help me out here!

i have an'89 corolla.......i installed a new pioneer DEH-P3500 head unit......and replaced all my speakers with some pioneer 2-ways........now im lookin to install an amp and a pair of subs.....ive read countless articles on installing amps but i want to know what its like installing subs (are they just like speakers?)......and i need some advice on what to look for when buying....any help is appreciated...thanks

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You have to give your price range and what type of sound you are lookin for .  And you have to be careful installing subs to amp b/c they can burn alot of differenyt things up.  but give price range and what u looking for.  I can give a littlke advice but these other guys are the pros

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I prefer 12's. They are a good all around sub for listening to a wide variety of music. They can hit lows that most 10's can't, but 10's will give a tighter bass response at the right frequencies.

The physical installation of subs is no big deal (assuming you buy an enclosure instead of build one yourself). All you really have to worry about is the wiring of the sub itself (if you buy DVC's) and the connection from the sub(s) to the amp. And just like any other speaker, you obviously don't want to physically damage the sub during installation!

Choosing which sub(s) and amp(s) to buy is another question all together. Do you have any ideas of what you're looking for yet?

When you choose an amp and subs, you need to look at the RMS ratings and Ohms of each (because the total ohm load decides how many watts the amp sends to the subs).

If you are looking at getting two 4ohm SVC (Single Voice Coil) subs rated at #RMS, then you want an amp that will produce either "#RMS x 2 @ 4ohms" or "(2 * #RMS) x 1 @ 2ohms". For example, if you had two 4ohm SVC's rated at 200watts RMS, then you would want an amp rated either at "200 x 2 @ 4ohms" or "400 x 1 @ 2ohms".
Here's a diagram of the 2 examples...


DVC (Dual Voice Coil) subs are a whole different story with a lot more wiring options. So if you are interested in DVC's let me know and I'll explain more.

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Squirrel
"No more Cpt. Kirk chit chat"
If its too loud, then you're too old
Donate to the12volt.com

im lookin to spend around 300-400 if possible.....but iom flexible if i have to go over.......i listen to a lot of hip-hop/rap.......so i want to get a lot of the lows, but i want to sacrifice as little of clarity as possible....if that helps

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You would probably want either 12's or 15's for Hip-Hop/Rap. 12's are cheaper. 300-400 is gonna be hard to meet unless you either get a used system or buy from some place like eBay. Be careful with eBay or their subsidiaries, you usually wont get the Factory Warranty since they are not "authorized" resellers.

My personal preference is Rockford Fosgate. 2 RFP3412's (Punch HE's SVC 200RMS 400Peak) with a 400x1@2ohm amp will hit pretty hard. Before I upgraded my system, I had 2 RFP3412's and a 500x1@2ohms amp (RF Power 500bd) that was hitting apx 142 db's! Crutchfield was actually selling that same setup for a while for around $400 - $500 (about a year after I bought mine). Each sub was getting 250watts. It was a great match. Right now, Crutchfield (who is an Authorized RF Internet Dealer) is offering the Power 500bd for $399, and the RFP3412's for $99 each.

You will also need a 4-gauge amp wiring kit like this one for $50. There are more out there like this from other manufacturers (and some cost less), I'm just giving an example.

Remember, there are other subs out there like JL, Kicker, Eclipse, Diamond, etc... I'd suggest going to your local audio stores and actually listening to multiple subs/amps before you buy anything.

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Squirrel
"No more Cpt. Kirk chit chat"
If its too loud, then you're too old
Donate to the12volt.com