Upgrades to my current little sub setup. RF R500X1D, 500w @2ohm

schwol

CarAudio.com Newbie
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Pardon the newbie questions. Got a 2013 Hyundai Sonata with a Rockford Fosgate R500X1D (500w x1 @ 2ohm) paired with a Kicker CompR 43CWR124 in a small sealed box. I'm wondering how I can best improve my setup. I listen to lots of bass-heavy music (rap, deathcore, drum n bass). I'm very much a novice when it comes to these things. I'm thinking upgrade the sub and put it in a ported enclosure. I don't have the means to build one. I've only had a few subwoofers over time, only sealed boxes. Is it wrong to assume dropping $250+ on a nicer sub will change my life? I'll give up trunk space for 2 subs if this amp can sufficiently power them. I don't know how much more to expect out of my 500w amp (probably ~600w+ based on others' birth sheets). Would the JL Audio BassWedge CP210-W0v3 pound well? At $400, that's at the top of my budget for this upgrade. Ideally would like to spend ~$250 max on the sub if going with a single, then whatever a box costs. Might simply moving the sub to a nice ported enclosure decently improve my sound?

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please please please don't waste your money on JL if you're wanting volume. They make awesome SQ products but their performance per dollar volume wise is TERRIBLE! A ported box would be my first suggestion you will notice a difference, can easily design one for you if you know anyone local that can throw it together. Don't buy a prefab box. I would get away from the kicker woofer. for the $400 you have budgeted you could buy a nice woofer to replace the kicker, build a nice properly sized box and still come in under budget. The amp you have is very nice in it's powerband.

 
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please please please don't waste your money on JL if you're wanting volume. They make awesome SQ products but their performance per dollar volume wise is TERRIBLE! A ported box would be my first suggestion you will notice a difference, can easily design one for you if you know anyone local that can throw it together. Don't buy a prefab box. I would get away from the kicker woofer. for the $400 you have budgeted you could buy a nice woofer to replace the kicker, build a nice properly sized box and still come in under budget. The amp you have is very nice in it's powerband.
Thanks for the feedback. So I think my play is a higher quality sub and a ported enclosure. I don't think I know anyone locally who can put together a box for me. Maybe my shop who installed my stuff can suggest someone. As far as a nicer woofer, I've heard the name Dayton mentioned. I don't know if they're any good. Their RSS315HO-44 seems decent, specs call for 700w RMS. There's also the Alpine R-W12D4. One review said to give it a good 750w, another review is running it with the same amp as I have and loving it. The Infinity KAPPA seems to run well on a 500w amp. This RE Audio SEXv2-12D4 seems good as well. I think I'm just worried I'm going to get too much woofer for my amp, but again, I'm fairly novice at this stuff.

 
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Thanks for the feedback. So I think my play is a higher quality sub and a ported enclosure. I don't think I know anyone locally who can put together a box for me. Maybe my shop who installed my stuff can suggest someone. As far as a nicer woofer, I've heard the name Dayton mentioned. I don't know if they're any good. Their RSS315HO-44 seems decent, specs call for 700w RMS. There's also the Alpine R-W12D4. One review said to give it a good 750w, another review is running it with the same amp as I have and loving it. The Infinity KAPPA seems to run well on a 500w amp. This RE Audio SEXv2-12D4 seems good as well. I think I'm just worried I'm going to get too much woofer for my amp, but again, I'm fairly novice at this stuff.
keep in mind when you buy from these big box store name brands you more than often get less than what you pay for. Check out the alphard machete, the dayton is nice if you want SQ, the FU300, etc

 
keep in mind when you buy from these big box store name brands you more than often get less than what you pay for. Check out the alphard machete, the dayton is nice if you want SQ, the FU300, etc
I give no f*cks about brand name or anything. Bang for buck is what I'm after. Just want deep bass. 

 
I give no f*cks about brand name or anything. Bang for buck is what I'm after. Just want deep bass. 
my kind of guy!!! check these out. all good choices. all these are conservatively rated if you want to upgrade amps down the line. 

https://gpcaraudio.com/deaf-bonce-machete-m12-v2-d2-d4-12-subwoofer/

https://gpcaraudio.com/hds2-112-soundqubed-12-subwoofer/

https://www.fuaudio.com/product-page/fu750v2-0-s-12

https://store.soundsolutionsaudio.com/products/orion-xtr-xtr12-subwoofer-12-600-watts-dual-vc-xtr122d-xtr124d.html

 
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See this is what doing a Google search for subs doesn't give me. I'm led to Crutchfield and sonic, etc. Thanks for this. I guess I've been led to believe I need a $250 12" sub for a good experience. Is that not necessarily always the case? Any one of these in particular you'd take over the other? I think my plan is to avoid having to upgrade my alternator (or whatever the fk needs doing for a 1000w+ setup) and bang as hard as I can down in these ranges for the foreseeable future. I beat the **** out of my sub currently but only for short periods of time and I probably push it harder because of my trash enclosure. 

Edit: the first link doesn't even have specs (as far as I can see), is it the updated version of the previous? 

 
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you barely have any room. I'd get a properly done ported box first, no excuses on the means to build one, if you have 250 bucks for a sub, you 20 bucks to buy a wired jigsaw, another 20 to buy a screwgun and 10 to buy extension cable then 30 bucks for a sheet of wood, 10 bucks for glue and screws.  Have home depot/lows make all the cuts and tell them accuracy is important, slip em a five to make sure they really take their time on the cuts.  Take it home, glue and screw then cut a circle for the subwoofer hole and voila You just made the best investment if your car audio life, a ported box.  

Here's free box plans any of the 2 cubic feet tuned to 32 -34hz boxes work.

https://www.srtforums.com/forums/f40/official-free-ported-box-plans-56k-no-435910/

This is my buddy, he had zero experience in wood working I didnt help him at all but his first box turned out alright.  pretty nuts off a 400 rms amp. Literally has no tools, did literally what i described.

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you barely have any room. I'd get a properly done ported box first, no excuses on the means to build one, if you have 250 bucks for a sub, you 20 bucks to buy a wired jigsaw, another 20 to buy a screwgun and 10 to buy extension cable then 30 bucks for a sheet of wood, 10 bucks for glue and screws.  Have home depot/lows make all the cuts and tell them accuracy is important, slip em a five to make sure they really take their time on the cuts.  Take it home, glue and screw then cut a circle for the subwoofer hole and voila You just made the best investment if your car audio life, a ported box.  

Here's free box plans any of the 2 cubic feet tuned to 32 -34hz boxes work.

https://www.srtforums.com/forums/f40/official-free-ported-box-plans-56k-no-435910/

This is my buddy, he had zero experience in wood working I didnt help him at all but his first box turned out alright.  pretty nuts off a 400 rms amp. Literally has no tools, did literally what i described.

I think I love you

 
Don't you want a box that suits the sub? Subs have different FS, sub displacements, etc. 

More involved in box making if you want 45's, bracing and rounded off port ends. 

 
Don't you want a box that suits the sub? Subs have different FS, sub displacements, etc. 

More involved in box making if you want 45's, bracing and rounded off port ends. 
Yea I've looked at some builds in passing. I absolutely want a box suited for the sub. Is it any more than looking at the manual for the sub and accounting for those suggested specs? I think I can account for bracing, not sure about rounding. I guess it's time to look at some builds. Thanks for the input. I have some homework to do

 
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See this is what doing a Google search for subs doesn't give me. I'm led to Crutchfield and sonic, etc. Thanks for this. I guess I've been led to believe I need a $250 12" sub for a good experience. Is that not necessarily always the case? Any one of these in particular you'd take over the other? I think my plan is to avoid having to upgrade my alternator (or whatever the fk needs doing for a 1000w+ setup) and bang as hard as I can down in these ranges for the foreseeable future. I beat the **** out of my sub currently but only for short periods of time and I probably push it harder because of my trash enclosure. 

Edit: the first link doesn't even have specs (as far as I can see), is it the updated version of the previous? 
You more than likely won't need to upgrade anything until you hit around 2kw RMS provided that you have a good under hood battery and you do the big 3 upgrade. No, you really don't need to spend much to have a great experience. If you want to talk specifics on sub choice just shoot me a PM as to not clutter up the thread. 

 
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You more than likely won't need to upgrade anything until you hit around 2kw RMS provided that you have a good under hood battery and you do the big 3 upgrade. No, you really don't need to spend much to have a great experience. If you want to talk specifics on sub choice just shoot me a PM as to not clutter up the thread. 
Thanks. Loaded question perhaps but should I do the big-3 upgrade based on what I'm running now? I don't know what a good battery is but I got mine from AutoZone 😂 Should I just pick one of those subs and run with it?

 
Thanks. Loaded question perhaps but should I do the big-3 upgrade based on what I'm running now? I don't know what a good battery is but I got mine from AutoZone 😂 Should I just pick one of those subs and run with it?
I would look closest at the FU and the Machete. If you can buy a step or two higher in the alphard brand do it! (Sports or super sports) 

big 3 at your power level is not necessary, you’re not (probably) going to crash and burn by not doing it. But you REALLY should especially to future proof it’s really easy. They will make you a kit at gpcaraudio.com with all the ring terminals pre crimped do all you have to do is bolt it on. I would do the 2/0 OFC just so you never have to worrry about it if you upgrade. My car is almost 100% 2/0 ofc and i would have done that regardless if I was running 300 watts or  30,000

Best batteries in the business are northstar. Would be worth your while to invest in one if you go any bigger. 

 
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