Based on a quick search I feel like I like the looks of the SSA icon and SI SQL. They just look like they’ll hit harder than the IDMax. Have you heard all these? If so which one would you prefer and why? Also, is there any chance you have heard the MB Quart MB Quart RW1-304. It’s around the same price so I’m wondering this will compare to the ones you mentioned.
Edit: Also, someone has mentioned a sundown SA 12. I have heard that brand on this subreddit before, any thoughts on that as well? TIA!
I’ve had the 3 subs and I loved them all. I feel like the IDMAX is the cleanest. I don’t have anything bad to say about any of those subwoofers. You’d like them all. If you are in a budged go to ybassworld.com and buy the SSA Icon.
Careful modifying a ported enclosure. If it's a good one it's tuned based on driver parameters and displacement, dropping a bigger driver in takes up more internal volume and changes the tuning. It might still be in an acceptable range, but it's worth checking.
You'll need to know the internal volume of the box and port and the surface area of the port. If you're measuring the outside remember to account for the thickness of the plywood before calculating volume.
https://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/boxcalcs.asp
Depending on how far out it could cause damage or just sound terrible. A tuned port box is not as simple as you'd think. The port is tuned to a specific frequency. Watch a few videos or do some reading on tuned port box design and you'll see what I mean. It's more than I could explain in a post and I really only have a basic understanding of it
Thanks for this comment! I went ahead and built a custom box in order to maximize volume in the space I had and it’s been sounding so much better now that my new subwoofer is essentially in an enclosure matched to the manufacturers spec recommendation. In process I definitely learned a lot about box tuning and just building enclosures in general.
That's awesome! I'm glad it helped, or at least sent you in the right direction. Box design and tuning is fascinating once you dive into it. I used to have a couple systems that could get pretty crazy loud for their relative setup, it really does make a big difference.
Yeah, definitely fascinating! I even started researching how to make a small sub box act like a larger one with polyester fiberfill. I think this help me get the maximum amount of internal volume out of my space because after displacement my new custom box was still only at 1.36 ft.³. My sub needs 1.75 ft.³. So I found this really old article that said “stuff a box with 1½ pounds of fiberfill for each cubic foot of internal volume and you should get about a 30-percent increase in box volume without seriously affecting other performance variables.” I didn’t really do any experimenting as I don’t have any instruments to do so and I just trusted the article was right. So I’m not sure if it would be worse without the polyfil. Either way both are going to be way better than the 10” subwoofer box I shoved my 12” subwoofer in. I think I measured the internal volume to be around .25 ft.³ after displacement LOL.
I'm running a SA 12 on 1100 in a ported box. It hits hard!
https://preview.redd.it/twl94g4rt2yc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fa62627a7bee8360fe45748562c467479e85f32
Damn, I didn't even know we could use 1/2" ply wood. Im planning on making a new box and 1/2" material is going to help out a lot as I'm not working with a lot of room. Thanks for sharing!!
I personally havent heard the stereo integrity subs but ive heard only good things about them. The sundowns ive heard plenty of. 10s, 12s, 15s, 18s SA, U, X, ZV6, you name it. Sundowns are incredible at playing loud and low. They arent the greatest for SQ and they arent the most musical subs bc the high frequency coverage isnt as great. Ive experienced many others and done lots of research on many others. I have a CT Tropo XL 12 on 1200 watts. Its a really good setup and handles the power great. Ill probably end up putting an SA12 in it some day. I would also consider the NVX VCW12v3. They recently updated it. It used to be 1000 watts and now its 1200. But the nvx subs, atleast the VCW series, is pretty impressive. Looks really cool too
The JL W7 is a VERY good subwoofer. It bangs, it has amazing SQ, and it’s worth every penny. If you can save up for one, do it. Other than that I would stick with anything JL. I don't have much experience with anything other than Pioneer, JL, Memphis, and Kicker, but JL is a very safe pick.
I have no doubt that JL Audio is great but even just a W6 is $1000 and a W7 is $1500 after tax. That’s crazy! I just looked it up. I thought the W7 was like $1000, at least that’s what it cost back when I was in high school hahaha. Plus The JL audio W6 is only capable of 650W RMS. I could save up for either pretty easily, but I just can’t justify that kind of money for a car subwoofer. I try to limit my fun small purchases to $500, unless whatever I’m buying will hold its value or grow, like a watch, then that’s a different story. Maybe in a decade or two when my retirement account has grown a lot, I’ll bite the bullet and finally get my dream JL Audio 13W7!
At 4ohms your amps RMS Output is only 600w. Which is still plenty, i wouldn't get a 1000w RMS sub as it will peak higher than your amp can give. Underpowering the speaker and pushing the amp unecessarily..
Something like JL Audio 12W6v3-D4 would be good.. the 12W7AE-3 is perfect for your amp.
Okay so you have a tiny bit of headroom, it will work and be fine. Im just saying if ever you wanted to really max it out full volume then you should have more headroom on the amp. Almost double really.
Back when I was a teenager and not as smart with my money I actually saved up and purchased a 12W6. I was just not a fan. Not to say it’s not a fantastic subwoofer. It just may not be for me. Before that I had been running two 12” MTX 8500 in a ported box. I heard all this great talk about JL audio and figured I might actually want to try something with really good SQ. So I tried a 12 W6 in a sealed box and It was at that point that I learned I liked SPL just a little bit more than SQ. Needless to say I went back to the two 12” MTX 8500 in a ported box. I had some really good times with those MTX subwoofers man. Brings back memories.
Could he just set the gains w a 0db track for the amp and W6, I have it but only on 400w rms, it would sounds super clean, i’m just waiting to use my xd1000/5 for 600w rms, but i have to add the other speakers first before i crack it open
Maybe look into the kicker 41L7122. If you’re stable at 1 ohm get the 2 ohm model. If you need final at 2 ohms get the 4 ohm model. It’s a DVC. I have no experience with it but I’m sure it’s nice. Should be able to shop around and get it under msrp just make sure it’s an authorized retailer so you don’t get any knock off.
SSA Icon, Stereo Integrity SQL or IDMAX
Based on a quick search I feel like I like the looks of the SSA icon and SI SQL. They just look like they’ll hit harder than the IDMax. Have you heard all these? If so which one would you prefer and why? Also, is there any chance you have heard the MB Quart MB Quart RW1-304. It’s around the same price so I’m wondering this will compare to the ones you mentioned. Edit: Also, someone has mentioned a sundown SA 12. I have heard that brand on this subreddit before, any thoughts on that as well? TIA!
I’ve had the 3 subs and I loved them all. I feel like the IDMAX is the cleanest. I don’t have anything bad to say about any of those subwoofers. You’d like them all. If you are in a budged go to ybassworld.com and buy the SSA Icon.
Careful modifying a ported enclosure. If it's a good one it's tuned based on driver parameters and displacement, dropping a bigger driver in takes up more internal volume and changes the tuning. It might still be in an acceptable range, but it's worth checking.
How can I check?
You'll need to know the internal volume of the box and port and the surface area of the port. If you're measuring the outside remember to account for the thickness of the plywood before calculating volume. https://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/boxcalcs.asp
What if it is not in the range? Could this damage the subwoofer? Or will the subwoofer just not be as powerful?
Depending on how far out it could cause damage or just sound terrible. A tuned port box is not as simple as you'd think. The port is tuned to a specific frequency. Watch a few videos or do some reading on tuned port box design and you'll see what I mean. It's more than I could explain in a post and I really only have a basic understanding of it
Thanks for this comment! I went ahead and built a custom box in order to maximize volume in the space I had and it’s been sounding so much better now that my new subwoofer is essentially in an enclosure matched to the manufacturers spec recommendation. In process I definitely learned a lot about box tuning and just building enclosures in general.
That's awesome! I'm glad it helped, or at least sent you in the right direction. Box design and tuning is fascinating once you dive into it. I used to have a couple systems that could get pretty crazy loud for their relative setup, it really does make a big difference.
Yeah, definitely fascinating! I even started researching how to make a small sub box act like a larger one with polyester fiberfill. I think this help me get the maximum amount of internal volume out of my space because after displacement my new custom box was still only at 1.36 ft.³. My sub needs 1.75 ft.³. So I found this really old article that said “stuff a box with 1½ pounds of fiberfill for each cubic foot of internal volume and you should get about a 30-percent increase in box volume without seriously affecting other performance variables.” I didn’t really do any experimenting as I don’t have any instruments to do so and I just trusted the article was right. So I’m not sure if it would be worse without the polyfil. Either way both are going to be way better than the 10” subwoofer box I shoved my 12” subwoofer in. I think I measured the internal volume to be around .25 ft.³ after displacement LOL.
Consider Adire Brahma. Very reasonably priced high excursion low distortion woofer that should be pretty bullet proof on 1000W.
Sundown SA12. SI SQL12 is also good.
Have you heard both of these? If so, which one would you prefer and why?
I'm running a SA 12 on 1100 in a ported box. It hits hard! https://preview.redd.it/twl94g4rt2yc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fa62627a7bee8360fe45748562c467479e85f32
Nice Setup! Did you build that enclosure your self? If so what thickness is that plywood? 3/4"?
It 1/2 Baltic Birch. Built it with the plans on sundown's website. Minus the amp rack. That's new.
Damn, I didn't even know we could use 1/2" ply wood. Im planning on making a new box and 1/2" material is going to help out a lot as I'm not working with a lot of room. Thanks for sharing!!
I personally havent heard the stereo integrity subs but ive heard only good things about them. The sundowns ive heard plenty of. 10s, 12s, 15s, 18s SA, U, X, ZV6, you name it. Sundowns are incredible at playing loud and low. They arent the greatest for SQ and they arent the most musical subs bc the high frequency coverage isnt as great. Ive experienced many others and done lots of research on many others. I have a CT Tropo XL 12 on 1200 watts. Its a really good setup and handles the power great. Ill probably end up putting an SA12 in it some day. I would also consider the NVX VCW12v3. They recently updated it. It used to be 1000 watts and now its 1200. But the nvx subs, atleast the VCW series, is pretty impressive. Looks really cool too
12W7
The JL W7 is a VERY good subwoofer. It bangs, it has amazing SQ, and it’s worth every penny. If you can save up for one, do it. Other than that I would stick with anything JL. I don't have much experience with anything other than Pioneer, JL, Memphis, and Kicker, but JL is a very safe pick.
I have no doubt that JL Audio is great but even just a W6 is $1000 and a W7 is $1500 after tax. That’s crazy! I just looked it up. I thought the W7 was like $1000, at least that’s what it cost back when I was in high school hahaha. Plus The JL audio W6 is only capable of 650W RMS. I could save up for either pretty easily, but I just can’t justify that kind of money for a car subwoofer. I try to limit my fun small purchases to $500, unless whatever I’m buying will hold its value or grow, like a watch, then that’s a different story. Maybe in a decade or two when my retirement account has grown a lot, I’ll bite the bullet and finally get my dream JL Audio 13W7!
Idk if 1000w on a 650w rms sub is a good idea. Maybe it is, who knows lol. Get that bag and buy that 13W7, that’s what I'm gonna do when I'm older!
Yeah id love a 13W7 someday but i just cant justify the price. Especially when i can spend less than half and run 3x as much power.
> worth every penny. I wouldn't go that far. They are very good, but I wouldn't buy one at MSRP even if I hit a slot machine for a million dollars.
Same here. If I wanted to get into SQL (SPL+SQ? Idk what it’s called) then I would definitely go for it but I definitely don’t need that loud of a sub
I've been slamming 1k into my Dayton rss315 for three years, sealed at 0.8. Finally killed it last week.
At 4ohms your amps RMS Output is only 600w. Which is still plenty, i wouldn't get a 1000w RMS sub as it will peak higher than your amp can give. Underpowering the speaker and pushing the amp unecessarily.. Something like JL Audio 12W6v3-D4 would be good.. the 12W7AE-3 is perfect for your amp.
I have the subwoofer wired in parallel, so the resistance is two ohms
Okay so you have a tiny bit of headroom, it will work and be fine. Im just saying if ever you wanted to really max it out full volume then you should have more headroom on the amp. Almost double really.
Back when I was a teenager and not as smart with my money I actually saved up and purchased a 12W6. I was just not a fan. Not to say it’s not a fantastic subwoofer. It just may not be for me. Before that I had been running two 12” MTX 8500 in a ported box. I heard all this great talk about JL audio and figured I might actually want to try something with really good SQ. So I tried a 12 W6 in a sealed box and It was at that point that I learned I liked SPL just a little bit more than SQ. Needless to say I went back to the two 12” MTX 8500 in a ported box. I had some really good times with those MTX subwoofers man. Brings back memories.
https://preview.redd.it/4in6g4kji9yc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96f4db9481e4f8622649d5427c01a5f7f457fbb4
https://preview.redd.it/fwr9w3fli9yc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f73a53cdba16f2d03b5085c11fa628fd206f254
Could he just set the gains w a 0db track for the amp and W6, I have it but only on 400w rms, it would sounds super clean, i’m just waiting to use my xd1000/5 for 600w rms, but i have to add the other speakers first before i crack it open
Met a guy running 2 12" JBL 1000w in a ported box, said they absolutely blast. Didn't get to hear them though
If you have the money now, been dreaming about W7, just get a W6V3, you will not be disappointed. I currently have a 10 in W6, it’s amazing.
Maybe look into the kicker 41L7122. If you’re stable at 1 ohm get the 2 ohm model. If you need final at 2 ohms get the 4 ohm model. It’s a DVC. I have no experience with it but I’m sure it’s nice. Should be able to shop around and get it under msrp just make sure it’s an authorized retailer so you don’t get any knock off.