. Do I still need the line driver? What does the line driver do?

Thanks for all the help.

Tom

tom,

the long interconnects in your system is a major weak link..

interconnect cable capitance increases as the cable gets longer.... i dont know what the specs are for the stinger rca's but 50' is a mighty long run for any signal... another consideration is the output impedence of the deck (low is good)..

you might want to consider 2 line drivers - 1 going to and the other coming back..it will insure the all of the signal(frequency range, voltage, and proper impedence) will make it to and from..

Clubmyke -

I went to the Audiocontrol website and found three line drivers. The BLD-10, BLR-10 and BLX-10. Which one do I need?

I have the four.1 great for controlling volume of tower and cabin speakers seperately.

i would look at a audiocontrol matrix for the first run and a 4.1 like ewing mentioned for the second run...

I have the literature on the Matrix and it looks like it would work. I have 3 separate preamp outputs (front, rear and sub). I see the you just simply hook up from the HU to the Matrix then to the amps.

Question: how do you hook up a second line driver? Why would I need it? You mention 1 for going back - can yo explain that one a little more?

I will get another KX850.4 for the front channels (interior boat speakers) and use my existing KX850.4 for rear channels (tower speakers). Then add the Matrix Line Driver between the HU and the amps.

How does that sound??

why the long rca's ? do they have to be 25' long ?

what i would suggest is run a short set of rca's from the head unit to the audiocontrol matrix and then run a long set to the 4.1 (by the driver) and another long set in return to the amps(the 4.1 in the middle is acting like a repeater..) this would allow control of the interior spekers and the tower speakers from the driver seat..

though i havent done this, it make sense and it "should work" since you are running 50' of rca's

Clubmyke -

I control my tower and interior speakers right now with the fadar control on the Pioneer HU. It works great. I have the interior speakers hooked to the rear channels and the tower speakers hooked to the front channels. Anything wrong with that configuration?

I just checked, the RCA cables are 20' long. Since my HU is right next to the steering wheel of the boat and the amps are in the observers storage area, the only way to get there is to go around the bow. There is no shorter way. Also, there is no way to mount my HU closer to the amps. Likewise, there is no place to mount the amps closer to the HU.

Each RCA (front, rear and sub) are only 20'.

I think you may be thinking my HU is in the glove box but its by the driver.

Caddy, it sounds like he only has 25' of RCA's from his HU to his amp.

Modifying what Caddy said, run short RCA's to the 4.1 then longer RCA's to the amps. Try to keep your line lengths short where possible.

(Message edited by wakeprodigy on July 12, 2007)

Clubmyke -

I must be missing something regarding the need for a line driver. My Pioneer Premier HU preamp outputs are rated at 6.5V each (front, rear and sub). Do I really need more than 6.5V? My guess is that the Line Driver gives a smoother, more regulated output than the HU itself.

I think what I am going to try first is to disconnect my interior speaker from the KX850.5 amp and just run my 4 tower speakers into that 4 channel amp. This will run the amp at 4 ohms rather than 2 ohms and see if it runs cooler. I am hoping that it will not clip out. If it does not, I will get another KX850.4 and call it good - unless someone can give me a good reason to get the line driver as well.

Again, thanks for all the help.

Tom

I've got my 850.4 bridged at 6 ohms to Skylon tower speakers and it still cuts out from overheating. With that kind of voltage I wouldn't bother with a line driver. If you put a fan on it I think it will help you out. They supposedly have a fan inside but it doesn't work worth a crap.

more batteries.

More batteries equals higher voltage for longer periods of time. The higher the source voltage to the amplifier, the lower the current through the amplifier. Current equals Heat.

Bumping the load up to 4 ohms should reduce your amp heat as the amp is passing less current.

I think I have another issue to deal with. When I installed my stereo in the spring of 2006, I had the alternator rebuilt to output 101A rather than the stock 51A. I am only getting 12.7V at each battery when the engine is at cruise RPM. At idle, it is around 12.3V. I have two blue top optimas (D34s) for the stereo and a standard leadacid battery for the engine and misc. accessories.

What are everyone's thoughts? Alt. not big enough?