Help me choose

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

mehh id spend around $200-$300 for the amp, sub itself is $250 it looks like ( as i should get 4ohms i am guessing )
and if i build it myself :O what is needed? ( links are loved ) guides etc

You can build a box for 60$ worth of materials at home depot. Add another 20$ if you want it to be carpeted or painted. A big home depot can make all your cuts for you and you would need a drill/screw gun, caulking gun, and a jigsaw or a router with either a template and flush bit or some sort of circle jig.

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

are these quality items? for such great stats, they seem SOO cheap !

It's amazing what you pay when you DON'T buy from ridiculous sites like Crutchfield, and you aren't buying from manufacturers that spend all their money on advertising (JL, Kicker, Rockford). These are more "underground" brands, that spend their money on their products and making them kick ***, and are able to keep the prices down. Also, you'd probably want to get a Dual 2ohm subwoofer, whatever you decide upon. That way you can wire down to 1ohm. It's easier and more budget friendly to find an amp that does the power you need at 1ohm. Also, running over 1,000 watts, you're going to need some electrical upgrades. Most notably, a Big 3 upgrade. A simple forum or google search will tell you exactly what that is and how to do it. Then as you run higher power, you might need to look into a bigger and upgraded battery under the hood, and possibly a secondary batter in the rear cargo area.

Also, unless you're experienced with tools, and woodworking, you might be better off having someone build you an enclosure. They can be made at pretty reasonable prices if you know the right guys. But if you're up for it, then give it a go! just make sure it is designed specifically for your application.

 

[wenn_du_weinst 10+ year member]

LMFAO. OP has never built a box before but is going to succesfully do a t-line or ABC first go.

why not? it's no harder then to build a ported box off of a design.

 

[wenn_du_weinst 10+ year member]

would... this
HDC315 Copper Coil Subwoofer

and this

MB Quart ONX1.1500D 1500 Watt RMS Mono Class D Car Amplifier | eBay

be a good combo?

I'd run that over a sa anyday.

 

[Tek18 10+ year member]

^^^

think ill get that but at 1500 Watts 1ohms, involves a new battery doesn'ti t? :S

 

[Tek18 10+ year member]

maybe this amp?

Solid audio F11D

not sure //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

OP.. Your highlander has the same charging system as my tC. If you get anywhere near 1500 rms you will need a alternator upgrade. Over 1000 rms you will need to add a small hatch battery. Big 3 and a good AGM under the hood is a must. For some reason are charging system hates to turn the alternator on. If you do get a High output make sure you get the voltage regulator on it.

 

[Tek18 10+ year member]

I would get a hatch battery, i just don't want to have to deal with replacing them, how often do they need to be replaced etc? and how much is an alternator upgrade :S

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

Every half decade or so? It's a battery, they tend to last quite a while.

Alternator upgrade would be... $300-$500 bucks.

Not sure why Wenn would choose AQ over a Sundown, but I wouldn't.... I'd choose Sundown based on customer service alone... Heard too many CS nightmares from AQ, it's a shame to say :\

But you could get the Sundown 15, and get an amp that does ~1000-1200w and be very well pleased I'm sure. You can get info to order a b-stock one here: Used, B-Stock, Refurbished Amps, and MISC - SSA Car Audio Forum

That's where I got mine, well worth the savings. Only downside is, he only has D4's left right now in the 15" model. So you then would have to find an amp that does 1000-1200w @ 2 ohms. However, order the b-stock would save you $65. So, Tis up to you. Please don't be discouraged by the b-stock label, they are still **** near mint, and 110% functional. The other advantage to getting the Sundown sub now, and getting an amp to make power @ 2ohms, is that when you feel like upgrading to some stronger subs... you can either get another D4 Sundown and drop the amp down to 1ohm for even more power, or you could get a bigger more power single sub, with a D2 configuration, and drop the amp down to 1 ohm for more power.

 

[Tek18 10+ year member]

hmm, so if i get a battery , what price am i looking at ? ( Link ) and oh nice, i thought the batteries would last like a month and i would have to replace >.>

" Heard too many CS nightmares from AQ, it's a shame to say :\ "

can i have an example? im new to subs, ive heard the AG is much much better over the SA

this may sound dumb also, but whasts " B-stock " .. :/

and i see what you are saying about benifits of buying the amp if i were to upgrade which is unlikely, if anything i will get another 15"

 

---------- Post added at 09:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 PM ----------

 

hmm, so if i get a battery , what price am i looking at ? ( Link ) and oh nice, i thought the batteries would last like a month and i would have to replace >.>

" Heard too many CS nightmares from AQ, it's a shame to say :\ "

can i have an example? im new to subs, ive heard the AG is much much better over the SA

this may sound dumb also, but whasts " B-stock " .. :/

and i see what you are saying about benifits of buying the amp if i were to upgrade which is unlikely, if anything i will get another 15"

 

[Tek18 10+ year member]

so most batteries are around $200, is it required that much or do i need something smaller?

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

They aren't AA batteries for your TV remote man, they're car batteries! haha. And yea, $200 seems to be a typical price, PM replied.

While AQ may have more power handling than some of the Sundowns, I wouldn't say they have better build quality, they are known for having spider issues; though, this could have been fixed with the newest series. Also, I've heard many people having trouble reaching AQ by phone, email, voicemail on numerous occasions. Sundown, I've never had to wait an hour for a reply.

B-stock is described in the link I posted. But it's subwoofers that are cosmetically flawed, yet are still mechanically 100% perfect. Subs that have been purchased, not used, and then returned. Or, subs that don't past their quality control for cosmetics. These are usually very minor flaws. for example, when I got mine, I had to look it over for a good bit, until I noticed a small little scuff on the surround, certainly well worth the $50 savings. You might even say these are promised to perform better than their regular stock, because they are put under yet another QC testing regimen to ensure they do perform 100% flawlessly.

Also, see if you can follow me with the amp and the upgrade logic I'm using.

Your wiring options for a single subwoofer with a Dual 4-ohm coil are 2 ohm, or 8 ohms.

Your wiring options for a pair of subwoofers with a Dual 4-ohm coil are 1-ohm, or 4-ohms.

Your wiring options for a single subwoofer with a Dual 2-ohm coil, are 1-ohm, or 4-ohms.

Your wiring options for a pair of subwoofers with a Dual 2-ohm coil are 2-ohm, or 8-ohms.

This all assuming you want to stay at 1-ohm or above.

Amplifiers make different power at different ohm loads, yes? For example this AQX-2500 Amplifiers | AQX-2500.1 does 1150w @ 2-ohm, and 2500w @ 1-ohm.

So, if you were to get a Dual 4-ohm subwoofer right now, you could power it well at 2-ohms off that amp. Then, when you upgrade to an additional 15" sub, you can get another Dual 4-ohm subwoofer, wired together, they'd make a 1-ohm load for the amplifier, and now it's putting out 2500w. So you can upgrade the whole substage, without having to buy an amp. Spending a bit more money now, to save a lot more money in the long run. Plus, you get to save money by buying the b-stock D4 subs.

PHEW, that was a lot. I'ma go get laid now.

Another great and even more affordable but still equally comparable in power handling and quality to the SA series, is the Obsidian Audio 15", http://obsidiancaraudio.com/index.php?id=6.

It's actually a collaboration build with the founder from Sundown, quality stuff! A bit more of an SQ oriented driver, but still capable of awesome power.

 

[Tek18 10+ year member]

Wow those subs are ****, not going to lie, are they good quality etc??? compared to SA's, loud?

And thanks for the info, i have read over it 4x and im still trying to process it, i think i understand though.

and after much research, is there a way i can avoid upgrading my battery in my car, or getting a new one? :S i really hate that idea, its a lot of money i didn't want to spend on the extra battery

 

[Tek18 10+ year member]

or is it just not possible to not get a new battery >.

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

Personally, I'm still running my OEM battery and alt and am running ~1500w. I don't know how, but mine does it fine. I am the exception and not the norm though.

Yea, the Obsidians are quality drivers. The owner is Nick, from Stereo Integrity, known for their incredible SQ drivers. And Jacob, from Sundown helped him build it. They'd be perfect at 1,000 w, sealed or ported. They are cheap because they don't spend any money on advertising, and are a very small company. Don't let the affordability deter you //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif