Top Notch Comp. Subs

I am working on a beginners competition system.  My question is what is the best 12" sub for a comp system?  i like Audiobahn but am open to others.  I am looking for something with a very high RMS and can take a beating.  What are your favorite high end subs?

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Cpl Moose
USMC Iraq

I would not go audiobahn, what kind of budget are you looking at, If you want to pour money for a great comp system I would go with rockford fosgate power stage 2. 12"

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"High end" and "Audiobahn" do not belong in the same paragraph... what is your budget and what kind of "comp" is your client planning?

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Support the12volt.com

MTX 9500's they are sweet and they will take a serious beating. JWS extreme power woofers are awsome for just loud, atomic loud speakers are awesome, adire audio subs a sweet too, it just depends on how much money you are spending and what kind of amp is going to be used too. I would stay away from the ole audiobahn also there stuff aint so great and definatly not for SPL.

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Yes, money is everything when it comes to a huge system.

I agree. Throw Audiobahn out of the pool of consideration.

If I were interested in building a system for SPL my first choice would be Adire Brahma or RE XXX. With the XBL^2 technology these subs will actually still sound good at the high volumes.


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New Project: 2003 Pathfinder

RE XXX would be a good choice. Also take a look at digital designs subs.

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What power class?  How much money?

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What will you get for Christmas, bad boy? Coal........or Visonik?? - stevdart

Wow, is everyone clueless and lost in the dark? - uthinkuknoaudio

Eliminate Audiobahn from your vocabulary and your mind, for it will lead you down the path of destruction. Anyways, good comp subs are the following: TEAM Fosgate, MMATS Juggernaut, MTX 9500, JL Audio W7, Resonant Engineering XXX, Adire Audio Brahma, and Alumapro M16. You might want to ad L7 to that list if you just want loud SPL, bearing that SQ doesn't matter....

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

How could I forget the L7?? The L7 is perfect for a beginner SPL system. They can be had for pretty cheap online (try ikesound.com onlinecarstereo.com or ebay) and they put out some killer bass. The only downsides are; poor SQ, and ALOT of people have them so you wont really have anything to unique.

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Very true, that is why i put them last really. L7 is a very common woofer, and they sound like crap. They get loud as hell but when there is no SQ, it turns my head away everytime...

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

FUSION has a 12" comp. that max is 3000watts, it comes with a re-cone kit which i think every comp sub does

thanks for all the replies, i'm willing to pay a few hundred per sub.  the RE XXX sound like a good choice, so does Brahma.  power class would be 1,000-2,000 per sub.  what amps are recommended with the above listed subs?  i am looking for SPL and SQ.  this is for my 97 Monte Carlo, so its not going to be much of a show car just for DB drags (hopefully).  also if anybody has any pictures of a great comp. install in a trunk please post.  i am also curious as to where to locate the subs for best results.  i will build the custom fiberglass boxes or if something else is recommended for less sound loss i am open to any ideas.  thanks for all the help and please keep spitting your ideas at me.

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Cpl Moose
USMC Iraq

i currently have the Kenwood Excelon 12" KFC-XW1225dB.  i have 2 of these pushed each by a sony xplode 1000 watt amp.  based on what i am working with are there any other recommendations?

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Cpl Moose
USMC Iraq

If you want a real SPL sub get the RE MT. The XXX's are actually more of a an sq sub..the SX would be a better choice for spl as well, but definitely the MT all the way if you've got the money.

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Dave

Pioneer Premier DEH-P660
15" Kicker CVR
Profile AP1000M
It's Loud

I would first go with another amp.  I would try a good 1000 watt hi power D class amp

Definitely get a new amp...i just read what you have...it wont last you long. Sony Xplode amps are horribly designed and crap out on just about everyone that purchases one. They are also very overrated. That 1200w amp probably barely puts out 200-250 actual wrms. After you choose the sub you want, we can help you find a good amp according to what you're buying.

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Dave

Pioneer Premier DEH-P660
15" Kicker CVR
Profile AP1000M
It's Loud

For best results in a SPL contest, take out the back seats and build a wall for your subs. You will lose your rear seat room but its will be LOUD. If you dont want to do that find some way to port the trunk to the cabin of the car (if you have fold down seats your lucky). As far as amps go, any of the HiFonics Brutus amps put out good power for the money, also Orion amps are pretty cheap over at ikesound.com, and memphis makes some killer maps if you ave a little more money to spend.

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You want a crazy loud amp with good clean power, check the following: US amps, MMATS, and Cadence. All are fantastic amps.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

Those are good amps, but may be a little out of his price range. For the kind of power hes gonna need, hes gonna be lookin at well over $1000 worth of amps if he goes with one of those brands.

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For Spl.  First you have to go ported. Secound give more than enough power.  Then for subs there is the popular, L7's and the solo x pure spl.  But recently i found out that Power Acokstiks has a series of subs called MOFO.  These have high rms ratings and require ports tuned to 40hz, and the best part about it is you can find a 12 for about 129 dollars.  The 12's have a 1200 rms rating.

Check out this site for the price and specs.

https://www.etronics.com/product.asp?icatid=369&stk_code=powmofo12&svbname=293

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Hurry get me a steel hanger, elec tape, zip ties, a monkey and a snorgle. trust me i've ran wires with less

My rear seats do fold down.  So how do the Kenwood Excelon subs i have shape up to the task?  If I were to make a wall behind the rear seats, should i use the entire trunk as the box (free air) or use a 1.5-1.8 cu ft box for the back?  what measurements for the ports should i use if i did this.  I was also thinking about putting one sub in each rear corner of the trunk facing forward.  how would that stand up?  So ported provides more SPL?  what does an enclosed box provide?  right now i am using an enclosed box with 1.5 cu ft per sub.  Haven't gotten a rating yet. 

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Cpl Moose
USMC Iraq

i am not using ports right now.  i do understand how ports work.  my seats do fold down so i would not need to port the trunk, only the box.  i really like the Power Acoustik MOFO 12" and 15".  to power them what amps would be recommended?  i was looking at the PowerAcoustik A3000DB but it is a bit pricey to be purchasing more than one.  the trunk is rather large so where would be the best location for the subs?  also which direction should they face?

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Cpl Moose
USMC Iraq

I don't think you'll be taken seriously in a comp if you're using generic Power Acoustic gear, even in beginner's.  The early replies in this thread were in line with the subject, and you might re-look at some suggestions there.  Be prepared to sink some money into your setup.  Power is $$.

Stay away from the power acoustik stuff and stick with some of the brands mentioned earlier in the thread. Depending on how much power your going to be pulling, you will probably need a H/O alt. and maybe a second battery. Most importantly, plan before you do anything so you dont waste your time and money and end up with something you are not happy with.

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unless you are going to do something stupid like me and pout (8) 12 inch cheap subs in a festiva.    Then people will take your seriously.   haha.    SPL takes a long time and a lot of knoledge to get anywhere in a comp.    I have been playing in USACi for the last 4 years.    currently hitting low 140's on the term lab with a street beat box.    2 10's and a 25x2 amp.   hmmm forgot to mention the subs are eclipse, and the 25x2 is 1/2 ohm stable and does 1/4 ohm burps.

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2009 0-1000 Trunk WR 154.0DB 2009 1001+ Trunk WR
2007 USACI World Champion
2007 World Record
2006 USACI Finals 2nd Place

Bah..this post has had some major newbie comments such as "damn those magnets are big!"..seriously if you plan on competing do some reading...not to sound rude..but you seem very uninformed about what it actually takes to be an SPL competitor. Also, ports dont create sound. Ports are simply used for moving air.Start by reading www.bcae1.com ...it should give you lots of useful information..read the whole site...and then read it again..and again.

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Dave

Pioneer Premier DEH-P660
15" Kicker CVR
Profile AP1000M
It's Loud

WOW those subs have some big phat surround on them and those magnets are ginormous. With those subs you are sure to be bumping out big numbers, but if your ports are big enough then it shouldnt matter what subs you got going because the ports make the bass, right? Geezz, we should rename this thread "The misinformation needed to succeed at sound offs". There is definatly some good info in this thread but there is a lot of bullsh*t to sift through to get to it. I am gonna throw my .02 in like I always do and if someone thinks I am wrong then tell me so cause I make my fair share of mistakes. First things first for sound offs, what class are you gonna do and do you know the rules. If not then figure that out. Second, dont but sh*t cause it aint goona cut it. Like Jeff said you can win with second rate subs like he did and like I do, but you need to be able to throw a wack of power at them and the install has to be bang on. Third, make sure you have the proper power to compete. I am not talking about amps here, but instead charging system. You need to make sure that your vehicle is capable of pulling up to the lanes, turning off your car, blasting the system for your run, then restarting the car, driving out of the lanes, and recharging the system before your next run. If you cant do this then you are dead in the water before you even start. Fourth. Make sure you got a strong signal running to your amps. You shouldnt really try to seriously compete without a minimum of a 4 volt deck, preferebly higher. Reason being is the stronger the signal going to the amps the less chance of clipping the signal which will result in not cooking your woofers, at least not from a sh*tty signal. Fifth. You do not have to run a ported box but in smaller comp systems, such as one or 2 drivers I see much more success with ported boxes then sealed. However tuning the box to 25-30 hz is not what you want to do. You want to find out what the resonate frequency of the vehicle is and tune it to that. If your vehicle sits at 58 hz then tune your box to that. Might sound like sh*t but it will be loud. If you dont want to sacrifce the SQ to do this then make a system with either changable ports or make it so you can change the box from sealed to ported and back again. WARNING, this is not an easy thing to do properly and if you try to build a box in this fashion and dont do it right its gonna sound like crap. While this is not everything you need to know, its a start. If you have more questions then feel free to ask as there are a few of us on here who have competed and can probally help. Jeff for example is very good at these types of questions. Sorry to any I offended with the opening to this thread but I figured it needed to be said ad I had a bad day so some one must pay. Damn thats a few to many rhymes. Anyways like I said before, If I am wrong then someone feel free to correct me.

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

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

where can I find MMATS?  I cannot seem to get too far. 

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Cpl Moose
USMC Iraq

I would go with the L7 for comps. I have owned a brahma L7 and now infinity kappa pefects. I had a 15 L7 and it was loud but again with the SQ there isnt much. Also even though loud is cool the sub didnt last long. So in comps give it all it can take, but outside of them turn it down if you want it to live. The L7 i had only lasted about 3 months then died...But good luck

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2007 Acura TSX
SQ setup in the works

You can get MMATS on woofersetc.com, but they are not a authorized internet dealer b/c MMATS doesnt sell on the internet. See if any of the shops in your area sell them. You can get them on ebay to.

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There are mmats dealers everywhere. Woofersetc isn't bad, you get the 1 year warranty. But go to www.mmatsproaudio.com and look for some dealers in your area. MMATS is great stuff!

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.