2.5" Voice coils or 3"?

[AndrewHD 10+ year member]

Hey guys just need a little help understanding the differences between the two voice coil diameters. When I had 3" coils on my BTL the sub would require massive amounts of power to get moving. I was wondering if I stepped down to a sub with 2.5" coils would it require less power to get moving?

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[garretttt4 10+ year member]

Smaller coils take less power to get to their limits.

 

[AndrewHD 10+ year member]

Yup good call, which is why I was going to use 2 subs to spread the power between 2 motors instead of a single BTL.

 

[garretttt4 10+ year member]

Yup good call, which is why I was going to use 2 subs to spread the power between 2 motors instead of a single BTL.

What subs? What amp? I loved my btl. I would love to have it again and do two of those.

 

[AndrewHD 10+ year member]

Rockford 2500.1 Just sold my BTL 15 to get 2 12's. Thinking of Sundown SA's

 

[garretttt4 10+ year member]

Rockford 2500.1 Just sold my BTL 15 to get 2 12's. Thinking of Sundown SA's

Aren't the sa's 3"?

 

[AndrewHD 10+ year member]

They are 2.5" unless they changed them again. Just wondering if 2.5 would be louder at lower volume on headunit or would that not make a difference?

 

[40oz 10+ year member]

They are 2.5" unless they changed them again. Just wondering if 2.5 would be louder at lower volume on headunit or would that not make a difference?

You can get your amp to put out max power at any volume you choose...that's exactly what setting your gain does.

Read about gain/setting gains and you might get a better understanding.

 

[IonRL205 10+ year member]

I don't understand your problem.

You want to go with a smaller voice coil so you have more output at a lower volume?

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

I don't understand your problem.
You want to go with a smaller voice coil so you have more output at a lower volume?

Indeed. OP, your issue is not the voice coil size but the suspension. You say your BTL 'hardly moves'. The BTL suspension is extremely stiff and therefore requires gobs of power. The BTL is the typical SPL driver. The stiffer the suspension, the more power required to achieve X SPL. A driver with a more compliant suspension (softer) will "move" easier and generate the same SPL relative to the SPL driver with less power. The downside is power handling. You will probably damage your more compliant if you treat it like an SPL driver.

The DDZ is arguably the best SPL driver out there, yet the suspension isn't nearly as stiff as one would expect it to be. Digital Designs did their homework and created a product with the right suspension/power ratio.

 

[Beatin' 10+ year member]

Isn't this always a problem with low qts subs? They need excessive power to play loudly.

A driver with a more compliant suspension (softer) will "move" easier and generate the same SPL relative to the SPL driver with less power. The downside is power handling. You will probably damage your more compliant if you treat it like an SPL driver.

Well if you don't have to give more power to the sub with the softer suspension to get the same SPL as the "SPL" driver, then why do "SPL" drivers even exist? The hell's the point????

Isn't the goal to get as much SPL as possible with the least amount of power?

 

[IonRL205 10+ year member]

Isn't this always a problem with low qts subs? They need excessive power to play loudly.


Well if you don't have to give more power to the sub with the softer suspension to get the same SPL as the "SPL" driver' date=' then why do "SPL" drivers even exist? The hell's the point????

Isn't the goal to get as much SPL as possible with the least amount of power?[/quote']

The SPL drivers handle more power.

Sure maybe at 1000 watts the SA 12 would be louder than the FI BTL at 1000 watts, but what if you threw 3000 watts to them?

What do you think would last longer on 3000 watts and be louder? A Fi BTL 12 or an SA 12?

My Solo x 12s do great on low power for SPL drivers, and will do even better when I get them all the way powered.

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

Isn't this always a problem with low qts subs? They need excessive power to play loudly.


Well if you don't have to give more power to the sub with the softer suspension to get the same SPL as the "SPL" driver' date=' then why do "SPL" drivers even exist? The hell's the point????

Isn't the goal to get as much SPL as possible with the least amount of power?[/quote']

It's simple actually. "S-E-X sells". Guys like big a-s-s motors, massive coils, big diameter cones and the bragging rights that they have 4+kw of power "on tap". It is all ego. If achieving maximum SPL is your cause, keep following that path. My single 12 gets me 120dB with ease and for me that is good enough. I didn't need an SPL-like driver and kilowatts of power to achieve it. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[SMS 10+ year member]

for daily music 120db just wouldnt suffice for my taste.

 

[mclerico83 5,000+ posts]

i would get 2 xfl's from @mylows10 ;

and a box from @double 07 ; be very happy and loud for under 600 bucks lol