4 sa8s or 2 L5 12's???

[Jroo 10+ year member]

Just sittin on paper, the 8's look better but this is just on paper. As we all know, the enclosure is what is going to win it or kill it. Either the kicker or the sundown in the right box can get down. I agree that kicker isnt what they used to be, but I have heard l5's and l7's in the right box sound down right good. I am not going to hate on kicker just for the sake of saying kicker *****. For me, price would really be the factor. BTW, I recently heard a box with 6 L5 8's in a truck and it was down right nasty. Dont know specs on the box but I can tell you he got all the woofers at a flea market

 

[Fi_ 10+ year member]

Kicker has gone through quite a few design changes over the years - it's not real clear what aspect you deem as 'worn out'. Do you want things changed just for the sake of changing them? Not a very steady business model...
As far as QC, what is your judging criteria exactly?

As far as being overpriced - all depends where you get them from I guess... true with anything.

I can't really offer a counter to you being unimpressed with the subs, since I don't know what you've listened to or whether it was even in an optimal enclosure (or simply an off-the-shelf prefab - which seems to be a common trait where Kicker is sold unfortunately).

I'm not sure what your definition of a 'flat' response is (without seeing your numbers, PM'ed btw), but I can float hair on a single 10" woofer, though a purely subjective comparison here isn't really going to prove much in terms of SPL.

HE just can't admit that Sundown is going mainstream and turning into another Kicker theres ZERO differences in the 2 brands except Sundown might be a bit better. Funny thing is though Sundown costs more than Kicker D: or just as much. Personally I like sundown more than Kicker but to say that Sundown is better is funny. I was going to get SA-15's basically their only good product but I decided against it after the completely went Chinese.

 

[n8skow 10+ year member]

I'm not sure I'd call Sundown 'mainstream' just yet... but their dealer chain is certainly growing.

From their map, I count about 80 dealers in the US.

Kicker doesn't show a nationwide map - but I have 22 dealers just within 75 miles of me! (counting Best Buy stores). Pretty saturated market here in the midwest...

At any rate, this train is veering off the tracks...

 

[Fi_ 10+ year member]

I'm not sure I'd call Sundown 'mainstream' just yet... but their dealer chain is certainly growing.From their map, I count about 80 dealers in the US.

Kicker doesn't show a nationwide map - but I have 22 dealers just within 75 miles of me! (counting Best Buy stores). Pretty saturated market here in the midwest...

At any rate, this train is veering off the tracks...

When a company starts using cheaper production and still charges as much if not more than most mainstream brands I consider them mainstream. I obviously would choose SA over Kicker any day but soon SA will be another Kicker.

Honestly AQ, DC, DD & SA are all becoming too mainstream and starting to raise prices and spend more for advertising that's what's going to cripple the industry and our love for good product.

 

[n8skow 10+ year member]

I think Jacob said it best in that regard:

post #27 in the thread

http://www.caraudio.com/forums/sundown-audio/537993-e-15-testing-jakes-jeep-2.html

When a company starts using cheaper production and still charges as much if not more than most mainstream brands I consider them mainstream. I obviously would choose SA over Kicker any day but soon SA will be another Kicker.
Honestly AQ, DC, DD & SA are all becoming too mainstream and starting to raise prices and spend more for advertising that's what's going to cripple the industry and our love for good product.

 

[Phoenix Risen 10+ year member]

one thing i find funny is that just because im arguing for sa and against kicker in this thread means im on the band wagon, l5's against sa-8s (especially the v.2's) its really not a competition, the l5's are cheaply made and built, the dealer i work with on a regular basis has had many many times of sending kicker back due to issues from the factory, that has happened twice with sundown since they started carrying them.

and i have heard multiple kicker setups in correct enclosures, compared to other setups of similar power and cone area i have never been impressed or liked the sound of the square subs.

also, what new stuff has kicker done in the last year?

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Can we vote for there's a better option than those 2?

 

[Phoenix Risen 10+ year member]

Can we vote for there's a better option than those 2?

i love me some custom subs... only reason im running the 8's this season is to go with something different that i havent done before, next season i will be back to my custom built monster.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

i love me some custom subs... only reason im running the 8's this season is to go with something different that i havent done before, next season i will be back to my custom built monster.

I've got a custom treo motored 15 sitting up here waiting for some abuse.

 

[Phoenix Risen 10+ year member]

I've got a custom treo motored 15 sitting up here waiting for some abuse.

next year ill have a ss xxx motor built into a daily 15 and a treo csx motor built into a burp sub.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

The guy I bought the sub from competes and the he has a woofer built by the same dude, he was running 4000w daily on hifonics power to this woofer and it was taking every bit of it. I don't understand how, and that is no lie. Literally 4k of starved hifonics amps for power.

 

[Phoenix Risen 10+ year member]

The guy I bought the sub from competes and the he has a woofer built by the same dude, he was running 4000w daily on hifonics power to this woofer and it was taking every bit of it. I don't understand how, and that is no lie. Literally 4k of starved hifonics amps for power.

which is why i love custom built, they take away the limits that the companies have in place with factory soft parts...

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

He was 145+ out of an accord with 1 small battery (HC600?) and that's it.

 

[d77543020 10+ year member]

When a company starts using cheaper production and still charges as much if not more than most mainstream brands I consider them mainstream. I obviously would choose SA over Kicker any day but soon SA will be another Kicker.
Honestly AQ, DC, DD & SA are all becoming too mainstream and starting to raise prices and spend more for advertising that's what's going to cripple the industry and our love for good product.

isent a goal of most companies is to get mainstream,i wouldent care if brand x has 1000 dealers as long as the quality is still there

 

[n8skow 10+ year member]

You can visit Livin' Loud | KICKER, or go to your local dealer and grab a 2012 catalog if you'd like to see their current line-up...

Items new this year that come to mind would be the Bassstation powered sub line, IX amp line (or were those introduced in 2011? I'm actually not sure), and the PX series amplified controllers for iPods/iPhones...

Still sounds like your reaching for 'change' just for the sake of change though. What is it your wanting done differently exactly?

There may be companies that thrive on offering a completely new line-up every year, but that's not Kicker current business model, and they still move a LOT of product.

also, what new stuff has kicker done in the last year?