Subs?

[OFLA]

Hey Guys, Just looking for some advice for getting some bass through the car. Ive already got an Alpine HU and 4 alpine 6.5" 2ways. I've got some cash together and have two options at the moment. The sub will be running through a sony 444 amp. I can either buy 2 10" pioneer VCCS subs and run them, or a single 12" pioneer sub from the newer range. Any advice or info from ppl running 1 or 2 subs in their hatches would be great.

[Zed]

The most important thing you'll need to do is ensure you present the right load (impedance) to the amp.

Each pair of channels on the Sony 444 is only stable to 4ohms when bridged, so you'd need to either run 2 SVC 4ohm subs with each sub run off a bridged pair of channels, or 1 DVC 4+4 sub with each pair of channels hooked up to one voice coil.

Were you planning on using all 4 channels of the amp for the subs only? What I'd actually recommend is using 1 pair of channels for just one sub (SVC 4 om), which should provide enough bass to match the rest of your system, and use the other pair of channels to amp the front stage. The alpine 2-ways will play much louder and cleaner if you amp them as oppose to running them off the HU.

[OFLA]

Yeah the single sub option is what I was leaning toward, also because I have heard that the VCCS subs have been know to have troubles, whereas the newer sub is pretty much a straight forward design.

[SehnKhan]

Depends what kind of bass you want too. Punchy = 10", boomy = 12".

[Nate]

10" will give you good clean bass , 12" will give a good amount of bass but you may loose some quality. If you are into R&B go a big phat 15". Personally i want two apline type R 12" (big DOOF DOOF) seeing as i wont be getting my soundstream sub :evil: :evil: :evil:

[Zed]

Saying a 10" = punchy and 12" = boomy is a sweeping generalisation. Both 10s and 12s can be made to sound punchy or boomy, depending on the sub itself and its application.

A crucial factor in the output of a sub is the enclosure its put in - size, design, construction, tuning etc. Also a good quality sub amp will help keep the bass tight and controlled.

A good, well matched front stage (in terms of power and size) with appropriate crossover points between itself and the sub is also very important.

In other words, size is not the only thing that matters when it comes to bass.

[platypus]

go pioneer 10 inch F series, you got a winner there, and you don't need to seal... just make sure theres no vibes in the enclosure/baffle board!!!

[Zed]

Free air subs aren't the best choice for a hatch. The reason being the boot isn't very well sealed off from the rest of the cabin (which ideally it should be) due to the parcel shelf not being fixed in place.

I'd go with a single C series sub, and put it in an appropriately sized sealed enclosure. You can either go with the Pioneer recommended size box, or post the sub's T/S specs and someone can design a box for you.

[MrShadow]

I saw these PA systems with 18 inch drivers in a catalogue we got at work. I began to wonder..."How would these go in a car, setup as subs?" Unfortunatley, I don't have the dough to find out. Probably not too well as they aren't designed as subs... :? :?

[Cosmo Dude]

Originally Posted by MrShadow

I saw these PA systems with 18 inch drivers in a catalogue we got at work. I began to wonder..."How would these go in a car, setup as subs?" Unfortunatley, I don't have the dough to find out. Probably not too well as they aren't designed as subs... :? :?

A friend of mine had a job for the Port authority, the speaker horns were three metres long, you could hear them for 5km on a still day. At least the cops wouldn't hear your exhaust :lol:

[MrShadow]

At least the cops wouldn't hear your exhaust

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[SehnKhan]

Originally Posted by Zed

Saying a 10" = punchy and 12" = boomy is a sweeping generalisation. Both 10s and 12s can be made to sound punchy or boomy, depending on the sub itself and its application.

I'm speaking from experience with the Pioneer range, so it's no generalisation :roll: He _was_ talking about Pioneer subs mate.

[OFLA]

cheers for your help fellas its given me some more stuff to think about. pay day thursday and just got the strathfield catalogue with some alright stuff in it so i reckon next w/e could be some quality install time

[platypus]

ahh quality time with panels off your car... my favourite time of the year coming up soon... TAX TIME!!!! much time with no panels on the car!!!

[scollinguk]

This is an easy choice really, the old pioneer subs were crap and the new ones are okay, if your gonna go for a pioneer get the new one but personally i would save that little bit more and get a jl audio 12w0, its a better sub by miles and uses a small enclosure and still gives good solid bass, rather then other small enclosure subs which just give a lot of punch and no deep bass.

Oh and 'Nate', saying that you lose quality with a 12" is completely wrong, its all about how the sub is made (ie Phase Linear Aliante 12" has better sq then any other 10" or smaller i have ever heard and i work in ice so i hear alot).

[Zed]

OFLA, what's your budget for the sub? I'd second the 12W0 if you can afford to spend that little bit extra.

[OFLA]

Hmm well ive got around 400-450 for sub and amp. im probably gonna buy a more expensive sub + cables, and go a 2 channel amp, as the new alpine HUs have a reasonable amount of power behind them. i listened to a mates 1000W 12" JBL sub on the w/e and it sounded sick, its got me hooked so im gona go into some shops this week and try to hook up a deal.

[scollinguk]

Once again in view of the jbl 12" (gt4 i presume), they are good subs for the money, but they are the same price as a 12w0 and once again the jl audio is still significantly better, i will put it this way, there is no other sub in this price range that will beat the 12w0 and for the money it will take the most power within warranty limits. (jbl 1000w max = 125w rms within warranty: 12w0 is 250w rms within warranty).