Help Choosing Sub, Fi Q?

[HiFiMike]

Hi, my name is Mike, as you may have guessed from my username. I've read the stickies and will try my best to keep my topics/posts in order with forum rules. I'm a rookie and have come to seek help from the pros. A buddy of mine, an installer at a local shop, has made some recommendations based on his knowledge. He's good but he doesn't know all. I'm here to hash out some minor details regarding my current build. I'm on the step of selecting a subwoofer.

My goal is to sound as clean as possible but still have some decent kick. Taking into consideration recent international current events, I'd like to buy an American made subwoofer if possible in an attempt to support American jobs. Looking back, I should've done so with my entire setup but alas, I already have everything else. Anyways, on to the specifics.

I have a two door hatchback (Volks GTI). My musical tastes are diverse. I'd like a single 12 or 15" driver in a sealed enclosure. My buddy at the shop recommended Fi Car Audio's line of Q subwoofers. They appear to be quality products from what I've read. I want to run it by some of the folks here who would know more than myself or my buddy before making my purchase.

Details of the build:

I already own the following items:

Alpine head unit

CDT component set

Sundown Speaker Amp

And a used but like new sub Amp- Cadence ZRS-7000d

EDIT: I can also get my hands on a clarion dpx11551 (1550w rms @ 2ohms)

So, here are my thoughts- The Fi Q 15" appears to be the most attractive option I've seen for a sound quality oriented subwoofer. I can fit a 15" which I assume is superior to a 12" because the sound quality is probably very similar in the same line of subs (Fi Q) but the additional surface area of a 15" vs a 12" is significant enough to produce an audible difference in loudness, all other factors being equal, correct?

My questions for the pros here-

1. Is this a good choice taking into consideration the rest of the equipment, vehicle included?

2. Is there a better American made subwoofer ~$350 shipped that will sound better in a sealed enclosure?

3. Do you see any issues with any of my other equipment? (I can return any item except for the used Cadence amplifier which is being gifted to me but would rather not have to return anything unless it's strongly recommended)

4. On Fi Car Audio's website, the Fi Q subwoofer has several options which include:

-Ohm (dual 1ohm vs dual 2 ohm)

-Dust Cap (standard vs Carbon Fiber Free)

-Cooling (no vs yes[free])

-P chamfer (no vs yes[free])

-High QTS (no vs yes)

-Spider (no vs yes[free])

-I Heat Ring (no vs yes[free])

-Internal Lead (no vs yes[+$25])

I humbly seek your thoughts and opinions on my choices of equipment, and if you agree with my buddy that the Fi Q is a viable option, which of the options would you select for this build? Thanks in advance for your time and consideration. It is greatly appreciated.

Signed,

Rookie Quality Car Audio Enthusiast on a Budget (Mike)

Click to read more...

 

[mclerico83 5,000+ posts]

-Ohm (dual 1ohm vs dual 2 ohm)will be wired in parallel to 1 ohm

-Dust Cap (standard vs Carbon Fiber Free)just for looks

-Cooling (no vs yes[free])

-P chamfer (no vs yes[free])

-High QTS (no vs yes)high qts is for sealed only

-Spider (no vs yes[free])

-I Heat Ring (no vs yes[free])

-Internal Lead (no vs yes[+$25])depends on whether you like the terminals etc.

fi q is a great sub with that amp though i may look at the ssd instead with cooling option

Options Explained! - Fi Technical - SSA Car Audio Forum

may also want to look at

TC Sounds Axis 15Q1 15" Quad VC Subwoofer

insane deal and works great sealed

TC Sounds Axis 12Q1 12" Quad VC Subwoofer

 

[HiFiMike]

-Ohm (dual 1ohm vs dual 2 ohm)will be wired in parallel to 1 ohm-Dust Cap (standard vs Carbon Fiber Free)just for looks

-Cooling (no vs yes[free])

-P chamfer (no vs yes[free])

-High QTS (no vs yes)high qts is for sealed only

-Spider (no vs yes[free])

-I Heat Ring (no vs yes[free])

-Internal Lead (no vs yes[+$25])depends on whether you like the terminals etc.

fi q is a great sub with that amp though i may look at the ssd instead with cooling option

Options Explained! - Fi Technical - SSA Car Audio Forum

may also want to look at

TC Sounds Axis 15Q1 15" Quad VC Subwoofer

insane deal and works great sealed

TC Sounds Axis 12Q1 12" Quad VC Subwoofer

Thank you for the quick reply.

I forgot to mention in my initial post that I also have one other sub amp at my disposal. I attempted to edit the OP but was unable to. The amp is a clarion dpx11551 capable of 1550@2 ohms. Perhaps this amp is more well suited for this application, no? I'm not well versed on the subject of quality as far as the cadence and clarion or any other brands are concerned, as I am fairly new to the subject of mobile audio.

I watched the video a few times and have a better understanding of the options now. It seems like I should also choose yes for the pole chamfer (enhanced cooling) and the I heat ring (enhanced musical range) options as well, to keep the sub as cool as possible, correct?

The video, at 3:20, says the spider option is only necessary for high power ported applications concerning the Fi Q. You've recommended yes for that option despite my setup running equal to or less than RMS power, in a sealed enclosure. Will the "yes" spider option have any cons?

As for as an internal lead, you're saying if I choose yes it will come with terminals, and if no, will there just be a wire hanging from the sub without a terminal?

 

[tc300 10+ year member]

i would get a lil bit better alpine deck.... 147/148/149 are great choices...

i would with a 12 for the vw. an ssa icon is a great choice also. on par with the Q

a 12 in a properly built ported box will get loud and sound good!!!