Bored with Sub, looking to improve..

Volvowith18psi
10+ year member

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Ride: 2003 Jeep GC Limited w/ factory Infinity Gold setup.

Yellow Top / Factory Alt. / Pretty sure factory gave 4g Big 3

Kenwood Deck.

Kicker 4g/100amp P/G etc..,

Kenwood 9105D @1ohm

Kicker L5 12" In a huge prefab ported / sloted w/e...

So, quick run down. Got that setup installed for around 600 bucks 2+years ago. 1st prefab box was destroyed within weeks, blew apart the caulking, walls started to separate. Shop gave me a new box, much better built no charge or problems again. It bangs hard, and is blowing my Jeeps trim apart. Box is even pushed towards the seat as far as it would go lol.

Recently, I noticed a rattle/buzz coming from the sub itself, and that ring around the screw holes was peeling apart, so I caulked it back down, but it got me thinking it may be time for a new sub.

Dont get me wrong, the sub is taking every bit that amp can throw at it, and the amp actually clipped I think, for the 1st time tonight, ever. (Sub cut out during high volume w/ bass boost on for a brief second.) Resumed pounding with no issues for the rest of the drive.

Im posting because Im curious, given my amp wires bat/alt which I don't want to replace, can I get more bang from a new setup, speaker wise? Was kinda looking at 1 DC lv3 12/15, but worry about a "paper" cone and well, that my other **** isnt upto the task, and/or it will bang pretty much no better then my current setup. I wish I could find some place to jus plug in new speakers to judge 1st hand without having to drop the loot and be less then satisfied, expectation wise...

What do you guys think?

(Only reason I want to keep the amp/wires is because I know my alt/battery can handle the load, and my ride being drivable is the most important thing to consider)

 
Ya probably just sound better but if your gunna upgrade do it right! lol

Well, This was more for a weekend hobby / small investment type of thing. I would love to run a few K RMS w/ some killer subs, but, I have a nasty history of burning up alternators in my other cars. Granted, they were just pep Boys ones, but, I remember burning up 4 in 1 week before they told me no more with my 1st system around 10years ago. Lol, funny quick story: Went to have them put one in 1 day, picked up my car, put my system back in in the parking lot( Had to remove it due to possible warranty conflicts :p, and it was dead the same day, towed back) Had to live without a system since then, and well, Im just glad to have some now that bangs and doesn't do that. lol

I guess I could dynomat/deaden the trim inside instead, but thats boring and a PitA. I like new shiney things!

 
Kenwood 9105D @1ohm

Kicker L5 12" In a huge prefab ported / sloted w/e...

w/ bass boost on
I bolded the problem areas.... Kenwood amps suck

Pre-fab enclosures suck

And bass-boost kills.

Leave your bass-boost off.

If you want to bring new life into your system, deaden your hatch and trunk area, and get a proper ported enclosure.

And at long last, you could get a new amp. I listed them in least to most expensive. And I'm sure your factory alt and battery could support around 1.5k-2k. Cus my factory alt and battery are worse, and support over 1.5k no problem.

 
I bolded the problem areas.... Kenwood amps suckPre-fab enclosures suck

And bass-boost kills.

Leave your bass-boost off.

If you want to bring new life into your system, deaden your hatch and trunk area, and get a proper ported enclosure.

And at long last, you could get a new amp. I listed them in least to most expensive. And I'm sure your factory alt and battery could support around 1.5k-2k. Cus my factory alt and battery are worse, and support over 1.5k no problem.
Really? I mean, I know Kenwood isnt the best, but its got great reviews, had 900+rms@1ohm I thought? and Ive never had a problem with it lol. hrm.... Its cheap and well, was part of the "package" . Where might I be able to find that list?

I do 99% of the time leave the BB off, it just drowns the rest of the stereo. Guess after reading this site for a few hours and seeing peoples setups, I wanted to "bang" mine on the way home without Whiz Khaliefa rapping in my ear :p

I would love to get a "real box" built, but every place around me wants to "bang heads" for a real box build. 300+ was what I was quoted from a few local shops.

 
Really? I mean, I know Kenwood isnt the best, but its got great reviews, had 900+rms@1ohm I thought? and Ive never had a problem with it lol. hrm.... Its cheap and well, was part of the "package" . Where might I be able to find that list?
I do 99% of the time leave the BB off, it just drowns the rest of the stereo. Guess after reading this site for a few hours and seeing peoples setups, I wanted to "bang" mine on the way home without Whiz Khaliefa rapping in my ear :p

I would love to get a "real box" built, but every place around me wants to "bang heads" for a real box build. 300+ was what I was quoted from a few local shops.
Lol thats an insane price! Kenwoods havnt been good for years...

 
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Volvowith18psi

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