Adding a 3rd Sub

[Doconpoint1 10+ year member]

Hey, this is a definate addition, but i was thinking that in the future if i had the money i'd like to add a 3rd sub and had some questions.

How much of a hassle would it be to do this? I already know that if I ever did add a 3rd sub that i would have to upgrade my Alt.

But i wanted to know about amps. Currently i'm running 2 12" CVXs with 4 Ohm DVCs. And i'm powering them with a Kicker KX1200.1 and have them wired down to 1ohms. So i've read that mixing amps isn't a good idea, but what if they're the same brand and same line, but just different ratings? Because i was thinking about powered the 3rd sub with a less powerfull amp, or another KX1200.1 but run it at 2ohms, would that just be better?. As far as wiring goes i'm already running 0/1 guage.

I like the bass that i have now, and i have my bass boost on 0 essentially, mabye, maybe a fraction of a hair past that, not even a quarter past. So basically 0. But i've become somewhat addicted lol, and i know 1 more sub could put a big smile on my face.

Oh, forgot to mention that i'm using a ported box now, and if this were to become a reality, i would like to use a ported box for all 3 as well.

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[btdickey99 5,000+ posts]

you wouldnt have to upgrade an alt just by adding a sub..... but what you would have to do is build new box, and re wire of course

me personally I am not a fan of 3 sub setups just for the fact of different ohm loads....

I am into SPL so anytime I feel watts are being wasted somehow or another I am not a fan

 

[Doconpoint1 10+ year member]

also would i be able to get away with just upgrading my battery, since i have 0/1 gauge. But for some reason, just adding 1 subs seems more troublesome than 2, i dunno.

 

[NightDrifter05 10+ year member]

You would first need to build a new box to whatever the specs are on the woofers. I would replace the amp all together with a single bigger amp. Maybe keep the money you would spend on the other 1200.1 and sell your current amp and get a new or used Kicker 2500.1. I don't really think adding a 2nd 1200.1 to your setup to only push one sub is really to good of a idea but maybe someone else who is more knowledgeable can chime in.

If you do decide to add the 2nd amp or upgrade to a single bigger amp I don't think you would need to upgrade your Alt. Just have the big 3 done in 1/0, have 1/0 ran in the car, do a good battery under the hood, and a nice big battery in the back you would be fine. But of course upgrading the Alt is always the best option but I know alot of times people can't dish out that kind of money.

Also, as btdickey99 said I don't care much for odd number system's either due to the final ohm load. I would see about fitting 4 12's and running a single 2500.1 to them. That would be a nice loud daily system.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

All subs should be the same brand/model, running the same amount of power, in the same size/alignment/tuned enclosure. So basically, don't do it.

Adding a 'third' sub is almost always more trouble than its worth. Most times it requires a complete overhaul of the system.

 

[Doconpoint1 10+ year member]

Yes i know all subs should be the same size and model, i wasn't asking about that. I was refering to the amps. But the way it seems, and the way i thought. adding a 3rd sub vs a 4th is just to much trouble.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Yes i know all subs should be the same size and model, i wasn't asking about that. I was refering to the amps. But the way it seems, and the way i thought. adding a 3rd sub vs a 4th is just to much trouble.

The point was everything should be the same from one driver to the next. If you know all subs should be the same, you certainly should already know you dont want to run one sub with less power than the other two, as you are suggesting doing.

 

[Doconpoint1 10+ year member]

I was suggesting trying to match the power so that it's running at the same rms as the other 2. But whatever.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

How about 2 better subs then what you have???

 

[Doconpoint1 10+ year member]

I ran through some of the troubles in my head, but wanted to make sure that there wasn't something i wasn't realizing or i wasn't thinking outside the box enough. Just adding 1 sub really does seem like to much work as i had previously though. It'd be easier going to 4 subs it seems, but that's not something i'd want to do. Luckily 2 pleases me.

 

[GAM3OVR 5,000+ posts]

do 4 sealed ma nig

 

[Hintzyboy 5,000+ posts]

If you want to add another sub, sell your current amp and buy something that will do what you need at 1 ohm. 3 D4s will wire up to .67 ohms, which will be fine for a 1 ohm stable amp after box rise.

 

[Doconpoint1 10+ year member]

Nah, I like my CVX's. I know they're not the best. But then again, i could do a hell of a lot worse right? Would 2 15's be a reasonable solution?

 

[Doconpoint1 10+ year member]

Thanks for the advice though guys, cuz in the end i could just end up keepign my current set up, with only a HU change. Cuz i'm in college, and there are other things i want to look into investing some money into. And i like getting a good handle on things way before hand, i do a lot of scouting out before i just into something. Like with sounds, at first as was one of the people that wanted to hurry up and get some sounds and i was gonna buy lanzar and pyle type amps, but people like you guys steered me right haha.

 

[aitkenkingfish]

I love the kicker cvx,s as well there a great sub. i just went from a 12" cvx to a 15" both were sealed I like the sound from the sealed boxes & definatly like the sound from the 15 better than the 12. but each has it's own type of bass. the larger you go the less punchy it will be but im also running a set of 8 to pick up the punchyness.