Have 2 new Alpine Type X's, thinking of switching for more SPL (DC level 3's?)

Sepeti522

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Hey everyone, quick disclosure, I am a total noob but I appreciate any help.

So I have 2 Alpine type X's (the new ones) in a 2017 Chevy impala running on a JL Audio RD1000.1. I know that I'm underpowering them and will be upgrading my amp very soon (despite my amp showing my subs are clipping with them getting only half the power of their rms)  

So I really do like my subs, but I rushed myself into this system before doing some real research on actual good high quality brands (sundown, dc, deaf bonce, etc...) and I'm wondering if there are any subs in the 1000-1500 RMS range that would give me more SPL? I was thinking about the dc level 3's but I dont know how they compare to the x's since I've never been able to hear any other brands other than the mainstream brands (JL, RF, Kicker, Alpine...)?

Has anyone heard the new alpine X's and have a suggestion of anything in the same RMS range that would give me more SPL? 

Thanks for any help

 
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If you upgrade the amp to something more powerful you will need to upgrade the vehicle's electrical system. If you are clipping those type x's most likely the gain is set too high and that might be combined with voltage drop. 

Changing the subs won't fix your problems. 

 
If you upgrade the amp to something more powerful you will need to upgrade the vehicle's electrical system. If you are clipping those type x's most likely the gain is set too high and that might be combined with voltage drop. 

Changing the subs won't fix your problems. 
Thank you! See im glad to get answers I need  to hear instead of what I want to hear.  So what im confused about is both those subs have an RMS of 900. With 2 of them being run on a 1000 watt amp, each sub is only getting 500, so I'm trying to understand how they could be clipping when they're not even close to full RMS? I am definitely getting voltage drop but don't know how that would effect clipping either (I've been searching for the last ouple hours. Not just expecting you guys to tell me everything) the only thing I could come up with is maybe getting a capacitor? Any thoughts?

 
Thank you! See im glad to get answers I need  to hear instead of what I want to hear.  So what im confused about is both those subs have an RMS of 900. With 2 of them being run on a 1000 watt amp, each sub is only getting 500, so I'm trying to understand how they could be clipping when they're not even close to full RMS? I am definitely getting voltage drop but don't know how that would effect clipping either (I've been searching for the last ouple hours. Not just expecting you guys to tell me everything) the only thing I could come up with is maybe getting a capacitor? Any thoughts?
So clipping occurs when you turn the volume up too high.

Sound waves are parabolas. Check this picture for reference.



A clean signal is round on the top and bottom. However when you turn up the signal too high for the amplifier with volume, gain, or bass boost, the signal will flatten out on the top and bottom. That's what clipping is. Flat plateues instead of round hills. The amp is trying to put out more power than it can actually do, so it clips.

A subwoofer plays the signal that it is sent. If the signal is clean the subwoofer come will move in and out smoothly like a smooth parabola. If the signal is clipped the sub will extend, then in a jerky abrupt fashion it will stop, and freeze, till it goes back in and repeats the same freezing motion on its way into the box. Hope that makes sense.

The freezing motion the sub makes when the signal is clipped causes the sub to overheat faster than a clean signal. I've heard a small amount of clipped power can overheat a sub more than a large amount of clean power. This is how some people blow subs with tiny amps. The people overcompensate for their small amp by cranking the gain and clipping the signal.

Also a clipped signal draws more power and can make your voltage drop.

 
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Also you're looking for more spl? You want it to be louder? What kind of box do you currently have? Sealed or ported? Got any pics?

Also don't get a capacitor

 
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Also you're looking for more spl? You want it to be louder? What kind of box do you currently have? Sealed or ported? Got any pics?

Also don't get a capacitor
Thank you a ton for that chart! I knew what clipping was but didnt really understand what it is... if that makes sense? That really helped me understand! Thank you. So even if a sub has an RMS of say 1500 and your only giving it 900, you could still end up clipping? 

But yeah SPL is what I'm looking for... and like I said, I love my type X's but just want more flex and feeling it in your chest if I'm able on my stock electric. And since I am new to the scene and haven't been able to listen to some of the more serious brands and hear possible different subs I'm interested in (like dc 3's, sundown, deaf bonce) to know how they compare to the X's... but if they are fairly similar to the X's and really upping my SPL will require an electrical upgrade before I go with a new sub I'll stick with what I have until I can upgrade electrical. Hopefully that makes sense. 

20190103_214416.jpg

 
Thank you a ton for that chart! I knew what clipping was but didnt really understand what it is... if that makes sense? That really helped me understand! Thank you. So even if a sub has an RMS of say 1500 and your only giving it 900, you could still end up clipping? 

But yeah SPL is what I'm looking for... and like I said, I love my type X's but just want more flex and feeling it in your chest if I'm able on my stock electric. And since I am new to the scene and haven't been able to listen to some of the more serious brands and hear possible different subs I'm interested in (like dc 3's, sundown, deaf bonce) to know how they compare to the X's... but if they are fairly similar to the X's and really upping my SPL will require an electrical upgrade before I go with a new sub I'll stick with what I have until I can upgrade electrical. Hopefully that makes sense. 

View attachment 3568
I would suggest a larger amp at least 2kw on those two subs. Combined with a large battery mounted as near as possible to the amp. Anything over 1500w should have 1/0awg or 0awg wire running from the alternator to the primary battery and then to the secondary battery then the largest possible wire to the amp.

The only capacitors worth anything are ultra capacitors which can help in conjunction with a large enough battery reserve. I like 100ah per 1500w or more

As said before clipping can occur with any sub/amp setup. Whether the amp is 10w or 10000w a dirty signal will always kill a sub.

Research the big 3 and do it to your vehicle. It's cheap relatively compared to the cost of batteries and will likely help your voltage drop with what you have now.

Ofc copper wire is as good as gold compared to the cheap cca wire

Box specs and box design make more difference in subwoofer output then the sub itself. Grant you are using similar power setups

You also can vent the rear deck to let more bass flow to the cabin of the car instead of getting trapped in the trunk

 
Where did you get that box? Do you know the specs? Internal volume and tuning?

And yes if a sub has 1500 rms, you can still clip the amplifiers signal even if its only a 900 rms amp.

Yes go with more power first and keep the subs i would say. Ive never heard type-x subs but i love alpine type-r's. Get a good 2000 rms amp and yes dont get a capacitor, get a nice AGM battery for the trunk. Like winky said, do you have 0 gauge OFC (Oxygen free copper) running into your amp?

 
I wouldn't give up on the subs either. Post specs of the box. Listen to suggestions sounds like there's room for improvement without having to change subs. Lot more to it than just subs. Box could be wrong for meeting your expectations 

 
The alpine x woofers are nice. That box u have is way to small. Build a new box 6cubes with 70” of port tunes to 32hz... u will be impressed I promise you! 

 
The alpine x woofers are nice. That box u have is way to small. Build a new box 6cubes with 70” of port tunes to 32hz... u will be impressed I promise you! 
:iagree:

That's a pretty big trunk and opening IIRC

I'd go bigger for sure, that enclosure pictured above looks like a prefab to me.

OP... even a somewhat larger box with a low tune would make a big difference I bet, Those W12's are D4's correct?.. so you're at 4 ohm nominal currently with that amp?

Correct me if I'm wrong

 
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:iagree:

That's a pretty big trunk and opening IIRC

I'd go bigger for sure, that enclosure pictured above looks like a prefab to me.

OP... even a somewhat larger box with a low tune would make a big difference I bet, Those W12's are D4's correct?.. so you're at 2 ohm nominal currently with that amp?

Correct me if I'm wrong
D4 would be  1ohm not 2ohm 

 
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Nope only 2 ohm. Maybe he's wired in series but he's really under powering if so. Surprised it's not going into protect if he's at 1ohm.. Maybe he is and not describing he's problem correctly.

Pretty sure the x is only available d4 could be wrong.

 
Where did you get that box? Do you know the specs? Internal volume and tuning?

And yes if a sub has 1500 rms, you can still clip the amplifiers signal even if its only a 900 rms amp.

Yes go with more power first and keep the subs i would say. Ive never heard type-x subs but i love alpine type-r's. Get a good 2000 rms amp and yes dont get a capacitor, get a nice AGM battery for the trunk. Like winky said, do you have 0 gauge OFC (Oxygen free copper) running into your amp?
Hey sorry for the delayed response. I had 2 immediate family members pass within 2 days about 2 weeks ago and been struggling and busy with that. Figured coming here and getting my mind off that might help.... but yeah so I got my box from a local shop. Just asked for specs and they said they would look it up and call back. But yeah so I'm thinking I'll do the big 3 upgrade and an agm battery as you suggested and switching to 0 gauge. I'm on a jl audio wiring kit that I know is ofc but only 4 or 6 gauge. Am I able to get an agm bat without also upgrading alternator?

Also, I have an opportunity to get 2 sundown x v2 15's for about 480... i know they retail for about 600. I dont wanna break any rules but what do you think about that deal? I know that would definitely require big electrical upgrades and big amp.  Do you also have any good suggestions on where I could find a quality amp at either 2000 watts for the x's or 3000-4000 if I went with the sun downs? 

 
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