One 18" Nighshade or Three 12" HDC3's - help me decide!

[95Prober 10+ year member]

I know its a really odd comparsion, but I only have 7.17 cu.ft of gross air space MAX in my hatchback. Not sure exacly how much space is left over after displacement and port space.

I CAN get away with three 12" HDC12s with just enough space if tuned to 38Hz. with aero ports

But I was also thinking about a single 18" Sundown Nightshade in the same sized box. Obviously 3 HDC3s have more cone area but the Nightshade would have optimum box space. So I have no idea on which would get louder or sound better. I got plently of amp juice, around 3000-4000 rms and a couple of batteries, so power shouldnt be too much of an issue

What do you guys think?

Click to read more...

 

[Gavriley2007 10+ year member]

what kind of vehicle?

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

I would go with more optimal enclosure size/specs and go with the nightshade

 

[95Prober 10+ year member]

subs are goin in a 95 Ford Probe

 

[Marlo Stanfield 10+ year member]

Probes get LOUD very very easily, i used to own one many moons ago... Was my DD in HS when i was 16, kept it until i was almost 21, i had a 93 w/ the 2.5 v6. In the latter state it had 2 12" AA Brahma MkIs powered by a Cadence amp(can't remember the model).

But back to you lol.... I'd definitely run the Nightshade off like 3k daily in a proper ported enclosure and it will absolutely slam.

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

i say the 18...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[95Prober 10+ year member]

so far its the 18" Nightshade

after calculating air space for the three HDC3s, I ended up with about 2 cu.ft NET PER sub tuned at 38Hz and using two 6" aero ports

never did any calculations for a Nightshade. Would a large single slot port be best if I went with one or should I use 6" aeros ???

more opinions are welcome!!

 

[Marlo Stanfield 10+ year member]

so far its the 18" Nightshade
after calculating air space for the three HDC3s, I ended up with about 2 cu.ft NET PER sub tuned at 38Hz and using two 6" aero ports

never did any calculations for a Nightshade. Would a large single slot port be best if I went with one or should I use 6" aeros ???

more opinions are welcome!!

Aeros will take up less space than a slot port will take up and they generally move air faster than slot ports do.

 

[95Prober 10+ year member]

Aeros will take up less space than a slot port will take up and they generally move air faster than slot ports do.

yeah, I realize they take up less space and have advantages. By using aeros, that would be the only way to get away with putting three HDC3s in my car. Id just have enough airspace for each sub

however, if I go with a single 18", Id have lots of box space so would aeros be necessary?? a slot port is free to build, but Precsion aeros would cost me $150 CDN //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif. I dont really wanna have to build aeros from hardware store materials.

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

Sorry, go with three 12's. Physics cannot be beat. More air being swept, better distribution of power and dissipation of heat from the coil(s) //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[RidnClean 5,000+ posts]

3 12s

 

[amartin_72]

Dont choke the ports off from the cabin with a box that takes up the entire hatch. And 3 hdc coils can take alot more power than one nightshade coil. Nightshade cant take 3-4000 all day but 2 hdc 12s will. There is also a major price difference in 3 hdcs and a single nightshade so what are you looking to spend?

 

[95Prober 10+ year member]

Dont choke the ports off from the cabin with a box that takes up the entire hatch. And 3 hdc coils can take alot more power than one nightshade coil. Nightshade cant take 3-4000 all day but 2 hdc 12s will. There is also a major price difference in 3 hdcs and a single nightshade so what are you looking to spend?

Yeah, there is a bit of a price difference, but I dont mind going with either set-up

Choking off the port so close to the rear of the car was a concern I had. My current ported box has once a few inches from the port opening to the rear panels over the taillights.

But I MUST make the box that size to fit in three HCD3s. What if I had the box turned around and had the ports firing into the cabin towards the rear seats, but folded the rear seats down as opposed to firing to the rear??

would there be a noticable loss??