10" Fi Q question

[oni 10+ year member]

Inc sub noob questions.

So my output on my 10" Fi Q is less than I'd expected. It's in about .85 cubes sealed because I just needed a cheap box to get me started. I've been thinking about going ported with a custom built good box, but first I have some questions.

My 10" Q seems to make a strange audible noise when the gain is really low, is this normal? I've got my sub on a Hifonics 1505d wired to 1 ohm (Parallel 2 Ohm DVC) and with the speaker wire at the amp I get my DMM showing 1-1.1 ohm.

Would placement make a difference? I have the box against the back seat facing towards the back of the trunk. I watched a vid on youtube of a 10" Q on a 1000.1 PDX and it seems to have more output and the excursion is visibly larger than mine.

Lastly, do you think ported will make that much more of a difference and do you think maybe the cheap *** sealed box has a small air leak somewhere causing some of the issue?

Thanks in advance for helping this noob learn a little.

Click to read more...

 

[pinkfloydms 10+ year member]

It took mine a good month to finally break in. Now it gets more than loud enough, at first I was worried but all it took was a little time.

My 12" fi Q is in the facing the back of my blazer and I don't think bass is directional anyway, so the way you have it facing should be fine.

As far as amps, etc I don't know enough to comment on them. I am also using an alpine pdx-1.1000 though.

Sorry I can't really help. How long have you had the sub?

 

[oni 10+ year member]

Fresh brand new install. I'm not used to the break in time difference on 1 10" because my last car was 2 12" kickers comp vrs and it was loud off the bat. I guess I'll wait and see. Thanks!

 

[oni 10+ year member]

Also, what would cause the sub to make this weird rattly noise at low volume (probably at high volume too, I just can't hear it) when only high frequency stuff is playing. Maybe signal noise, speaker wire rattling around inside, or maybe an air leak in the box.

 

[bass-aholic 10+ year member]

How are we supposed to know when all you say is "a strange audible noise". Going ported will make all the difference in the world.

 

[oni 10+ year member]

It sounds like a quiet but noticable rattle. Maybe speaker wire leaning against the cone inside. I didn't think it had that much slack, but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[bass-aholic 10+ year member]

It sounds like a quiet but noticable rattle. Maybe speaker wire leaning against the cone inside. I didn't think it had that much slack, but maybe I'm wrong.

Is the box a prefab? I have had just about every prefab I've used develop rattling from walls getting loose. If not it could be just about anything.

 

[oni 10+ year member]

It is prefab, but it used screws + woodglue and they siliconed all the seams on the inside. I don't think the terminal cup is very airtight though. Like I said, it was a cheapo to hold me over until I can get my ported one built.

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

It is prefab, but it used screws + woodglue and they siliconed all the seams on the inside. I don't think the terminal cup is very airtight though. Like I said, it was a cheapo to hold me over until I can get my ported one built.

then wait till you get the ported enclosure built to ask questions and worry about things

 

[oni 10+ year member]

I guess I'm just anxious for some kick *** bass.

...**** break in time

on the +side, I haven't done my Big 3 yet (need something to do next weekend) but my lights don't even dim at 1000 watts without it!

 

[oni 10+ year member]

Just an update to what I've tested so far.

I plugged my IPOD into the sub amp inputs and still get my weird sound so it's coming from either my amp or the sub. It almost sounds like a bubbling/gurgling sound or like the sound a hard drive makes when it's accessing data.

Any idea what would cause this? It is not engine/alternator noise and with the volume low, it definately follows the pattern of the signal/bass going to the sub.

 

[Xprime4 10+ year member]

try the sub free air.

I'm getting the same kind of rattle at low level with my 18q in my home audio setup. 3 dayz now and i still haven't figured out the problem.

i tried with 2 amp, sometimes it does it sometimes not. the sub was working fine in my car... so that's pretty much ****ed up

pushin the cone with my hand makes no scratching sound... its extremly confusing

pm me if you got some developement on this

 

[oni 10+ year member]

So I figured out what's going on. The amp is sending a bad signal for some reason to the sub. Tried a different sub/box and it made the same noise. Dumb Hifonics. It worked a year ago when I used it last. Apparently Closet>Hifonics, since it hasn't moved from that one space in a little over a year, with nothing on top of it.

On that note, who's selling an AQ1200 or Sundown for a good deal!

 

[Xprime4 10+ year member]

you sure? i tried with different amps and got the same result. only possibility left is the receiver (preamp)

 

[oni 10+ year member]

I'm sure. I tested my IPOD directly to the amp to verify it's not the signal going to the amp and I tested a different sub. All possibilities resulted in the same sound. Only thing I didn't do is change out the amp. Now, I didn't always get the sound at first on my Fi. If it wasn't doing it, and I changed the volume a little, it started making the sound again. Maybe when you tested the other speaker on the amp, you didn't try that to get the sound. Or maybe we have similar problems stemming from 2 different causes.

I think what happened to my amp, is when I first moved from Michigan to Texas, my engine died on my car after 152,000 miles. So I bought a new car, but didn't have my tools down here yet, so the dealership unhooked the amp and all my wires for me. I would bet they didn't disconnect the amp in the right order since I haven't used it since then and all of a sudden it isn't working.