system seems to be lacking much
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=91961
Printed Date: May 14, 2024 at 7:29 PM
Topic: system seems to be lacking much
Posted By: kemper08
Subject: system seems to be lacking much
Date Posted: March 21, 2007 at 10:08 PM
Hey guys, I am new here to the group, and I am looking for a little help. I have read most of the posts on here and have found alot of useful info, so I signed up. My system (created on a very tight budget) seems to be lacking much. I have a Pioneer 760 watt amp powering two old 'ground zero' subs that I know nearly nothing about. I had 4 12's awhile back (Rockford HE2's and 2 JL's) but was forced to sell them when I needed cash. I got these junk subs for a partial trade on the HE's and they seem alright, but they really don't hit like they should, or even like they used to. I hooked them up and adjusted the amp up until I had it all right, but they aren't as loud as they should be. Everybody says my amp should be drawing much more power than it is because my lights don't even dim, but it seems that I can't make these two subs sound good, even though they are in decent shape. Where do I start in making it any louder? How do I get that rumble back?
Replies:
Posted By: aznboi3644
Date Posted: March 21, 2007 at 10:38 PM
What box are those subs in??
HOW are they wired to the amp??
How is your gain set??
That amp does not pull much current and should not dim your lights with only 360 watts rms
Posted By: kemper08
Date Posted: March 21, 2007 at 10:44 PM
They are in an old sealed box I had made a long time ago. I'd say the box is roughly (LxWxH) 16"x36"x16" They are wired one to each channel, being that they are SVC, just POS to POS, NEG to NEG. The amp is weird, it has no frequency adj., and I don't know how it is set... Will check when it is light out tomorrow and post back. I remember it was halfways low, sounded best with headunit power down and amp boost on +12... I am going to upgrade alot this summer, but having a half-... system is just annoying to me. Thanks for the reply! ------------- Sony CDX-GT20W Head Unit
RCA Front 5 1/4"
Rockford 6x9's
Pioneer 760w amp
trashed subs in sealed box :(
Posted By: aznboi3644
Date Posted: March 21, 2007 at 11:49 PM
The amp should be set to LP or lowpass filter...boost should be minimal or not used at all.
When setting gain the head unit sub level should be all the way up...as for setting the gain...you can do a searh for "gain setting" and come up with all kinds of threads
make sure the box is COMPLETELY sealed and free of any air leaks.
I'd seal up all interior seams with some caulk if you haven't already
Posted By: coppellstereo
Date Posted: March 22, 2007 at 1:07 AM
my guess: woofers are out of phase. try switching the speaker wires around on one of the subs
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Posted By: supradude
Date Posted: March 22, 2007 at 8:12 AM
If you have the Ground Zero subs from way back, it takes a lot of power to make them sound good. I had a pair of 12's in a sealed box years ago and never could get them to sound like they should. I took them out and put a pair of Kicker 12's in the same car with the same amp and the bass was lots better. I can't remember, but I think that they'll work in a ported box. I never tried mine because I didn't have enough room for the ported box. Do they still make these subs?
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'85 Toy
Posted By: kemper08
Date Posted: March 22, 2007 at 9:09 AM
The way they seem to fire best is with one inside out firing in, and the other firing out. The box leaks little, just around the sub itself, need to cut out new face for it... It was originally cut out for the Rockfords. Thanks
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Sony CDX-GT20W Head Unit
RCA Front 5 1/4"
Rockford 6x9's
Pioneer 760w amp
trashed subs in sealed box :(
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: March 22, 2007 at 1:30 PM
If you found out that the "fire best" with one facing in, the other out, and you DIDN'T reverse the wiring on that woofer, then ABSOLUTELY that woofer is out of phase. Reverse the wires to it, then put it back in the box, with the magnet in.
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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."
Posted By: kemper08
Date Posted: March 22, 2007 at 9:17 PM
Ok, so one sub is pushing air into the box and the other is pushing out. It is loudest that way, by far, and I get the cleanest sound. I have heard that since the box is semi-small, I could port it and make it sound better. I was thinking about doing it but wanted input first. If I ran them both hitting out together with a port, would it sound better? My buddy has 4 twelves and 2 amps in his 2000 Blazer. He has them in a custom built slot-ported box that his brother and I built last year. We put alot of time, figuring, and labor into, and he finally put it to use this spring and it pounds. Is slot porting the way to build a box if you have the room, being that they require a little more air? I am really sorry, I know I sound like a person that has no idea about a system, but I have had a decent one for years... I don't know how to operate with what I have now though... Thanks for all the help! ------------- Sony CDX-GT20W Head Unit
RCA Front 5 1/4"
Rockford 6x9's
Pioneer 760w amp
trashed subs in sealed box :(
Posted By: aznboi3644
Date Posted: March 22, 2007 at 11:23 PM
You CAN port a sealed box but 99% of the time it will sound like crap...too small of space.
A sub will sound pretty much the same wether mounted flush or inverted...In your setup if one sub was indeed pushing in while the other was pushing out than you would have next to no bass...there would be MAJOR cancellation.
Posted By: coppellstereo
Date Posted: March 23, 2007 at 1:21 PM
kemper08 wrote:
Ok, so one sub is pushing air into the box and the other is pushing out. It is loudest that way, by far, and I get the cleanest sound.
... out of phase? -------------
Posted By: kemper08
Date Posted: March 25, 2007 at 10:51 PM
Ok, I was playin around and tuning the amp, having a lil fun, ran all new power wire, changed mounting setup, secured everything, and I think that I got it tuned to the point of its max... I started my car out with a 300 watt amp, so I think I was underpowered (although I overpowered the 300) and I ran all new 4 ga. and somewhere in the middle I got it coming out hard and healthy. I still got a few minutes of sealing to do... Thanks guys.
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