Not enough boom for my buck

OK, i just had 4 12 inch soundstream divincis, along with that, i had two 1000 watt(VGA500.4), and one 640 watt(VGA320.4) soundstream van gogh amps. The spec.s for the amps are:
VGA500.4
No. OF CHANNELS:4
OUTPUT (watts):RMS @ 4 Ohms:125x4
RMS @ 2 Ohms:250 x 4
RMS Bridged @ 4 Ohms:500 x 2
T.H.D.:<0.02%
SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO:>115dB
DAMPING FACTOR:>500
FREQUENCY RESPONSE:10 - 50k
INPUT SENSITVITY (VOLTS) :0.15 - 12.0
CROSOVER SLOPE:12dB
CROSSOVER FREQUENCY (Hz):30 - 4k


VGA320.4:
No. OF CHANNELS:4
OUTPUT (watts):RMS @ 4 Ohms:80 x 4
RMS @ 2 Ohms:160 x 4
RMS Bridged @ 4 Ohms:320 x 2
T.H.D.:<0.02%
SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO:>115dB
DAMPING FACTOR:>500
FREQUENCY RESPONSE:10 - 50k
INPUT SENSITVITY (VOLTS) :0.15 - 12.0
CROSOVER SLOPE:12dB
CROSSOVER FREQUENCY (Hz):30 - 4k
I also had a beefed up alt put in, and a second yellow top optima battery in.

I want to put it into COMPETIONS, but i know the DB level isnt high enought, i MIGHT be able to win a SQ competion, but i want some more BOOM! Could you tell what i could change to get more booms.

Also attached is a scan picture of the specs of the box i had built for it:

Sorry wouldnt let me upload the picture, so i posted it on a website, here it is:
https://www.angelfire.com/ill/tboner61610/scan0003.jpg,
i know its an EXTREMELY BIG PICTURES, sorry, i suck at scanning, but please help me out!

Thanks
Trent Hamilton

I can seem to view that web page so I can see your set up but I can give you a couple guesses. First off, if you wanna win spl and you dont have a ported box, make it ported. Ported boxes that are built properly almost always produce more volume. They have to be tuned correctly though. A properly tuned spl box sounds like puss but it will test loud. I would suggest mabye making it so you can switch the ports from everyday listening to competion settings. Second. I would probally try to get a big ass mono block to run your subs off of. I dont know exactly what kinda ratings your subs have but in my experience, 4 channel amps usually dont have the balls to really push subs to the competion level (although, I myself, use a 4 channel amp for competion). Past this advice I would probally suggest getting a line driver to up the voltage going to the amps, mabye even before trying to change out the 4 channel. Dont waste your time boosting the voltage to the amp running your front end, just your subs. If you have to run 2 sets of rca's to the amp then use a line driver on each side. See if the amp has a setting for 2 channel input to send signal to all 4 channels because if it does than you only need one line driver. I cant really give you any other suggestions with out seeing the actuall install in the vehicle and the lay out. I hope this somewhat helps though.

-------------
double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

if you use the line driver and a set of y cables you will also split the voltage and since most line drivers only put out a legit 9 volts rms, you end up droping your voltage to only 4.5 volts to each side. Decent comp decks will do that. Thats why I said you need to use two if you need to use both pairs of inputs. Now with that being said, he would need to check the amps to make sure the inputs can handle that kind of input volltage. Inputs are very easy to blow if you are putting to much voltage to them.

-------------
double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

Just curious, isn't splitting the RCA using a Y-splitter like having 2 RCA's in parallel? If it is, isn't the voltage across 2 wires in parallel the same? Did you actually measure the voltages on both ends of a Y-splitter to find that out?

-------------
Jon
Don't like rockford subs? Then don't look at my car =)

first off, how many ohms is each sub? are they dvc?  that deals greatly with how they are wired to your amps. how much amperage are your amps pulling? what size box are your subs in?  is it built to spec? give us a little  more info so we can try to help.

-------------
what!?!?! you want some??

Yes, if the system you describe is not giving you the "boom" you want, then I suspect either it is installed incorrectly, or you bought the wrong gear, or it has already meade you deaf.  I'd also like to know how you have the amps and subs connected and what kind of enclosures you are using before I can offer any suggestions, but your page is not available.

-------------
Support the12volt.com

Well i had the system professionally put in, and the same guy gave me the specs for my box and i had a cabinet maker build it for me....so i have shelled out alot of money for all of this... i cant really find the specs on the soundstream.com website, but i belive the subs are four ohm subs, the amps are set up to where the positive is on one side of the block, and the negative is on the other... i forget what that is called.
I have two 1000 watt amps running four subs, and one 640 watt amp running my high... i will tryin to find the correct specs for the subs!
P.S. the box i had built was ported, and my ears are fine, im not the only one that says it should be a lil bit louder for what i have.

if you want, i will take some detailed pictures, on how everything is wired up, and you all can decide on what i am doing wrong
i will have them back up probably tonight

heres the soundstrems specs on the Divinci, it is the DV-12
https://www.soundstream.com/sub/support_wooferspecs_pg3.html

it appears you have dual 2 ohm subs which works perfect with the amps you have. you're info states that your amps are 500 x 2 @ 4 ohm mono. you need your subs voice coils to be wired in series to a 4 ohm load and each sub bridged between two channels.  so you will have 2 subs per amp getting 500 watts a piece. that is how it should be installed, now whether it is or not i don't know. and your box should be fine if it is built to specs because the website did not recomend  a sealed enclosure for those subs.

-------------
what!?!?! you want some??

I suspect a phase cancellation problem from either a hook-up error or from positioning in your vehicle, and maybe the wrong size enclosure.  Could also be that you are expecting more than it can deliver, but the Divinci subs can crank out the SPL.

-------------
Support the12volt.com

Ok, it took me a little while, but here are all the picures:


this is a picture of one of the sub amps:

heres the picture of the highs AMP:

there are more pictures at https://img56.photobucket.com/albums/v172/trent109/Stereo/?action=view&slideshow=true

OK, looks like a nice install, but it doesn't tell me anything about how the speakers are connected to the amps...

-------------
Support the12volt.com

heres something that kinda made me think if this was done right or not, this is the ground the goes into the second battery, is this a good enough ground, or should i have it moved?


it is screwed in the bracket the holds the seat belt bolt in, is this acceptable?

This is an amaturish move.  Grounds should NEVER be connected to the seat bolts or seat belt bolts.  Get it on its own bolt to the chassis of the car, not to a seat bolt!  This reinforces my impression that it's not your equipment that is leaving you disapointed, it's your install.

-------------
Support the12volt.com

Do you also think that would make the subs make a loud poping noise when you turn it down extremly fast, and when you turn it off.....

thanks
Trent hamilton

That would also play into the picture. Do you have a meter? I'm outta here right now so leave some more info and I'll see if I can get around to it in the morning. We've got a busy day tomorrow so no promises. If you do have a meter do a search for the words resistance on a ground lead ( or return) or possibly ground return resistance or something to that effect. It should pull up some info that I have posted.

-------------
Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

it looks like you have the boxes facing opposite directions or is that one box?  that could cause cancellation which may be a part in why you're not satisfied with your set up. maybe try a different configuration for your boxes and see if the makes a difference. or build a box with all for facing up or maybe even try a downfire box, just give yourself a few inches of clearance from the floor if you do a downfire. try and get all 4 subs firing in the same direction to reduce cancellation

-------------
what!?!?! you want some??

Thats exectly what I was looking at as well. If your subs are facing oposite directions thats gonna be a huge problem and if a pro shop did that they are a piss poor shop. You need all 4 subs firing the same dirrection.

-------------
double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

Indeed.  Acoustic cancellation is the result.  I didn't realize you were showing four subs...

-------------
Support the12volt.com

The rear part of the box that is facing the door is angled up, the guy who designed it said that i would bring a little more DBs in the long run, there is a divider in the middle to where only two subs are on each chamber, do you still think it could be cancelling out?? if so, does someone think they could design me a box to get the MAX db's possible, i bought all this stuff to take to a show, and i know it wont win right now, so im tryin to get everyone opinion on everything.

What do you think now?
Thanks
Trent Hamilton

You could get a good result with the setup you have, but it will reqyuire some digital delay equipmwent (DSP) for the front set of subs.  You need what's called a time-alignment device.  You'll want to add a delay to the amp sending the signal to the front set of woofers so that the sound they produce arrives at the driver's seat at the same time as the sound from the rear woofers.  There are some EQs with delays in them, and some dedicated delays that would work.  You'll need a real-time analyzer or at least an SPL meter to set them up correctly.

-------------
Support the12volt.com

I noticed today while i was showing some of my friends my system that on one of my amps the RCA OPEN light is off, it is on, on all the other amps, does anyone know what this means?

"RCA Open" on Soundstream amps indicates bad RCA cable leads.  This could be your problem.  Take it back to wherever did the install and have them fix the ground and replace the RCA cables.

-------------
Support the12volt.com

do those subs only need .75 ft3 per??  i'v enever heard of an SPL sub that needed that little of airspace.  i think building a new box would be faster, cheaper, easier, and acheive better results than buying delay equipment. hit us back with the measurements of your cargo area and sub specs and we can help you design a new box.

-------------
what!?!?! you want some??