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

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

No I feel you.  I'm just grateful to be learning and from you guys sharing your knowledge! But by source signal do you mean like my deck? If so, I'm using my stock radio. Impalas have a very difficult touch screen/radio to work with but I do have a 6 or 8 volt LOC hooked up to it. And yeah I do always turn my radio up to near full power. Would upgrading my speakers maybe help so I won't have to turn it up so high and start sending dirty signals out? Am I understanding that right?

first thing is, I would definite get rid of the stock radio and throw in a quality head unit with 4 or more volt dedicated RCAs. You'll notice a giant increase in output.  LOCs are pure garbage because they just amplify the sh*tty stock signal thats comming from the radio which already has cut levels of bass to protect the speakers that you are tapping it into along with whatever factory EQ its subjected to and other built in protection measures that completely fks up your output capabilities. LOCs are pure garbage. Either get an actual head unit with actual dedicated subwoofer RCA out or get a dsp with signal summing and DE-equalization fix.

As for electrical upgrades, you'll need 0 gauge power wire (look up 2/0 welding cable royal excellene. A lot cheaper than car audio cable)  big 3, 2nd group 31 battery in the trunk and you should be fine for a 3k amp.

 

[Sepeti522]

first thing is, I would definite get rid of the stock radio and throw in a quality head unit with 4 or more volt dedicated RCAs. You'll notice a giant increase in output.  LOCs are pure garbage because they just amplify the sh*tty stock signal thats comming from the radio which already has cut levels of bass to protect the speakers that you are tapping it into along with whatever factory EQ its subjected to and other built in protection measures that completely fks up your output capabilities. LOCs are pure garbage. Either get an actual head unit with actual dedicated subwoofer RCA out or get a dsp with signal summing and DE-equalization fix.

As for electrical upgrades, you'll need 0 gauge power wire (look up 2/0 welding cable royal excellene. A lot cheaper than car audio cable)  big 3, 2nd group 31 battery in the trunk and you should be fine for a 3k amp.

Hey so heres what I'm dealing with in my head unit so I'm guessing, I'll need to go with a DSP (Do you have any good suggestions?). Also thank you for the suggestion with the wiring. Definitley want to save any dime I can. Sorry to keep asking questions but I found a guy selling these subs and this box. He said the box was tuned to 32 or 37 hz I believe. He said it was custom made for 2 sundown sa 12's. Do you think this would make a substantial difference? Also I found someone selling a rockford fosgate t2000.2bd for $250. It goes for 570 on sonicelectronics.com. Do you think that amp would do the trick? I just can't seem to find an amp with 3000 watts that's under 800 bucks so if this would work, that would be great. But if not, I also understand good quality comes at a price haha. So yeah hopefully with all these, a big 3, and new battery I can get where I wanna be! Thanks for all the help 

Edit: Check that. The box is 35 hz

 

[Sepeti522]

yeah deck. Ya need to find out where it clips at. If your wanting to improve everything ditch the loc and go with a dsp upgrade mids and highs electrical sub amp and box  amp the mids and highs. You could just run front speakers without rear fill. Lots of ways you can go about it. Lot of options on dsp Too Alpine makes a pretty cool one on the high end more budget one would be a Dayton dsp. But yeah sounds like you're clipping by turning the deck volume up too high. 3/4 Volume would probably be safe for now. Set your gain at where you're comfortable with the volume Ie 3/4. I'm just now getting into having the need to upgrade electrical besides big 3 so I'll let someone else chime in on that but I would say you for sure need to upgrade to 0 gauge when you upgrade sub amp. Battery /batteries Possible alt. 

Hey maybe you could read my post I just made and give some input as well? I'll have to use a dsp since a new deck is not really possible. I'll look around but thanks for the advice. I'll check out the alpine and Dayton units. I had 1 other question. Is any sub able to be wired to different ohms? Like am I able to wire my subs to 1 ohm or is that something that has to be built in with the sub? If I'm correct,  1 ohm gets the full wattage out of your amp?

 

[shredder2]

View attachment 4137

is that your current enclosure or the one you are considering?

 

[Sepeti522]

is that your current enclosure or the one you are considering?

This is the one I'm considering. What's your thoughts? Its tuned to 35 hz 

 

[shredder2]

This is the one I'm considering. What's your thoughts? Its tuned to 35 hz 

Either one it is I would turn it around and leave clearance for the port. As it sits now is not best in the pic imo. Letting the thing load off the hatch would be best not firing forward. 

My thoughts?

find the volume and port area/tuning and model it up on your power or planned power... idk... got a pic of the current box for comparison?

 

[Sepeti522]

Either one it is I would turn it around and leave clearance for the port. As it sits now is not best in the pic imo. Letting the thing load off the hatch would be best not firing forward. 

My thoughts?

find the volume and port area/tuning and model it up on your power or planned power... idk... got a pic of the current box for comparison?

Yeah so this is the pic of the guy who I might buy it from. I would definitely have to place my subs in the box, not outward like he has them. Here is what I got now. What would you say now after seeing both?

 

[shredder2]

 What would you say now after seeing both?

One is definitely bigger unless it's a trick photo. Probably gonna be peakier around tuning for sure. You've got a trunk install I see. That new box is not configured for a trunk imo

I'd pass

 

[Sepeti522]

Thank you for the suggestion. I think I'll save my money and for a bigger amp and a DSP. Do you have any thoughts on that amp I posted? It's for sell. But I dont know if I should go with that, at 2000 watts, or go with a 3000 to 4000 watt amp? 

 

[Sepeti522]

@shredder2 @Jeffdachef @fithwheel

Sorry to ask, but I think I'm starting to understand things a bit better. I just wanted clarification I'm understanding correctly. So concerning the clipping issue I have, I was wondering how my subs could be clipping despite only recieving half of their RMS. If I'm understanding correctly, basically it's because when I'm turning my volume all the way up on a stock radio unit, its distorting those sound waves to a point the amp can't handle it and putting out the clipped signal. So by adding a dsp, that is what will take in those sound waves, clean them up, and put a good signal to the amp which in return will allow me to push a lot more power to them? Am I getting it right?

 

[fithwheel]

Hey maybe you could read my post I just made and give some input as well? I'll have to use a dsp since a new deck is not really possible. I'll look around but thanks for the advice. I'll check out the alpine and Dayton units. I had 1 other question. Is any sub able to be wired to different ohms? Like am I able to wire my subs to 1 ohm or is that something that has to be built in with the sub? If I'm correct,  1 ohm gets the full wattage out of your amp?

Check out Rockford fosgate wiring wizard 

There are 3k amps you could go with that are less then 800. 

If I had a couple of x subs I'd want to hear them in a proper enclosure with the appropriate amount of power before i made a decision on them.

You might not be able to answer this but are You feeding that jl amp a 1 ohm load? 

Idk why but it's threads like this that reminds me of guys who go out and buy a hayabussa for their first motorcycle. No offense op. I just think it's important to have a decent understanding of how things work before jumping into a high powered system is all but you're in the right place at least. 

You're amplifier amplifies the signal from your hu. If it's a clipped signal then that's what you're amplifying. At the end of the day a clipped signal is a clipped signal no matter what causes it. Hu amp bass boost eq etc. That's what your speakers end up getting a clipped signal

 Stop thinking in terms of power think in terms of clean signal

 Dirty signal in = dirty signal out. 

 

[shredder2]

What would you say now 

View attachment 4140

I'd say straighten out your signal and electrical woes, try to get more power (2Kish or more), wire to 1 ohm this time and get a different enclosure built.

Something like this below ought to do the trick... at least that is what I'd do if I wanted to get low and louder

I really don't know what your goals are, you said "in your chest" iirc.. but something like that ^^^^ ought to be a REAL improvement over what you got pictured especially if you up the power some and clean-up your signal. 

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

@shredder2 @Jeffdachef @fithwheel

Sorry to ask, but I think I'm starting to understand things a bit better. I just wanted clarification I'm understanding correctly. So concerning the clipping issue I have, I was wondering how my subs could be clipping despite only recieving half of their RMS. If I'm understanding correctly, basically it's because when I'm turning my volume all the way up on a stock radio unit, its distorting those sound waves to a point the amp can't handle it and putting out the clipped signal. So by adding a dsp, that is what will take in those sound waves, clean them up, and put a good signal to the amp which in return will allow me to push a lot more power to them? Am I getting it right?

its distorting those sound waves and your amp is amplifying those distorted waves going straight to the subs.  A dsp i'd recommend is the dayton audio 8 channel dsp but you'll need to buy the bluetooth dongle as well.  It will be audio straight from your phone to the dongle to the DSP. No head unit in the signal chain at all and it costs 150 dollars new for the dsp and 30 for the dongle.

I would not get that box because its not the best configuration for your trunk and its a sh*t fit.  If you or any friend or relative has a screw gun and jig saw, i'd recommend building your own box. I'll get you a design and cut sheet. Buy wood at home depot or lowes, have them cut the wood. take it home, glue and screw, cut the sub hole and viola you are done. that rockford amp is fine for 250.  This wolfram 2400 amp is also fine for 250 new and its tested to do 2500 watts and its solid build quality.  Use the rest of the money to do a battery in the rear.