Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio Sub Opinions please!

IMHO Pioneer is not the leader in subwoofers. I is of course JMO so treat it as such. For good subs you want to go with...
1. JL Audio
2. Kicker
3. Rockford Fosgate
4. JBL audio

Those are the subs i have really grown to like and love. As far as size goes I just cant stay away from 12's but the way you seem to like music the 10's will kick just the way you like it.

My cousin had a 10" Pioneer. It sounded good and was as cheap as a french whore. If you want to stay under $100 CDN it's either that or make your own sub out of a paper plate and a fridge magnet My cousin had it in the car running off a 150W Kenwood Amp. He had to replace it when he put a bag of golf clubs through it. So yeah, they would probably work fine in your application, just don't expect it to sound like a $300 sub. It seemed to have a weak low spot 30-50Hz , but other than that it sounded just fine.

Hey all,

thanks for the advice. It does give me some stuff to think about... I was hoping to get a good sounding sub for $200-$250 including the box. I'm not much of a wood-worker, so I don't think I could make my own box. I'd end up sawing through my hand.

I guess I'd like to know if there are any really great, bang for the buck subs that fit my budget and are easy to get here in the GTA, whether by mail or pick-up, etc.

Also, could someone give me an idea of the difficulty level involved in wiring up a sub/amp? Thanks,

Brian

the best advice i can give you is.. stick with fosgate

if u get the 400.4 punch amp and the punch HE 12 inch.. thatll feed you way more then enough power. my ears are so hurting right now. i listen to lots of club and hip hop, and the bass and highs are all there. i have the sub in a 1.3 cubic foot sealed box.

Brian,
Wiring up an amp is fairly simple, here's what you will probably needbased on the info you've provided so far:

Power Cable - If you plan on upgrading in the future, 4AWG is called for, but it's expensive. If you never plan on upgrading, get 8AWG wire, that should be good for you.

Cable Connections - Basically a battery clamp and connnections to make for a clean connection without a bunch of frayed wires an such.

Run the wire from the + battery terminal to the trunk. Connect it to the + on the amp. Now run more power wire from the - onthe amp to a ground spot on the car, I used the bolt on the seatbelt reel. Finally, run the remote wire from the amp to the back of the HU so the amp only turns on when the car is on.

Wiring the sub is the same as wiring a speaker.

Hey Honkey,

Thanks for the info --

-- one more quick question --

what is the best way to run the cables through the car? How did you do it?

I imagine I'll only need a basic set-up. I just plan on running either one or two small subs.

Thanks

Brian

Okee-Dokee Brian, here goes:

Run the wire from the + post on the left side of the battery (There is a clamp on the post so use the screw that tightens the clamp). Run the wire from that around the air filter box if you have a Duratec. If it's a Zetec, head straight for the firewall. Now, you can either dril a hole like I did or run the wire under the windshield flashing. I found it quicker to drill, and I doubt it will affect the warranty unless your service department is full of jerks. I drilled through beside the clutch pedal, the firewall is empty on the other side. Now, make sure you put in a fuse within a foot of the battery that matches the fuse on your amplifier. You should be able to find the right rating in the amp's intructions. When you put it in, make sure yo pull the fuseso there is no power going through the wire while you are running itthrough the car. After you get the wire through the firewall, run it under the left door sill. Unscrew the sill and pull it away (you may want to remove the front seat) Be careful as there are clips around the screws and the like to break. Eventually, you'll come out under the back seat and into the trunk. Crimp an end connection to it (looks like a tiny two pronged fork) and attach it to the Amps + terminal. You are done the + side. Now run a - cable (Get a different color so as not to ever get confused in the future) from the - post to the ground.

Now for the RCA patch cables. I recommend getting a set of shielded cable to cut out engine noise. Dave or Aaron will have a good recommendation. Anyways, run the cables from the Sub Out (If your deck doesn't have one use the rear channels) pull them through the back of right side of the HU opening. Run them under the glove box under the kick panel (A piece of auto grade carpeting with a few clips holding it on) Now run it down the right side of the car. You can't just run it down the left side with the power cable, it will produce noise, which is bad! Again you will come out under the back seat. Connect it to the amp!

Now just put the fuse back in and you're done, hook up the sub and take it for a test spin! Hope I was helpful, good luck!

Oh yeah. That sale price for the Pioneer is a little high. My cousin's was closer to $60 CDN. I don't know model #'s on pioneer stuff. Is it the sub with the fake metel pattern on it, or does it have the five lumps that kind of make it look like a wheel? Either way they work just fine, and my cousin beat the crap out of it. The only reason it doesn't work anymore (it actually does still work) Is because when he loaded his golf clubs he forgot about the Sub and speared it. Get a grille to protect the sub!

I agree 12's will get you a good boom/buck ratio but a 10 will be a much cleaner tighter bass. This is also a big consideration when designing the box. A sealed box will deliver a tighter sounds while the prted/bandpass boxes will deliver a more "boomier" sound.

My personal recomdation (also what I use everyday) is a kicker comp VR 10" sub in a sealed box. With a 240 watt RMS mono subwoofer dedicated amp! This fill the inside of my truck cab quite nicely and I think would do okay for your car as well with a little more airspace and aimed the correct direction!

In practice, both of your points can be true. But a good quality 12, 13, 15, 18, or 21" sub will be every bit as tight or "fast" as an equivalent quality 10". There is nothing magical about a 10" subwoofer. Ported boxes don't have to sound boomy. In fact, undersized sealed boxes can also sound very boomy.

I personally think that 12" subs represent the very best bass in the value chain, all things considered.