Good subwoofer setup?

[42395_skyline]

My first time dealing with subwoofers. I am thinking of a single Alpine Type S 12" SWS-12D4, Alpine MRV-M500, and Sony DSX-S310BTX. Will do a speaker upgrade later on down the road. For now I don't have the cash and the Pioneer speakers it has now are fine. I'll be using bluetooth $80% of the time, Pandora 90% of the time, my iPhone 100% of the time. What do you guys think?

 

[grothe3297venge]

Give her hell, you won't be drawing to much power unless you crank that sub to the max to have to worry bout using a capacitor or doing the big 3 upgrade. 90% pandora?! Must have one hell of a data plan . Also since when does a Sony HU almost cost $300!?!

 

[91-GS]

What kinda box are you planning on using and where are you planning on putting it?

 

[Jdabishop]

kenwood 12' is what I have in my daily and they are pretty decent for the money but your setup sounds sweet when its finished post some pictures

 

[42395_skyline]

Give her hell, you won't be drawing to much power unless you crank that sub to the max to have to worry bout using a capacitor or doing the big 3 upgrade. 90% pandora?! Must have one hell of a data plan . Also since when does a Sony HU almost cost $300!?!

Glad I won't be drawing that much power I am just looking for some nice bass to add on to my music. My data plan is just 2GB but somehow it lasts me all month when all I listen to is Pandora. Not complaining On Amazon you can buy the Sony for $169 $69 over what I wanted to spend but it's worth it to have bluetooth Pandora.

What kinda box are you planning on using and where are you planning on putting it?

Behind the back seats in the hatch. I have read about the placement arguments of facing back or facing up but I don't really care about which is better, just looking for any bass at all and the most stealth I can put it. I am designing my own box and facing it back. I built it out of cardboard today and will be buying the material to actually build the box this week.

kenwood 12' is what I have in my daily and they are pretty decent for the money but your setup sounds sweet when its finished post some pictures

Sweet I will post the pics up as soon as I get it built.

Thanks for the feedback guys

 

[GSLENK]

buy from sonicelectronix .com. They have some of the lowest prices around. They are hassle free, ship fast, take paypal... Again they have some great prices. I get my sony bluetooth 1-din head units for all my cars from them for about $100.

Amp wire and all the mess is dirt cheap. get the oxygen free copper type. Not the copper clad aluminum or whatever it is, the performance difference (voltage drop, resistance) has been proven to equal a gauge or 2 in wire size.

Got my alpine type x subwoofer for $220 back when they were retailing for $450.

Check it out, before you decided to go amazon, also I think shipping is free on the website I suggested.

You should look into a type R. It is a great value and provides tons of quality low end bass. more than most people ever need.

 

[tay97gst]

I can vouch for the Type R, its more bass than our small cars will ever need but it's nice having it in the reserves for when you want to impress . I have it paired to the Alpine MRP-M500 amp and have had no complaints, all in a ported box btw. When you get into the speakers check out kenwood for the 6x9's, they sound amazing. I have Kickers up front for the 6.5's but they're nowhere near as impressive as the kenwoods.

 

[ForsakenLash]

build an enclosed box with 2 fist sized ports and a plexi-glass face

 

[red92tsi]

Sub up port back if you're going with a ported box. Don't waste money on a cap even if you think you'd need one.

 

[meiko24169]

8" jl w7. You only need one, and doesn't take up much space. Believe it or not, with a 500 watt amp, it'll hit harder than 2 12" (most brands)

 

[wmrcs]

Look into the Sundown Audio E series woofer if you're looking for a BANG for your buck. I am a Sundown nut hugger and have used tons of their stuff. It slams and takes a beating. That Alpine amp will do an E series sub well, or even an SA series woofer if you're planning on getting a larger amp.

As for electrical though, you'll be fine with stock everything with that amp. As said above, caps are a waste and unnecessary. They don't have a big enough reserve capacity to help with a weak electrical system. If you NEED more juice then get a small sealed AGM battery to put in the trunk. Run 1/0 wire between batteries and do the Big 3 upgrade while you're there.

8" jl w7. You only need one, and doesn't take up much space. Believe it or not, with a 500 watt amp, it'll hit harder than 2 12" (most brands)

JL makes good stuff, but they're way too overpriced. If you want to save room.... Sundown SA-8. I did 132db sealed on the dash with a TermLab meter at 32hz on 600 watts on one of those 8's.

Also, I'd be more than happy to design you a subwoofer enclosure based on the amount of space you want to take up. Send me a message if you want to. I highly recommend building your own box instead of buying one. It's cheaper, and fun.

Edit: I see you're in Florida. There are tons of bassheads/SPL people down there who know what their talking about. Florida craigslist should be a gold mine too for good audio equipment. Just research before you buy!

 

[42395_skyline]

buy from sonicelectronix .com. They have some of the lowest prices around. They are hassle free, ship fast, take paypal... Again they have some great prices. I get my sony bluetooth 1-din head units for all my cars from them for about $100.

Amp wire and all the mess is dirt cheap. get the oxygen free copper type. Not the copper clad aluminum or whatever it is, the performance difference (voltage drop, resistance) has been proven to equal a gauge or 2 in wire size.

Got my alpine type x subwoofer for $220 back when they were retailing for $450.

Check it out, before you decided to go amazon, also I think shipping is free on the website I suggested.

You should look into a type R. It is a great value and provides tons of quality low end bass. more than most people ever need.

Thanks for the site! I will save it to my favorites. The Sony HU seems to be the same price as Amazon and Best Buy said they will price match it, so I will get it from Best Buy next week. The subwoofer is $3 cheaper though on sonicelectronix

I'll look into the Type R. It's $45 more than the Type S on Amazon. Sadly sonicelectronix has it more expensive. If the $45 is worth it I will try to rack up the cash. Thanks for the help and suggestions!

I can vouch for the Type R, its more bass than our small cars will ever need but it's nice having it in the reserves for when you want to impress . I have it paired to the Alpine MRP-M500 amp and have had no complaints, all in a ported box btw. When you get into the speakers check out kenwood for the 6x9's, they sound amazing. I have Kickers up front for the 6.5's but they're nowhere near as impressive as the kenwoods.

Thanks I will look into the Type R and see if the extra $45 on Amazon is worth it

build an enclosed box with 2 fist sized ports and a plexi-glass face

Thanks for the suggestion. I will take it into consideration.

Sub up port back if you're going with a ported box. Don't waste money on a cap even if you think you'd need one.

Thanks Not sure I'll go with a ported box though.

8" jl w7. You only need one, and doesn't take up much space. Believe it or not, with a 500 watt amp, it'll hit harder than 2 12" (most brands)

Thanks I'll think about smaller if I need the space.

Look into the Sundown Audio E series woofer if you're looking for a BANG for your buck. I am a Sundown nut hugger and have used tons of their stuff. It slams and takes a beating. That Alpine amp will do an E series sub well, or even an SA series woofer if you're planning on getting a larger amp.

As for electrical though, you'll be fine with stock everything with that amp. As said above, caps are a waste and unnecessary. They don't have a big enough reserve capacity to help with a weak electrical system. If you NEED more juice then get a small sealed AGM battery to put in the trunk. Run 1/0 wire between batteries and do the Big 3 upgrade while you're there.



JL makes good stuff, but they're way too overpriced. If you want to save room.... Sundown SA-8. I did 132db sealed on the dash with a TermLab meter at 32hz on 600 watts on one of those 8's.

Also, I'd be more than happy to design you a subwoofer enclosure based on the amount of space you want to take up. Send me a message if you want to. I highly recommend building your own box instead of buying one. It's cheaper, and fun.

Edit: I see you're in Florida. There are tons of bassheads/SPL people down there who know what their talking about. Florida craigslist should be a gold mine too for good audio equipment. Just research before you buy!

Thanks for all the information! Good timing because I didn't think about the cargo cover when I designed the cardboard box and now have to start from scratch with a lot less space to work with. I'll message you thanks

 

[meiko24169]

I found 2 different box set ups on eBay. One that leans against the seat, and one that fits in the spare tire well. Depends on the set up you want. I wouldn't say jl is over priced, you definitely get what you pay for, but they are LOUD!

 

[GSLENK]

Type R is certainly worth one more tank of gas than a Type S. Save/Rake up!!!

Ported boxes are great.

Here's a situation in which a sealed box might be ideal:

You want a little more bass than factory, you want it to be very tight and punchy, at the expense of max volume for bass. You listen to rock, a little rap, maybe jazz, classical music, country etc... Good idea if your sub is overpowered for your tastes/

Now for ported:
You want ported if you listen to rap/house etc... and you like big booming bass. and you want to make your sub more efficient/louder while sacrificing a little of the punchiness. good idea if your sub is under-powered for your tastes.

 

[42395_skyline]

I found 2 different box set ups on eBay. One that leans against the seat, and one that fits in the spare tire well. Depends on the set up you want. I wouldn't say jl is over priced, you definitely get what you pay for, but they are LOUD!

I really want to make it myself, cheaper and fun! Also, I don't have much to spend. Can't afford much more than $100. Not looking for anything loud anyway, I will probably keep them pretty low (compared to most people).

Type R is certainly worth one more tank of gas than a Type S. Save/Rake up!!!

Ported boxes are great.

Here's a situation in which a sealed box might be ideal:

You want a little more bass than factory, you want it to be very tight and punchy, at the expense of max volume for bass. You listen to rock, a little rap, maybe jazz, classical music, country etc... Good idea if your sub is overpowered for your tastes/

Now for ported:
You want ported if you listen to rap/house etc... and you like big booming bass. and you want to make your sub more efficient/louder while sacrificing a little of the punchiness. good idea if your sub is under-powered for your tastes.

What's the biggest difference other than loud for the Type R?

I actually do listen to rap, but actually not looking for that much loudness. Plus I need all the space I can get.

 

[wmrcs]

FIRST OF ALL.... the misconception that sealed boxes hit tighter or cleaner than ported boxes is false. A properly designed ported enclosure will have greater output, and sound just as clean as a sealed box. The only good sealed enclosures are good for are: 1) Less space required 2) Increases power handling of the woofer a bit.

The only time a ported enclosure can sound bad is if you play it too far out of tuning, but that is what crossovers and a proper design are for. If you look at all the top sound quality competitors they don't use sealed boxes. They MAY use a 4th order (sealed inside a ported), but I've usually seen 6th orders (ported in a ported).

The ONLY time I'll use a sealed box is for TIGHT space requirements, which may be this case. It'd be worth it, to me, to step down to a 10" and use a ported box than put a 12" in a sealed.

And just to repeat myself....

JL is over priced, even though they make quality stuff. There is WAY better gear than JL in the audio scene that isn't boxed and sold in your local audio store. Brands like Sundown Audio, Audioque, Digital Designs, DC Audio, Crescendo Audio, Fi Audio, Skar Audio, Ascendant Audio, DAD Audio, Audiotechnix, Obsidian Audio, the list could go on forever. Just saying.

 

[91-GS]

Would like to see the setup after it's done. Sounds like you are putting alot of work/time/thinking into it.
What will the box be made of?

 

[90gsxdakilla]

3/4" mdf ftw! don't use anything smaller and def don't touch particle board. Get you some 100% silicone for all the joints. PVC if you want a round port or do a rectangular slotted port. Don't forget to round off every inside edge especially around the port.

 

[42395_skyline]

Would like to see the setup after it's done. Sounds like you are putting alot of work/time/thinking into it.
What will the box be made of?

No problem, pics will be up as soon as it's finished. I am trying to make it the best it can possible be for me and my budget. Most people will probably see it as weak or dumb, but as long as it works for what I want it to I see it as the best

wmrcs is actually kind enough to help me out with the design and even got me into switching my sub to a Sundown SD-2. From what I read, it is a better sub than the Type S as he has said so my trust in him is 100% Hopefully I can get a new mock up done this week with cardboard and it all works out. Then I can start building next weekend

It will be made of 3/4" MDF.

3/4" mdf ftw! don't use anything smaller and def don't touch particle board. Get you some 100% silicone for all the joints. PVC if you want a round port or do a rectangular slotted port. Don't forget to round off every inside edge especially around the port.

Yup 3/4" MDF Thanks, I should be buying supplies next weekend.

 

[wmrcs]

I know you're on a budget but I'll mention it just because; You can use 3/4" birch in place of 3/4" MDF if your budget allows. It is lighter and stronger. MDF will work perfect though.

Skyline, use Titebond wood glue and screws. Pre drill your holes so you don't split the MDF, and don't put the screws too close together. Put a hefty amount of glue in between each piece of wood, the screws will act as a clamp for the glue to dry hard. After the glue has dried, if you want, you can pull the screws out and fill those holes from the screws with wood filler, sand it, prime the box, and paint over it and you won't see the screws or screw holes. Removing the screws won't reduce the structural integrity of the box, they're useless after the glue dries.

After you have your box close to complete, you can run a bead of calk along all of the right angles to guarantee an airtight seal. If you used enough glue it should be sealed, but it doesn't hurt to make sure by calking it.

It's not necessary to round everything off. Rounding the outer edges off looks good but that's preference, and since you're not going for SPL numbers, rounding off the port won't make much of a difference as long as there is enough port area, which there will be since I'm designing your box. Might even use aeroports/pvc for the port depending on space.

It's raining like crazy again, I'll get out and do some measuring as soon as I find a gap.

 

[42395_skyline]

I know you're on a budget but I'll mention it just because; You can use 3/4" birch in place of 3/4" MDF if your budget allows. It is lighter and stronger. MDF will work perfect though.

Skyline, use Titebond wood glue and screws. Pre drill your holes so you don't split the MDF, and don't put the screws too close together. Put a hefty amount of glue in between each piece of wood, the screws will act as a clamp for the glue to dry hard. After the glue has dried, if you want, you can pull the screws out and fill those holes from the screws with wood filler, sand it, prime the box, and paint over it and you won't see the screws or screw holes. Removing the screws won't reduce the structural integrity of the box, they're useless after the glue dries.

After you have your box close to complete, you can run a bead of calk along all of the right angles to guarantee an airtight seal. If you used enough glue it should be sealed, but it doesn't hurt to make sure by calking it.

It's not necessary to round everything off. Rounding the outer edges off looks good but that's preference, and since you're not going for SPL numbers, rounding off the port won't make much of a difference as long as there is enough port area, which there will be since I'm designing your box. Might even use aeroports/pvc for the port depending on space.

It's raining like crazy again, I'll get out and do some measuring as soon as I find a gap.

I think I'll have to stick with MDF, my budget is already over and I'm struggling for cash probably borrow from my parents.

I will do that thanks! If the screws don't help, I'll take them out and plug the holes as you specified. Thanks

If you feel that I should use ported and it will actually fit, I'm all for it. I just don't think it will fit and I rather have sealed and fit it how I want than have to change the fitment just to port it. But like you said, your designing it and I'm sure you have everything planned better than I could

Like I said before, take your time and don't worry. I'm on your schedule thanks again for helping!

 

[Zufelt]

I know you're on a budget but I'll mention it just because; You can use 3/4" birch in place of 3/4" MDF if your budget allows. It is lighter and stronger. MDF will work perfect though.

Skyline, use Titebond wood glue and screws. Pre drill your holes so you don't split the MDF, and don't put the screws too close together. Put a hefty amount of glue in between each piece of wood, the screws will act as a clamp for the glue to dry hard. After the glue has dried, if you want, you can pull the screws out and fill those holes from the screws with wood filler, sand it, prime the box, and paint over it and you won't see the screws or screw holes. Removing the screws won't reduce the structural integrity of the box, they're useless after the glue dries.

After you have your box close to complete, you can run a bead of calk along all of the right angles to guarantee an airtight seal. If you used enough glue it should be sealed, but it doesn't hurt to make sure by calking it.

It's not necessary to round everything off. Rounding the outer edges off looks good but that's preference, and since you're not going for SPL numbers, rounding off the port won't make much of a difference as long as there is enough port area, which there will be since I'm designing your box. Might even use aeroports/pvc for the port depending on space.

It's raining like crazy again, I'll get out and do some measuring as soon as I find a gap.

It's nice to see another SMD member.. Here I was thinking I was going to have to type an essay.. Thanks

edit: Even rounding off the edges (with 45s) makes you loose numbers on term lab, but as stated, unless your going for numbers then there isn't a need to fiberglass the edges round. Although it wouldn't hurt to kerf the port.

 

[wmrcs]

It's nice to see another SMD member.. Here I was thinking I was going to have to type an essay.. Thanks

edit: Even rounding off the edges (with 45s) makes you loose numbers on term lab, but as stated, unless your going for numbers then there isn't a need to fiberglass the edges round. Although it wouldn't hurt to kerf the port.

DAWG, you on SMD? What's your screen name? I feel like I do recognize your car... haha

I think I'll have to stick with MDF, my budget is already over and I'm struggling for cash probably borrow from my parents.

I will do that thanks! If the screws don't help, I'll take them out and plug the holes as you specified. Thanks

If you feel that I should use ported and it will actually fit, I'm all for it. I just don't think it will fit and I rather have sealed and fit it how I want than have to change the fitment just to port it. But like you said, your designing it and I'm sure you have everything planned better than I could

Like I said before, take your time and don't worry. I'm on your schedule thanks again for helping!

No problem, brotha.

 

[RedTalonTsi]

I'm also planning on putting some small subs in my 1g and this thread has been helpful for suggestions and general info.

I'm thinking about trying my hand at making a pair of custom fiberglass boxes to tuck behind the rear wheelwells so I can keep useable trunk space.

Anyone have any input/experience on building your own fiberglass boxes or any tips for subs in a fiberglass application?

 

[Zufelt]

DAWG, you on SMD? What's your screen name? I feel like I do recognize your car... haha

Haha, yeah man this is the build log
New Build log! New Eclipse! TheNewbie Engine bay cleaned! - Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System! - SMD Forum

Haven't been on in awhile, since I ended up selling the subs, and going the performance route. This was the final result..


OP: Remember.. It's suppose to be the GLUE that holds it all together, not the nails. Also if you have a compresser and nail gun you can use that to hold it together, it will also go flush soupy don't have to use any puddy.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Of course with the other woofers in hahaha.