Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio newbie to audio..

what would most of you audio guys recommend? a pair of 10's or 12's? well any input would be nice. im just looking for some hard hitting base thatll turn some heads, and maybe enter some local competitions. i dont want 15's they are just to big. any input would be great. thanks in advanced. and if this has been discussed many times just point me to the thread.

im not a pro but ill tell u my experience, i had a pair of Pioneer 12's running off a 400 watt amp in a sealed box in my old car and that [censored] sound pretty good. then it got stolen....now i got a 1200 watt Audiobahn amp and ONE 12" Audiobahn Flame Q sub and let me tell u...it fuhkin slams!!! i didnt think it would sound that great w/ just one sub but it sounds awesome. it was hard for me to decide what to get... good luck.

Are you avoiding 15" subs for space issues, they do require a much larger box, but a 15" subwoofer will have a definite displacement advantage over a 12" or 10". Simple math will show you the cone area advantage. In SPL that is very important. You have to look for a subwoofer with a high displacement. I think a pair of 12" subwoofers in a tuned ported box would make a good starter system.

Although this has already been discussed, I feel by simply pointing to another thread you miss out on current events. What was the best 6 months ago may not still be the best.

If you provide a price range for what you want, we can make better suggestions for you.

If you want massive displacement for under $200

http://www.stryke.com/AVseries.html

The stryke AV would be the right sub for you, no question about it. displacement/$ wise it's the best choice out the right now

If you can spend slot of cash for subs

http://www.adireaudio.com/mobile_audio/drivers/brahma_series.htm

The Brahma is a beast, and has a very good level of sound quality.

In either case you'll need an amplifier, and right now I'm recommending the JBL 600.1 and 1200.1 amplifiers since they are very inexpensive and offer alot of power.

But like I said, provide a dollar figure, how much space you are giving up, and we can better assist you.

listen to honkeytonk and others on this board...their are some very intelligent people on this board when it comes to audio. Give us some specs and we can help you out (price range, space)

well right now i have 2 12 rockford fosgate he's running off a 400s amp in a sealed box. the bass is really nice when the seats are down but when they are up its not all that great. im just looking for a better system. im probly willing to spend around between $300-500. hope this is the info you needed. and yes 15's are just to big for me, i need some trunk space.

12's should be your best bet...I run 2 12" Vegas from a 500W amp and a 12" Bazooka from an Alpine 200W and it sounds great...lil trick to help though, get a truck box and point the subs up at the rear glass for better sound, don't have to fight through the foam padding in the back seat.

$300-$500 I'd say replace the Rockfords with those Stryke AV12s I linked you to. They are very nice and actually have the side benefit of looking spectacular too, as if that's even important. Like I said they are pretty much the best displacement you will get at your price point, and should be a noticeable improvement even with the same amp you're running right now. If you sell your old stuff use the cash to get a JBL 1200.1 amplifier to power them and you will have a marked improvement in SPL and in sound quality as well. It's a win-win situation.

If you decide to keep your current amp and run in a lower power class (uder 600W) I think you would have a chance to win some comps. I would also have a new box made for the AVs, and tune it specifically for the subs. Remember, no matter how good the subs are, you can destroy thier performance by using the wrong box, ar a poorly tuned ported box.

Amen to the Stryke AV's. If using the same power against a 12" Brahma, i think these would have an advantage. It has a little more dispacement, and a higher sensitivity. Though the brahma may have about 500wrms more power handling, you'll be using the same amp anyways. SQ wise.. these AV's are very tough to beat. Heehee.. i should know.. I'm not only a client... i'm a user of these AVs. 15's though.

how do you go about getting a custom box built to spec for certian subs? the box that i have i bought from best buy, so im sure that its not the right size for the subs i have now or the ones that i may get in the future. how much power to those stryke av 12's handle? a friend of mine bought a volfenhag sub or something like that. has anyone heard anything about these? they are pretty inexpensive, but when it comes to sound i think you get what you pay for? thanks for all the help its been very helpful.

All that you need to do is get the T/S parameters for the subs, and use them in your box design. You have to use the right length and diameter ports with a box to achieve the right tuning frequency for a box. There are a few programs you can use on your computer to design boxes.