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advice on picking subwoofer

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=106998
Printed Date: July 12, 2025 at 12:52 PM


Topic: advice on picking subwoofer

Posted By: nyst8ofmind
Subject: advice on picking subwoofer
Date Posted: August 24, 2008 at 4:53 AM

I'm trying to decide between 2 brands for  a single 12" setup. I listen to  alt. rock/metal and on occasion I'll put some rap on. I'm looking for SQ and SPL. I want the SPL because I like to feel my music not because I'm trying to be heard from blocks away.

I plan on building my own sealed enclosure. Size is not much of an issue but I'd like to keep half of my trunk open. I have enough room for up to a 5ft3 box if neccessary.

The amp I currently have and will be running is the Hifonics 1208D    450w @4  900w @2  1200w @1

I don't want to spend more than $230 on a single 12" sub and I want something with 750+ RMS. The two I'm trying to decide between are:

PowerBass 3XL-12D

Fi SSD 12"

Thanks for any input!



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2006 Monte Carlo LT 3.9



Replies:

Posted By: nyst8ofmind
Date Posted: August 24, 2008 at 4:55 AM
Sorry, I screwed up those links somehow...

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2006 Monte Carlo LT 3.9




Posted By: bwh0002
Date Posted: August 26, 2008 at 12:46 AM

i would go with the one from "powerbassusa"..better frequency response, db is 93 (cleaner bass) as opposed to the other sub which has 82 ..problem is that those subs are meant "to be heard from blocks away" lol..i would suggest getting something less powerful like a JL or Alpine..hope that i was of some help





Posted By: aznboi3644
Date Posted: August 26, 2008 at 1:19 PM
bwh0002 wrote:

i would go with the one from "powerbassusa"..better frequency response, db is 93 (cleaner bass) as opposed to the other sub which has 82 ..problem is that those subs are meant "to be heard from blocks away" lol..i would suggest getting something less powerful like a JL or Alpine..hope that i was of some help




sensitivity rating means little to nothing.

Also frequency response is dependent on the enclosure.

and the sensitivity has nothing to do with "cleaner bass"

I would go with the Fi sub




Posted By: 04nata
Date Posted: August 26, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Wow, those are all nice subs, but at the risk of sounding completely ignorant, I have heard of niether, how do they compare to the MTX, Punch and all those?




Posted By: nyst8ofmind
Date Posted: August 27, 2008 at 12:52 AM
I e-mailed powerbass and they said the 3XL isn't intended for a sealed box, but if I had to use one go with 1.5ft3. Do you think I'd hear a significant decrease in output by not going vented like they suggest? The Fi on the other hand is recommended for sealed or vented applications.

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2006 Monte Carlo LT 3.9




Posted By: aznboi3644
Date Posted: August 29, 2008 at 4:59 PM
yes you would...the low end would be horrible and the sub would sound like crap

If you want to use a sealed box use the Fi Q.




Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: August 29, 2008 at 5:34 PM

04nata wrote:

Wow, those are all nice subs, but at the risk of sounding completely ignorant, I have heard of niether, how do they compare to the MTX, Punch and all those?

Comparing Fi to MTX or Rockford is like comparing a BMW to a Suzuki.



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Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: August 29, 2008 at 6:38 PM
DYohn] wrote:

04nata wrote:

Wow, those are all nice subs, but at the risk of sounding completely ignorant, I have heard of niether, how do they compare to the MTX, Punch and all those?

Comparing Fi to MTX or Rockford is like comparing a BMW to a Suzuki.



I think it's probably more like comparing a Honda to a Chrysler product... posted_image

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It all reminds me of something that Moličre once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."




Posted By: audiocableguy
Date Posted: August 29, 2008 at 8:38 PM
".. db is 93 (cleaner bass) as opposed to the other sub which has 82". How is it possible to get "cleaner bass" out of a sensitivity rating?


The fi is by far better quality. I would never recommend Powerbass.




Posted By: nyst8ofmind
Date Posted: August 30, 2008 at 8:00 AM
I ended up going with the Fi SSD 12. For the price, and the reviews it gets I couldn't pass it up.

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2006 Monte Carlo LT 3.9




Posted By: frozenuts
Date Posted: August 30, 2008 at 11:05 AM
haemphyst wrote:

DYohn] wrote:

04nata wrote:

Wow, those are all nice subs, but at the risk of sounding completely ignorant, I have heard of niether, how do they compare to the MTX, Punch and all those?

Comparing Fi to MTX or Rockford is like comparing a BMW to a Suzuki.



I think it's probably more like comparing a Honda to a Chrysler product... posted_image

Exactly. Some of the best installers I know ride Suzukis.



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all bad things come in moderation. do not shop at fry's. Get your own log in Omar.





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