Is sub power handling overrated?

[CL1CKCLACK 5,000+ posts]

the ratings have nothing to do with SPL...

 

[Magnus 10+ year member]

the ratings have nothing to do with SPL...

A 15" 3k RMS sub in the correct box will get louder than a 15" 1k RMS sub in the correct box unless the 3k sub is horribly inefficient.

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

Also get over twice the cone area.
We got a response saying somewhat and depends on so many thing, I would like some elaboration? Becasue I'm kind of curios about this as well.

i said it depends on so many things cause it doesnt matter what the sub is rated at. take 2 12" 1000rms subs vs 1 15" 3000rms subs. give them the same amount of power and the 2 12s may be louder due to cone area. give the 15 the full 3k and it may be louder cause of power. also, it depends on the enclosure. ive had a single 15 do 150s on 4kw and ive had 2 12s do 150s on 4kw. if you can design and build a good enclosure, you can get any sub loud.

 

[CL1CKCLACK 5,000+ posts]

so you think a ssxxx is gonna meter louder then say a dd 9500?

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

so you think a ssxxx is gonna meter louder then say a dd 9500?

all depends on the box and the power

 

[CL1CKCLACK 5,000+ posts]

in the best of situations. just because the dd is only rated for 1500 doesnt mean it can only take that much power. the 9500 is an spl sub, the ss i think is more of a sql daily ground pounder

 

[1rockford1 5,000+ posts]

guys i have a 03 tiburon i have had a few dif 15s . all have been ported , then i went to 1 12 tune low then i went to 4 12s sealed. i have to say the cone area is a major part of moving air . im sure one big sub with the right power would b better then a few smaller subs with less power. i spent alot of time thinking about what i want to do as far as with my new setup. i luve the conea area even though i had to go with a sealed setup. i do have a issue with the lower notes but i would never run a single sub set up again.

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

both will get loud. the dd can take tons of power, the ss takes tons of power. in identical boxes with identical power, i have no idea

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

guys i have a 03 tiburon i have had a few dif 15s . all have been ported , then i went to 1 12 tune low then i went to 4 12s sealed. i have to say the cone area is a major part of moving air . im sure one big sub with the right power would b better then a few smaller subs with less power. i spent alot of time thinking about what i want to do as far as with my new setup. i luve the conea area even though i had to go with a sealed setup. i do have a issue with the lower notes but i would never run a single sub set up again.

cone area is nice for hairtricks. i like getting big numbers with smaller setups. i did a 149.x with a single 12 before. couldnt do a hairtrick but could get loud. coming soon is a dual 10s 150+ setup for me

 

[Magnus 10+ year member]

Pushing 2 subs at 80-90% > pushing 1 sub at 100%

 

[miker 5,000+ posts]

So you say to basically do what you want and as long as its quality equipment and a quality install it should do well?

 

[Magnus 10+ year member]

cone area is nice for hairtricks. i like getting big numbers with smaller setups. i did a 149.x with a single 12 before. couldnt do a hairtrick but could get loud. coming soon is a dual 10s 150+ setup for me

Isn't tuning low for hair tricks? Cone area won't do much good for hair tricks if you are tuned to 45-50hz.

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

So you say to basically do what you want and as long as its quality equipment and a quality install it should do well?

pretty much. set a goal for a setup and try to hit that goal. imo equipment is 50% and install is 50%. even with a great box, cant get great numbers with ****** equipment and vice versa.

Isn't tuning low for hair tricks? Cone area won't do much good for hair tricks if you are tuned to 45-50hz.

tuning low and cone area. when i had 2 18s, i could do a hairtrick at 30hz-50hz. granted the higher frequencies didnt give the best hairtricks but they still got it up.

 

[MONSONwarrior Premium Member]

well you can also just push air with more cone so more air out the window equals hair tricks.

but as for your thing about airspace, I would have been using 5 cubes for my dual 12 set up due the them being DD's so 1 cube more for an 18 was okay with me. Two subs just have more cone area, will handle more power due to more voice coil area, and may have more motor force, depending on the subs. I'm looking at mine like they will equal out because the XL motor is double the size of a 2512 motor, it's over twice the area, and it handles over twice the power.

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

i guess to answer your question, in a way yes it is. cone area is important, power handling is important, enclosure is important...