Building a new setup

[cameronil3 10+ year member]

Hey guys, building a new setup for my 98 mustang. I have a $500 budget for two 12" subs and and amp, or one 15" sub and an amp. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm looking for an even balance of SPL and SQ. I want it to sound good, yet at the same time be able to knock you socks off a bit. Thanks for any help.

Cameron

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[DFW40 10+ year member]

sub

Resonant Engineering 15 SE $200 reaudio.com

1 15 inch Adire tempest $150 adireaudio.com

2 12 inch Adire Shiva's $250 adireaudio.com

1 15 inch JL W3v2 $300 http://www.woofersetc.com/product.asp?0=314&1=318&3=2623

Amps: Anything that will run the rated power that the sub can take.

Hifonics cheapest $$ by far

Fosgate

Jl e-series

MTX

Pheonix Gold

 

[cameronil3 10+ year member]

Out of that selection, which would you reccomend for the small space I have in my trunk? I would probably face them inward. what your suggestion?

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

I would actually go with one RE SE12 inch sub from http://www.reaudio.com and the Hifonics BX1000d. You can get this set-up for $500 probably less. I have this setup right now and it is very hard to beat for $450. Make sure you get a good ported box and it should knock your socks a bit. You can always add another RE SE when you get more $ and then that setup would really pound @1ohm. You could also get the RE SE 15 inch depending on exactly how much space you have.

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_359.html

I ordered this amp on a Monday and got it on Friday for a total of $250.

 

[cameronil3 10+ year member]

would the SE12 be the loudest for the price?

Thanks,

Cameron

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

For that price I'd say yes, you could go with more of a SPL sub that would be louder at certain frequencies but if you are not going to compete then I'd stay away from SPL subs. The SE will get plenty loud and sound good doing it. A step up would be the XXX by RE and that would cost around $375 or so but would be louder and sound great. If I were a young strapping ladd I'd save up the money and get the XXX with the Hifonics 1500d with a total price tag of $650 or so. This set-up would be a lot louder than the SE. The XXX is just a larger more powerful sub than the SE, it just depends on what Loud is to you. The box for the sub will play a huge role in all of this so make sure you do not skimp or cut corners on this.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

I may be wrong, but isn't 1000 watts way higher than what RE's are rated for? Id look into an SX at least for that much power.

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

The SE's are rated @600watts rms. The amp I was suggesting was the BX1000 running @2ohm 14.4 volts is 700 watts.

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

Don't forget to check out JBL amps. Decent price for decent power.

 

[cameronil3 10+ year member]

Anyone have any other suggestions? So an RE SE with a Hifoniscs Bx100d or a JBL amp? I know the Hifonics is a good amp, but I don't know much about the JBL, anyone have any input?

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

The SE's are rated @600watts rms. The amp I was suggesting was the BX1000 running @2ohm 14.4 volts is 700 watts.

Gotcha, but IMO it would be better to recommend an amp that utilizes its max power at the impedance he'll be running (2ohms). PG Tantrums and the JL amps are two examples of amps that would work better at 2ohms (imo).

 

[Hundreth 10+ year member]

I have a similar setup but I believe my Oz Audio Matrix Elite costs around the same yet puts out more SQ and SPL... so I would recommend it to anyone

 

[cameronil3 10+ year member]

Oz Audio? Never heard of them...anyone have any background about them?

Thanks,

Cameron

 

[cameronil3 10+ year member]

What about Image Dynamics? I like RE, I've heard good things about them...I figured I'll probably go w/ the Hifonics 1500d amp. Would you reccomend the RE SX with this, or something else? It's going in a mustang, and if I could downsize to one sub...and it be loud enough for me...that would be wonderful.

Thanks,

Cameron

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

What about Image Dynamics? I like RE, I've heard good things about them...I figured I'll probably go w/ the Hifonics 1500d amp. Would you reccomend the RE SX with this, or something else? It's going in a mustang, and if I could downsize to one sub...and it be loud enough for me...that would be wonderful.
Thanks,

Cameron

Oz Audio has been around a while, and I hear good things about the Matrix Elite. Ive heard its -very- similar to the IDMax, which is an awesome driver.

The SX is a very nice sub, alot of people use them in single sub setups. Personally I would upgrade to the XXX, RE's top of the line SQL sub, or an Adire Brahma, but with a $500 budget, the XXX or Brahma would be just over $400 of it. A Hifonics BX1500D to power it would be another $225 or so, so that breaks your budget. Doh. Okay in that case yeah Id look at the SX very serious, and a BX1000D or BX1500D for an amp. That would be a bit over $500, but pretty close. That would be a very nice single sub setup, sound good (not as good as the XXX or Brahma, but very good), and get plenty loud.

Hang around here a while and see what tickles your fancy. Nothing worse than buying equipment on recommendation, only to find later you wish you'd bought something else once you learned more.