School contest in less than a week. I need some input.

[ArcaneParadise 10+ year member]

Intoduction:

My setup:

Head Unit: Pioneer 6300

Subs: 2 15L7s in a 4.5FT^3 Sealed Box

Sub amp: 1 Kicker 1200.1KX

Speakers: Infinity 6.1 Components and 2 5.5" Stock Midranges (Sound great though)

Speaker Amp: RF Punch 200.4

Digital Capacitor

Never been metered

Body:

Ok. Some of you might remember when I first mentioned this but it is coming up very very soon. I am shining up my system and applying the finishing touches to my system so that it will look nice and sound nice for our school competition. Everyone that has a reasonably good system comes out to our quad and blasts off for our teacher judges (lol). I am so into it because if I can win I'll have some pretty good bragging rights and I think I have a darn good chance too. I had a few questions for you guys.

First of all: When people say "It is all in the install", what do they mean? I am sure that the products plays a large part in the overall performance and how can I better my install? I had it installed by a dealer so I do not really know what they used.

Second of all: I have 2 15L7s both in the same 4.5FT^3 sealed box (no fill). They hit very hard and they are pretty clear as well. They are loud enough that I have been given a good share of yelling from the person who watches the parking lot at our school. (Zane: I know you do not like people pounding their systems in public places, but it is high school and the kids think it is cool. They do not mind. I keep it low at stop lights and residential areas and I never play it loud past 9:00). Do you think that these will be good enough to win the competition?

The only two systems that can compete with me is 2 12JLW3's with an unknown amp and 4 12" Infinity Perfects with (a) unknown amp(s). Both sealed enclosures of unknown size. Do you guys think I have a chance against them? I have about 350 dollars in emergency money to spend on anything and everything else I would need to give me that extra edge to beat the other guys. Also, I have a Dodge Ram 1500 and the speakers are right behind the front seats facing upwards, the other guys have Chevy Tahoes with the subs in the back. I think this would give me an advantage because the speakers are closer to the judges and since the cabin is smaller, I might get more cabin gain. To sum it up, do you think from what I was able to tell you guys that I will have a good chance against them? If not, what could I do to improve my system that will cost under 350 dollars (I want to avoid a ported box because I do not want to lose the sound quality that I need for some of the non-rap that I play)? I am also getting a 200A circuit breaker so I should not get any cut-outs at all.

Third: Do you guys have any special techniques that you use to make your speakers sound better? If so, I would appreciate it very much. And are there any specific songs that I should play to impress the judges more? I need a main SPL song and a main SQ song. Any help in this catagory is also very much appreciated.

Well, if you have actually read this far, thank you. All I can really say is please tell me anything you can to help me better my install and my chances to win the competition and wish me luck. I would really appreciate it a lot. And again, thanks.

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[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

arcy this is a big topic if you wanna talk about it you would have to call me and installation is actually more important than the product believe it or not and what and how are you being judged? and why such a big breaker? in iasca that would be a deduction unless you are ctually pulling that kind of power and from what i see you are not.................

 

[jlman 10+ year member]

Yea for this school comp go ghetto kindaa let your subs warm up before a run then as for songs if you have napster morpheus so on download phat-subwoofer test by bass songs this song has the most incrediable bass and sends your subs straight to its basket pretty much makes em bottom out.LOL

 

[jlman 10+ year member]

Also if you have 350 emergency bucks i suggest buy some audio control eqs and xovers will notice an amazing increase in system sound. As for the cabin being smaller you will not be able to hit more dbs because why do you think people always use vans and hatchbacks in comps there is nothing between the subs and the dash so there for making it sound like its louder than it really is which it is for there is more space so the guy that owns the tahoe has more of an advantage also speker wise he should be able to beat you for he has more cone area and wattage if he has them hooked up right and enclsoed right he will most likly take you. As will the W3s in my opinion but if yours is installed right you will pull it off most likly they are ghetto ass systems they just threw together but as for the unknowns amps you mean you dont know the brand like you have never heard of them? And last the Eqs and x overs will help out alot so you can tune your system to your specs.

 

[Big-Cat 10+ year member]

Look up DJ magic mike...cannot go wrong with his songs... and here's some others to get real quick...

"Dj Magic Mike - Do You Like Bass"

"Dj Magic Mike - Feel the Bass 4"

"Dj Magic Mike - Make The Car Go Boom"

(if you can find this one...i had a really hard time getting it)"Nemesis - The People Want Bass"

"THX - Subwoofer Excursion Test"

"Techmaster PEB - Do You Like Techno Bass"

"Techmaster PEB - Bassgasm"

"Dj Laz - Red Alert '98" or '99...same song...people just put different dates..

"Dj Laz - Moments In Bass"

"Dj Laz - Feel The Bass 2000"

"1999 Outlawed Bass - Ground Pounding"

and if you're feeling cocky...."Dj Laz - King of Bass"

these songs should give you incredible bass....enjoy

 

[ArcaneParadise 10+ year member]

Thank you for the help. I have a built in equalizer and crossover in my Head Unit as well as crossovers on both of my amplifiers. And to the first person that replied the 140A circuit breaker is not enough. From what I judge, I am using about 67%-75% of what it can handle before breaking and it will still set off the breaker, even during short usage times. That is which I am switching to a 200A. My main question is though: What does the install include??? Is it just the wiring? To get a good install do I just need some good wire? Just plz list what an install includes please, anyone. Oh! And thank you for the songs! I'm downloading them as I am typing. Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

get a 180 amp breaker...and now are you being judged for install?

 

[Phatillusion 5,000+ posts]

I believe you will really need a ported box in order for you to win the SPL part. Put it this way, a guy I know spent 800-1000 on a ported box alone, and is hitting a 151-152 w/ 1 L15. Not saying you need to spend that, but those kickers will really pump with the kind of ported box. I think he had it tuned to around 35 hz, cut the x/o @ 80hz. So you want to know about whats in an install. Many factors, such as the example above, how you position your speakers. Wire really doesn't matter as long as it's the right size. It's all about setting your eq's, x/o's, gain. A whole lot of things go into it just to name a few. Being that I doubt you are being judged on creativity it won't apply to your comp, but a lot of people like to be creative, and have funky shaped enclosures, mount amps in different places, and so on. These things take many hours, days, weeks. I once spent 3 weeks getting 95% of the rattle out of my car.

Last but not least.............THX woofer excursion test.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

just make sure you are protected under the hood within 12-18 inches and within 24 inches of your amps (if they dont already have fuses on them)..run the right size power wire (and if you use a 200 amp breaker you better be using at least 0 guage wire under the hood (prefferably 00 guage if your power wire is more than 8 ft which i am sure it is). lable your wires and make a diagram of your system layout. if you could or did take pictures during your install make a little book about it........as far as venting your box...port that puppy but make a port plug for when you are not wanting to hump to rap music.also if you can locate an iasca disc or a "my cd" cd do it and run the drum tracks and the phase tracks to make sure everything is set tight and right....and go to your local shop and get metered both rta and spl. if they have the rta meter they (the shop) should know how to use it and set your system appropriately. all this would fit well under 350 and should help you gain points in spl and get your "brownie" points with the judges. and if you want to give a speech about your system let me know i have alot of experience with this stuff...not that i was/am that good just had alot of great well known teachers. my installer was kirk perry, he is good friends with many a big wig that seen me as under his wing so i got all the help i needed. its sorta awesome when you are a newbie and fishman comes up to you asking you "what's up" and eric stevens (owner of image dynamics) tunes your car and is concered with how you do because he knows you are capable of winning.

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

Are they going to actually use a spl meter or an rta to judge ? Or are they going to just go by ear. If this is the case I would say go buy the judges a watch or something //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif Ears are pretty subjective. What some peple like others hate and so on. But if they are actually using meters then it's a whole different story. For the pl portion I would say get a cd with test tones. Take some of that 350 emergency money and head to the nearest shop with a spl meter. Find the your peak tone for your vehicle and remember it. When it comes time cue up the track and hit repeat. Also see if they will let you put the mic in different places or if it gets put on the dash. If they do it the legal way doors closed windows up. Have a friend or two hold the doors shut. I'll try to think of anything else.