I've heard a few subs make a funky sound when more power is applied to them that just doesn't sound like the bass the artist put in the song. On low volumes its fine. On higher volumes It sounds like the sub is puking. I hate that sound and i turn the bass down to when its gone. I've heard it mostly on punchy bass, long drawn out bass is usually fine. What causes this, is it when a sub exceeds its xmax or is that overrated in knowing what the sub sounds like as well? That's my only guess. I haven't heard lots of different subs but all the ones i heard did it.

Oh crap. Double post, sorry. Can someone delete one?

I've heard a few subs make a funky sound when more power is applied to them that just doesn't sound like the bass the artist put in the song. On low volumes its fine. On higher volumes It sounds like the sub is puking. I hate that sound and i turn the bass down to when its gone. I've heard it mostly on punchy bass, long drawn out bass is usually fine. What causes this, is it when a sub exceeds its xmax or is that overrated in knowing what the sub sounds like as well? That's my only guess. I haven't heard lots of different subs but all the ones i heard did it.

Head Unit Settings

Bass Boost/Exend = Off

Loud/Loundness = Off

Sub Level: + whatever yours goes up to minus a few whatever your preference

Bass = 0 or lower, whatever your preference

Amp Settings

Gain = Set with DMM, no more than 50-60% if you dont have one.

LPF = 100Hz or lower whatever your preference

Bass Boost = Off

SSF = 1-5 Hz lower than box tuning, or until subs start to reach its excursion level.

Check out your settings and see what you have wrong (let us know what was set wrong and if its better now).

No no no. I'm asking more of a general question about all subs rather than my set up. However my sub made the sound with

settings on headunit at :

bass = this did not control the bass to the sub but to the door speakers.

bass boost +5

Loud = off

Sub level +5

Amp settings:

gain = 3/4

lpf= 80 hz

bass boost = off

ssf = 30 hz box was tuned to 33

On low volumes this was fine but as i turned it up it distorted so i changed the bass boost and sub level both down to +1 and i was just fine.

The reason i asked my question is i've heard my friends set ups and mine and heard the same sound with punchy bass and wonder if all subs do that. I think it happens with the amount of power going to the sub regardless of headunit settings. Headunit settings just send stronger signals to the amp which makes the amp put more power to the frequencies which the settings govern, i think. We hooked up my sub to a pretty strong mtx amp with all headunit settings at 0 and no bass boost on the amp and my sub went crazy, making the sound i hate. Is this post xmax distortion? I put too much emphasis on that spec. All i need is a yes or no type answer. Maybe im just too picky, my friends don't seem to mind the sound.

Either amp clipping or sub reaching limits.