1 or 2 high quality subs v.s. 6 cheapos?

[Dustin07 10+ year member]

hey guys, first time poster...

I've got an extended cab silverado that i'd like to cram with subs. i'm more than willing to take the bench seat out of the back to make room for a big box. In fact, that is why i bought this extended cab 4 years ago... i just haven't been able to afford to move forward on the project until now. i'd like to come up with something really unique and was thinking of a way that i could fiberglass in 6+ 12" subs. but then i started thinking...

12" sub prices really vary from retail, to eBay, to online shops... i mean, $19.99 to... what $1000?

But here's my main question... if i put 4, or 6, or even 8 lesser expensive 12" subs in my truck, would it be worth it compared to just saving the money and putting say 1 or 2 really nice ones with a really great amp(s) in?

i'm relearning everything. i haven't dabbled in car audio for 6 years... and even back then the extent of my audio was my one 12 with custom fiberglass box in my standard cab S-10... in fact.... that was my motivation to buy an extended cab... 4 years ago!

My goal is a great sound from inside the truck, super unique box setup, and to be heard from at least a small distance //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

thanks for any help,

Dustin

Click to read more...

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

get a good sub instead of piling in **** beaters. you'll be suprised how loud one sub can get in a good install.

 

[swc204 10+ year member]

i also have a extended cab with the bench taken out, i have little infinities in there now and it gets pretty loud but not loud enough. im going to order some 15 in. rl-ps tommarow so maybe that will be loud enough. if i were you i would just get a couple nice subs.

pm me if you want pics of the box for ideas

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

One good quality driver in the correct install is a better idea. And a lot less work.

 

[Dustin07 10+ year member]

ok, now here comes the really controversial Q.... what would you consider to be a great sub? lets say i was going with either just 1 x 12, or 1 x 15. how much should i expect to pay? what do you think i should expect to pay for a quality amp to power it.

Right now my only project is the sub(s), custom box, and sub powering amp. after that i will move on to the rest of the truck...

thanks,

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

Ok we need a budget, exact amount of space you have to work with, and musical tastes.

Most online quality drivers can be bought for 100-800, retail local prices range from 100-1000. you need to specify a budget.

 

[Dustin07 10+ year member]

i know.. budgeting for this type of a project blows though.... hate setting limits...lol..

lets say $500 or less for sub + amp... is that a good starting point these days? I plan to build the box myself and don't include the cost of those materials in this budget.

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

i know.. budgeting for this type of a project blows though.... hate setting limits...lol..
lets say $500 or less for sub + amp... is that a good starting point these days? I plan to build the box myself and don't include the cost of those materials in this budget.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gifhttp://www.caraudio.com/vb/showthread.php?t=106621 //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

my opinion is that if you waited 4 years to start on your project---why disappoint yourself with sub-standard subs? go for 2-4 good subs

 

[Dustin07 10+ year member]

good point... maybe i should not be so impatient and just drag this out a bit more... focusing on the box and buying a few good subs first... then the amp. I just tend to get so **** impatient to the point that i want to HEAR SOMETHING, ya know?

Think i'll focus on Subs + pulling out the bench seat and starting the box design this week.

 

[Raven 10+ year member]

Depends on how you define substandard. There are some subs in the $35 to $40 range that do perform quite well. Those recently found 8"s for $15+ship apiece, imagine 10 to 16 of those and a 1k to 1.6k watt amp to match. I can see that easily surpassing a single 12 of about the same cost.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

32 6.5" drivers, a la the eD Eu-700's //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[noob with an RS 10+ year member]

i got a used idMAX and an mtx 1501d for 520 total. they are super awesome.

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

32 6.5" drivers, a la the eD Eu-700's //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

ah yes the famous 32ea. eu-700 trick //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/up2something.gif.dd110ecf3ae4b76050d87598f2f8de7c.gif

personally--i like simple if it were my truck---2 18" Solo-x's or just 2 15" XXX's

 

[Dustin07 10+ year member]

SENSORY OVERLOAD!

 

[Dustin07 10+ year member]

ok... backing up a little bit. I originally spoke to some friends about the idea of going with a ton of 8's instead but they talked me out of it. not because of overall volume but because the way the air is pushed by a 12 (or 10, 15, 18 etc) over an 8.

maybe i'm wasting your guys time.... can you point me to a reading source that would help me derive the size of sub I would be happiest with? i'm going to go listen some more tomorrow as well.

and a last random question. on those boxes that contain more than 2-4 subs... say like 10 x 8" subs.... do they have separate air chambers for each sub, or pair? or would 10 8" subs in a box typically share the same air?

i've got a lot to research.... i appreciate your responses!

 

[T3mpest 10+ year member]

You could do 8's if you wanted. Adire Kodas, IDQ8's, Tangband, RE, lots of good 8's to choose from. Just a few would get plenty loud and there's the all important WOW factor to take into account. RE8's were a forum boner a while back, maybe someone could tell how they liked them?

 

[Dustin07 10+ year member]

have you ever mixed sizes? probably a dumb question... but would having 8's and larger woofers sharing a box inhibit one or the others effect? seems like they might almost compliment one another...

like i said, i got a lot of research to do....

 

[T3mpest 10+ year member]

nah, I wouldn't bother with it. A good 15 wont' actually sound slow or sloppy, most of those characteristics come downt to the box. It may have been true to some degree years ago, but we've progressed since then, we have cable //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif

More or less, the size of the sub determines 1.how low it plays 2.SPL 3.Box size. Just find a sub that sounds good, then mess with size.