Why isnt my system loud?

[AAChaos]

how can i make it where its heard for a block or two because my budy has 900 watts to a memphis m3 and it pounds super hard.

There are many factors that are involved in this. The main ones being: enclosure, amplifier / power, subwoofer(s), and vehicle. If you have a truck, the box will not be able to be that big. That being said, you are pretty much stuck with shallow mount and smaller subwoofers. When people say that size matters to be loud, it really doesn't. The only thing size changes is mainly sound quality and air movement due to cone area. I've heard two (2) 10's hit harder than two (2) 18's, and metered significantly louder. The key factor you're looking for is quality of the sub. Personally, when dealing with Memphis, I would only go with the Mojos (which I believe you have, D4?).

Also, what amp are you pushing them with? Your 600W amp is more than likely pushing around 300W, if that. A lot of amps are heavily overrated, especially lower end stuff. Old school stuff, on the other hand, can get pretty crazy (depending on the brand).

Also you have a preference, if you want your bass to be heard from a couple blocks away or if you want your car rattling from a couple blocks away. You're going to be louder if your box is tuned higher in most cases, but the bass is going to sound cleaner and travel further if you're tuned lower. Also realize that some subs tend to get louder as you go further from them up to a certain distance. Make sure you're not tuned too high or too low, as that would ultimately make the result of your sound garbage. I'm assuming you're not competing.

Please provide:

Vehicle

Type of amplifier you're running

Whether or not you're running a factory head unit

Box volume

Box tuning

 

[VisceralSound 10+ year member]

^Not true on the shallow/small subwoofers,

depending on cab size he can do a wall, or cut into the bed and do a blowthrough.

 

[southport2014 10+ year member]

Im running a memphis pr 12d4v2 with a memphis mc1000d at 2 ohms so 600 watts and it does rated at 12v. My sub is in a long slot ported truck box about 49in long 5 in wide and 14.5 in tall.

Vehicle 1998 ford explorer sport

Type of amplifier you're running memphis 16-mc1000d

Whether or not you're running a factory head unit ,aftermarket pioneer

Box volume idk long truck ported

Box tuning unknown

 

[mazdakid 5,000+ posts]

Why do you have a truck box in your suv?

 

[miker 5,000+ posts]

I think your issue is your box. Tuning unknown is sort of a bad thing hahah it means that only by some miracle that box works well with your specific subwoofer.

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

u need a better box.

 

[IonRL205 10+ year member]

You have an SUV, why the hell are you using a crappy truck box???

You wanna be heard? Then use that hatch area for some cone area! Get a nice box with a pair of 15s on 1k to 1.5k and you'll definitely be heard blocks away.

But if you are wanting a system to only be able to be heard from a distance, and not your own personal enjoyment, then get out of this hobby cause it's people like you that make everybody else look bad.

 

[kr15 5,000+ posts]

new box and new sub. That PR isnt going to do anything with added power above 500w. Its a very basic entry level sub. The m3 is quite a bit better. A box often times will be the most efficient, or in your case inefficient, piece in a setup. Build a custom box and it will do the PR alot more justice

 

[THATpurpleKUSH 5,000+ posts]

pr festiva was doing 46's with a memphis pr 12 on

they are entry level but will get loud if you know what you're doing

 

[Sub Woofin 10+ year member]

Why do you have a truck box in your suv?

hehe..

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

pr festiva was doing 46's with a memphis pr 12 on
they are entry level but will get loud if you know what you're doing

umm hmm...it be da box. PR's are hard to beat for entry level. I don't do #'s, but I had 4 PR 12's that moved some good air.

 

[psych0ticnemes1 5,000+ posts]

pr festiva was doing 46's with a memphis pr 12 on
they are entry level but will get loud if you know what you're doing

The difference is he did that burping a relatively high tone. It had nothing to do with feeling loud, being heard miles away, etc. Different applications. SPL vehicles don't necessarily "feel" loud. It depends on what this kid is after.

If I was you, I would strive for your system to "feel" loud and sound good. Forget being heard miles away.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

There are many factors that are involved in this. The main ones being: enclosure, amplifier / power, subwoofer(s), and vehicle. If you have a truck, the box will not be able to be that big. That being said, you are pretty much stuck with shallow mount and smaller subwoofers. When people say that size matters to be loud, it really doesn't. The only thing size changes is mainly sound quality and air movement due to cone area. I've heard two (2) 10's hit harder than two (2) 18's, and metered significantly louder. The key factor you're looking for is quality of the sub. Personally, when dealing with Memphis, I would only go with the Mojos (which I believe you have, D4?).
Also, what amp are you pushing them with? Your 600W amp is more than likely pushing around 300W, if that. A lot of amps are heavily overrated, especially lower end stuff. Old school stuff, on the other hand, can get pretty crazy (depending on the brand).

Also you have a preference, if you want your bass to be heard from a couple blocks away or if you want your car rattling from a couple blocks away. You're going to be louder if your box is tuned higher in most cases, but the bass is going to sound cleaner and travel further if you're tuned lower. Also realize that some subs tend to get louder as you go further from them up to a certain distance. Make sure you're not tuned too high or too low, as that would ultimately make the result of your sound garbage. I'm assuming you're not competing.

Please provide:

Vehicle

Type of amplifier you're running

Whether or not you're running a factory head unit

Box volume

Box tuning

Wrong on so many levels. First of all sub size doesnt affect sound quality at all. A 15" can sound just as good as an 8" sub. An 8" sub can sound just as bad as a 21" sub. Its dependent on a number of things. Mainly box, tuning, quality, etc.

Sub size does affect loudness. More cone area = more movement with everything else identical including sub Xmax.

 

[southport2014 10+ year member]

i got the sub and box off a trade so if i got a different sub like a hcca or 2 sa 8 would it be deeper bass and louder,

 

[shpatb 10+ year member]

i got the sub and box off a trade so if i got a different sub like a hcca or 2 sa 8 would it be deeper bass and louder,

Your setup would be louder now if you got a better box.