1 Sub vs 2 Subs

[Arya]

So I was dead set on getting 2 12" Dayton Ho's, but the cost is adding up, from needing a bigger box (more $$$), needing more wires/distro block (more $$$), and now I need a new battery (more $$$). And I'm way above budget, I had originally planned to keep everything under $1000, now I'm looking at between $1500-1600.

If I roll with one 12" Dayton Ho (if you have any better subs you recommend, feel free), or even one 15" sub, how big would the sound vary?

I'm not looking to have a competition build, just something I can listen to every day that will sound significantly better than OEM. I'm not trying to, as my friends put it, "have a vibrator as my backseat", but something where I can occasionally bump it.

What do you think, should I pursue two 12", or roll with one? How big of a difference will it be?

I don't want to get something, than hate it because of how much I spent on it.

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[Ahmed Johnson]

If you decide to buy just a single sub, I would suggest going with the 15. You will need a bigger box than a single 12.

 

[Arya]

If you decide to buy just a single sub, I would suggest going with the 15. You will need a bigger box than a single 12.

Will it be that much of a difference? I'm not going for overkill. I want something that has some sound quality too, not just something that hits hard constantly. If it's truly worth it, the price difference isn't much between a 12" and a 15".

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Two of the same subs are going to sound much better than a single,period.Cone area Rules in this situation.Daytons are very nice in an SQ build,Take up little space,and come with a 5 yr warranty if im not mistaken.Id recommend One Type R Alpine DVC4 ohm to run at 2ohms and should sound very nice ported,depending on your vehicle,and box,and power.A decent amp that will run 2 ohms of 600rms,and up to 1k rms or more @1ohm will be nice in case you decide to upgrade to a 1ohm load and add another dvc4ohm sub.If all you want is a single sub around 1krms,for one sub, get the DVC2ohm, yet later on you can run a pair of dvc4 ohm to a 1ohm load@1k.Id run one Type R dvc 4 ohm sub 12in ported for right now with approx 600-1k rms on it @2ohms,at around 34-38 htz,even an XFL 12 American Bass

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

but one Type R 12 will sound clean with a good built box ported,and can get down if you want it to with good clean power,for the money,or even an American Bass XFL 10,or 12,or TNT series

 

[Arya]

Two of the same subs are going to sound much better than a single,period.Cone area Rules in this situation.Daytons are very nice in an SQ build,Take up little space,and come with a 5 yr warranty if im not mistaken.Id recommend One Type R Alpine DVC4 ohm to run at 2ohms and should sound very nice ported,depending on your vehicle,and box,and power.A decent amp that will run 2 ohms of 600rms,and up to 1k rms or more @1ohm will be nice in case you decide to upgrade to a 1ohm load and add another dvc4ohm sub.If all you want is a single sub around 1krms,for one sub, get the DVC2ohm, yet later on you can run a pair of dvc4 ohm to a 1ohm load@1k.Id run one Type R dvc 4 ohm sub 12in ported for right now with approx 600-1k rms on it @2ohms,at around 34-38 htz,even an XFL 12 American Bass

So is it a good idea to ditch the Dayton's completely? I was planning on rolling with one 12" for now, than eventually upgrading to two.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

So is it a good idea to ditch the Dayton's completely? I was planning on rolling with one 12" for now, than eventually upgrading to two.

Im not saying to Ditch them,if you are more towards an SQ type person,or want an sq type system.But they prob wont get down as hard and heavy as a Type R would,as you are wanting the best of both worlds.Daytons are a nice sub.I have two HO 10s, and they sound Clean with a Zed amp I had on them for a little over a month, but I wasnt getting the Lows that I was Really looking for/wanting.I think they are more of an SQ sub than a get down baller when wanted.But the Type R, and XFL,I know will get down,and sound great with clean power.Thats from my experience as Ive listened to all 3 personally.At the Car Audio show I heard a pair of Type R10s, and wanted to buy 4,at the time after hearing them,and would have if they had them in stock.I later bought the XFL 12s instead,and couldnt be happier atm.But in the end...just about anything you put in is going to sound so much better than stock/oem period.Its up to you,and what you are willing to spend/within your budget,to get the best for your money.You might even find a used SA 12/or 10 even,tha will sound very nice as well for your money.

 

[T3mpest 10+ year member]

There is nothing wrong with the dayton. For the goals you have in mind, which is a clean sound without a lot of extra bass most of the time, it's a very solid choice. I'd take it over anything American Bass offers since your not looking to just be loud, which is what AB subs tend to be best at. I would however, go with the 15 if you can fit it. 1 15 will have nearly equal cone area to 2 12's and cost 1/2 the price. It will get 90% of the loudness for 1/2 the price. Only time I'd do 2 12's over 1 15 is when the height of the trunk won't allow it or when the person is looking for every SPL advantage they can get in a daily setup. For daily applications that aren't looking to absolutely maximize SPL, a 15 is a better choice, especially on a budget. Def the better bang for your buck. I'd start with a 15 sealed and if you find that doesn't tickle your fancy you can always try a ported box when you save up another hundred or so to have someone build a new box for you. (assuming you don't do boxes yourself). A sealed box will be easier to fit and once you decide what you like or don't like about it you'll be better prepared to decide what tuning will work best in your vehicle. You may find the 15 sealed has enough bass and isn't a problem at all, everyone has different tastes and the vehicle will play a role in this too. If the car has a lot of deading from the factory, say a cadillac or lincoln, ported might be the best option, but if it's your standard toyota, honda, ford, chevy, etc, a 15 sealed should work great, same with a hatch or even SUV depending on it's size.

A single dayton HO probably needs around 2.5 cubes sealed, maybe 500 watts of power. You shouldn't need a extra battery or even a battery upgrade for that.

 

[Arya]

There is nothing wrong with the dayton. For the goals you have in mind, which is a clean sound without a lot of extra bass most of the time, it's a very solid choice. I'd take it over anything American Bass offers since your not looking to just be loud, which is what AB subs tend to be best at. I would however, go with the 15 if you can fit it. 1 15 will have nearly equal cone area to 2 12's and cost 1/2 the price. It will get 90% of the loudness for 1/2 the price. Only time I'd do 2 12's over 1 15 is when the height of the trunk won't allow it or when the person is looking for every SPL advantage they can get in a daily setup. For daily applications that aren't looking to absolutely maximize SPL, a 15 is a better choice, especially on a budget. Def the better bang for your buck. I'd start with a 15 sealed and if you find that doesn't tickle your fancy you can always try a ported box when you save up another hundred or so to have someone build a new box for you. (assuming you don't do boxes yourself). A sealed box will be easier to fit and once you decide what you like or don't like about it you'll be better prepared to decide what tuning will work best in your vehicle. You may find the 15 sealed has enough bass and isn't a problem at all, everyone has different tastes and the vehicle will play a role in this too. If the car has a lot of deading from the factory, say a cadillac or lincoln, ported might be the best option, but if it's your standard toyota, honda, ford, chevy, etc, a 15 sealed should work great, same with a hatch or even SUV depending on it's size.

I'd probably go with a ported box, how much trunk clearance would I need? I'm about to go outside and measure the height of the trunk opening, and getting it through the backseat is an option too.

 

[Arya]

If you decide to buy just a single sub, I would suggest going with the 15. You will need a bigger box than a single 12.

I'm going with a single 12 after seeing the box dimensions needed for a 15.

For a 15" I need this-

Vented Volume 2.72 ft.³

Vented F3 30 Hz

This is all I need for a 12"-

Vented Volume 0.98 ft.³

Vented F3 36 Hz

I'm not trying to spend my savings on a more expensive box.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I'd probably go with a ported box, how much trunk clearance would I need? I'm about to go outside and measure the height of the trunk opening, and getting it through the backseat is an option too.

Depending on the vehicle,and size of the enclosure,you may have to build it inside the trunk

 

[Arya]

Depending on the vehicle,and size of the enclosure,you may have to build it inside the trunk

2008 Civic Sedan. I have about 20 inches of clearance from the trunk, and about 25 through the door.

EDIT: Is it bad if I power a sub that has 700RMS with a 1000W amp?

 

[WhatsAminiTruck]

For SQ, 12 > 15

12s sound much better than 15s in my opinion for SQ. 15s sound sloppy and slow

 

[Arya]

For SQ, 12 > 15
12s sound much better than 15s in my opinion for SQ. 15s sound sloppy and slow

I'm going with one 12, a 15 was going to need a significantly larger box, which means a significantly larger amount of money spent.

I'm currently looking between 5 amps, and 4/5 amps are 1000W, is that bad for a sub that's 700W?

 

[Ahmed Johnson]

I think audiobaun summed it up best. I would rather have 2 then 1. If I was going with 1 sub and the price isn't much between a 12 and a 15, I would take a 15. If my plan was to add a sub later and trunk space is limited, I would start off with one 12.

Will it be that much of a difference? I'm not going for overkill. I want something that has some sound quality too, not just something that hits hard constantly. If it's truly worth it, the price difference isn't much between a 12" and a 15".