boxes and amps

I'm not new to car audio, but I'm a little inexperienced when it comes to some things. So my first question is......

I'm looking to buy (or maybe build, I'd just prefer to buy if I can find it and its not that expensive) a triple 12 box (space is no issue) with 2 sealed chambers and one ported chamber. The sealed so I can get the accuracy and the ported so I can get the "boom". Would this sound good in anyone's opinion? Would I be better off buying one double 12 sealed box and then a ported bandpass box seperate?

Second question is when it comes to amplifiers, how big of a difference is there really when it comes to sound quality? I've only really used kenwood and sony. But what about those brands like Pyle and Legacy and Lanzar? They're less than half the price per watt as the big names, so what's the difference? Because all amplifiers work basically the same way right?

thats gonna be a project you will have to take upon yourself, i have never seen a pre-fab box in that configuration. Actually i would recommend that you just run 3 good 12s, all sealed with a decent amp, you will get plenty of bass with that..

as far as different brand amps. the difference is the quality of the components inside the amp, remember, you get what you pay for.

What your trying to do sounds like a recipe for disaster that will probably lead to cancellation all over the map. Never mix different types of drivers / box types unless you know how they are going to work and it is there for a dedicated problem. There are lots of avenues to get a loud and good sounding stereo system. A ported box can play some stinking loud and low notes and sound really great at the same time. The box type will provide much more detail to the type of output you are after. I would suggest that you rethink your approach to what you want to do. I would like to suggest that you find 2 good subs and build the box to suit their needs. 3 subs can be done as well, as long as the amp ----> sub ----> box is done properly. What vehicle is this for?

As far as the amps go, the size of the fuse will tell you alot about the capabilities of the amp. If is says 1000watts on the heatsink and has a 20 amp fuse, it will make a great door stop. Once you find your choice of subs, this will help you to determine the amplifier that must be used to operate them properly.

Well thanks for the responses. I guess I am gonna have to rethink this. This is going into a dodge caravan with only 1 back seat. Once I get the subs in I'm thinking about mounting a beam to the ceiling and putting 2 6x9's (in boxes of course) and two 3 and 1/2s on it plus a set of tweeters in the door panels to balance out the subs and running the stock speakers (two 5.25s in the dash and 2 6x9's in the rear hatch) through a seperate EQ to create a sound field with a little bit of a reverb effect. Any opinions on that one?

But a question about running 3 subs..... Could I get a 2 channel amp and run 2 subs in series and then run the other sub on its own channel? If I'm counting right a 2 ohm stable amp would do me just fine if I did that. Or would it be better to just get a 3 channel amp?

And then if I did that could I put a ported box in the front without cancelation problems since ported boxes aren't generally as loud as sealed and I would be running a 4 ohm load to it lowering the wattage compared to the 2 sealed subs running at 2 ohms?

Or am I just making this way more complicated than it has to be?

Your last question sums it up...yes you are.  You're imagining too much, without the benefit of knowledge about how a good system should be set up.  There really is a right way to do things...try the right ways, the time-tested and proven ways...before inventing new and uncommon scenarios.

Some points:  You said that you believe a sealed enclosure is louder than a ported one.  Not at all.  Normally the other way around.  You should try to find some of both and have a listen to a few systems to make up your mind as to what general type you want.  In car audio, ported subs are usually used by those who want to maximize the boom of certain low frequencies..."SPL"...but that is just a general statement and the other statements to follow are just as general.  By thinking in terms of using both kinds, to get the best of both worlds, so to speak, you end up creating a disaster as Rob pointed out.  Sealed enclosures for subs, on the other hand, are generally preferred by those seeking "SQ", or the best realism in their bass.

The time-tested approach is to:  Get rid of all the stock speakers.  Don't use them, unless you're using them to collect paper clips on your desk.  Set up a strong and clear front soundstage, using good two-way components that will play the entire musical range from 80 Hz and above.  The subwoofer(s) can be placed anywhere in the cabin you find fitting to put them, as the frequencies in that low range are omnidirectional.  Rear speakers can provide a better soundstage to rear occupants, or otherwise might contribute to your sound as long as they are at a softer decibel level than the fronts.  Sitting in the front seats, you should not be able to locate music coming from behind you.

Have an amplifier dedicated to the speakers, and another amp dedicated to the subwoofer.  The fronts should be at no lower than 4 ohms for best sound.  The subs can be run at 2 ohm on the amp, and in some cases as low as 1 ohm.  A good system might have a 4 channel amp for four interior speakers ( 2 fronts, 2 rears), and a mono amp for the sub.  Try not to think out of the box when connecting speakers to an amplifier, series or otherwise.  Dedicate a channel to each speaker.

The more subs added, the more knowledge and experience you must have to design it to the point it will work well.  I also recommend the two sub approach, and you decide if you want to use ported or sealed.  Creating your own enclosure is a near must for best results, or you can hire a pro to custom-build one for you.  If you go the route of a pre-made, avoid disaster and choose sealed, as it is more forgiving than any other type.

Look at the entire picture of what you need for a good system, and get your list of materials on paper.  There are things that are best done in a certain order.  For example, sound damping for the van's sheet metal panels.  You may have a lot of money and work in just that part of it, but leaving it out altogether will cause horrible results.  Forget the idea of the rear pole with the variety of speakers on it, it will be a waste of time and effort.

Okay, 'nuff said.