Help with 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=35019
Printed Date: April 26, 2024 at 11:21 PM
Topic: Help with subwoofer
Posted By: spokman
Subject: Help with subwoofer
Date Posted: July 04, 2004 at 1:54 AM
My sub doesn't seem to do much. I"m looking for a recommendation for a new sub. My car is a Ford Explorer, I have an Eclipse head unit, 6.5" Diamond M5's, and a Precision Power PPX480. I'm putting 80w to the speaks and 320w to the sub. My current sub is a 12 Infinity Kappa. I'm thinking of stepping down to a 10". What do you all think I should get. Sub $200 level. I'm not into bumping base, want to be able to feel hard hits though. Thanks!
Replies:
Posted By: icu400
Date Posted: July 04, 2004 at 8:31 AM
10 in. infinity kappa perfect 10.1 would be perfect for you, no question
I just put 2 in my explorer, one in the stock sub location and another opposite it and they sound amazing. 320 watts would be just about perfect for them too. Definately consider that sub very strongly. It can be had at crutchfield for 150 bucks, a steal IMO for such a great woofer.
Posted By: spokman
Date Posted: July 04, 2004 at 11:03 AM
I'm not sold on the Kappa's. I have a Kappa and it's just not performing like I thought it would. Would rather try another brand.
Posted By: defective
Date Posted: July 04, 2004 at 5:23 PM
what kind of amp are you using for the sub? Might be garbage...... don't shop for car audio at Wallmart.
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Posted By: lensam69
Date Posted: July 04, 2004 at 7:08 PM
When you say you're running 320W to the amp is that the Amp's advertised (peak) power?? Or true RMS ?
Just today i hooked up a JBL 180.2 to a Kappa perfect 12.1d and it really doesn't do much for the sub...
When they say it handles 350W Rms, i guess they were refering to a minimum  ------------- forbidden wrote:
Wrong advice young grasshopper, go back to square one and do not pass go.
Posted By: customsuburb
Date Posted: July 04, 2004 at 7:12 PM
180 watts RMS isn't going to be able to make a kappa pound.
Posted By: spokman
Date Posted: July 04, 2004 at 10:06 PM
If you think a PPX amp is garbage, hey what can I say.. That's 320w RMS to the sub. Last I heard you can't buy Precision Power at Walmart...
Posted By: icu400
Date Posted: July 04, 2004 at 11:00 PM
I heard the kappa at the store, and I think the perfect is better. Might not be much to your ear, but certainly seems good to me.
You could try a good alpine. The kappa perfect would probably work wonders for you, its even more efficient than the regular kappa so you would get even more out of that 320 watts. If nothing else go try out a JL w3v2 but when I compare the perfect and that JL I say the perfect beats it hands down. I would almost compare it to the w6v2 I heard at the store, but then I don't know how they were powering that w6v2, so it could be the store, but now that I have my 10.1's running I would swear by them.
The biggest question though is what kind of music do you listen to. If you are going for quality, JL or Infinity is going to be your best bet really, for that kind of money for sure. But if you don't like the infinity, then I don't know what to say other than go to a store and listen.
Posted By: spokman
Date Posted: July 05, 2004 at 2:09 PM
I think mine is a Perfect to tell the truth. 12" though. Maybe I'm just expecting something that it's not really designed for. Also my enclosure is not custom. It's a subzone. Do you think a 10" in a custom box would give me a little harder hitting base. Not looking for loud but want to be able to feel it sometimes.
Posted By: customsuburb
Date Posted: July 05, 2004 at 10:21 PM
You should try building a custom box for your 12" perfect first.
Posted By: djMINIoompa
Date Posted: July 06, 2004 at 12:16 AM
Well stepping down from a 12" to a 10" is not going to solve the problem of you wanting to "feel" the bass. The lower FQ that you "feel" and not hear are at the low end of the 12" range and the range of the 15" subwoofers. If you want crazy low bass, check out a 15. you can always keep the volume and gain set down. But IMO going down to a 10" will not help you out in feeling the music.
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It is better to remain queit and have others think u are dumb, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Posted By: spokman
Date Posted: July 06, 2004 at 9:21 PM
It's hard to translate what I'm looking for. Not looking for boomy bass. But crisp hard sound. Maybe I'm not even looking at the right component. That feeling like you been kicked in the kidney's sounds more descriptive. Now I know I'm not putting that much power out but my Pioneer 6x9's powered from the head unit back in 1993 kicked harder than this thing.
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: July 06, 2004 at 9:48 PM
It sounds like you're needing to fill a gap in the frequency range. A sub is just a sub, but those powerful drum kicks will come from the midbass drivers. 6.5 drivers do the job splendidly, if given the right crossover points. It's the combination of a dynamic midbass with the pounding sub that gives you the great audio knockout.
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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: spokman
Date Posted: July 07, 2004 at 12:53 AM
Maybe it's some midbass I"m needing or my speaker positions. Have some 6.5" Diamond M5's in the doors. Maybe they need some custom enclosures? They are pretty airtight. As much as a door can be. Would think that they should fit the bill?
Posted By: shaman
Date Posted: July 09, 2004 at 12:55 AM
Well I'll chime in here with my 2 cents. If you are looking for frequncy responce a 10" will do the trick. But smaller driver size dramatically affects the SPL, which, if you wnat your lungs bouncing around in your chest cavity, is the "feel". So then 12's will work, but it all depends on two many other factors to really workout here in words. You need to hear different setups in similar environemnts to decide what you like best. On another note it is my experiance that Kappa's are power hungry, but it could have been the amp. Maybe your cross over setup is all wrong given that you got good components, play around with that some.
Posted By: spokman
Date Posted: July 13, 2004 at 1:09 AM
Appreciate the help! The crossovers are factory so not much to tune there. The sub I can tinker with a little. Might be able to play with base boost in different Mhz and see if that helps get what I'm looking for. Not looking for booming SPL but hard kicking sound. Think I figured out why the ole Pioneers seemed to hit harder in some respects. Can't quite explain it but has to do with flatter reproduction. Basicly I think the M5's are doing a great job! I just need to augment them a little. Maybe with an 8".. Have to think a little. Budget is tapped. Doing an alarm install so I can put the stereo back in. Thieves been broke the window a while back..
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