Should I buy a sub?

[floydtheduck]

Hello everyone! As you can see from a pretty simple question and my post count of "1" - I am new. I do hope to ask this question intelligently... but simply as the title suggests, I need to know if I should buy a sub for my SUV. Now, I know that's a very relative question, so let me elaborate.

I have an '03 Ford Explorer. I put in a Kenwood KDC-MP342U head unit along with JVC CS-v6835's in each of the 4 doors. I do enjoy sound (I mixed in a studio for a large church for about 10 years, I like music to sound clean and nice. I don't like over-loaded bass, but I like it to exist in my music). The change from the stock stereo system (which may've been blown out by the previous owner, I'm not sure, but it just didn't sound clean on any songs with a decent amount of low-end) to this system is a phenomenal difference... I can hear the bass rather cleanly in dubstep music along with any other music with low-end in it.

That being said, I'm considering adding a sub to my vehicle... I have a friend who said he had an MTX amp that can push a 10" sub, but he doesn't have the sub, just the amp.

So I have a few questions to pose... keep in mind I'm not a car audio connoisseur, I don't plan on using my vehicle to play music for everyone at the traffic light... it's just for my own pleasure of listening to clean sound in each freq. range.

Is a sub worth it? Or is that more for wanting to get that (to quote Black Eyed Peas) Boom Boom Pow?

If so, is a 10" a good size for an SUV? Again, consider that it's only for my listening... I don't want to be "that guy" at the traffic lights nor do I want to drown out the rest of the music with overpowered bass.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a "starter" sub? I don't know a lot about enclosures or anything... so I honestly may not notice a huge difference between SubX with X feature and SubY with Y feature...

Essentially, I'm looking to enhance my audio driving experience within a 200-300$ budget range (self-installed) and would like some help from experts to point me in the right direction. I don't need a "buy this sub" answer, but just some general guidance would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Floyd

Click to read more...

 

[slvrado28z 10+ year member]

well depends on which amp you are talking about

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

yes..a 10 or 12" ported would give your system the foundation it needs...ps..I love the Black Eyed Peas..heard them in Austin once.

 

[DoesDad 10+ year member]

I concur. A subwoofer is going to add that depth to your music that you've been missing. Once it's installed and you hear the difference you'll wonder what you were waiting for.

 

[wildcat 10+ year member]

First off, i was recently in the same situation as you, i replaced the headunit myself then went to an audio shop to get the stock bose system out. I spent about 40 minutes walking back in forth in the shop debating if the extra 350 was worth it (a memphis 12"/ported box with a street reference 250), finally i gave in and had them install it. After coming back when they were done and listening to the bass come out of my trunk, i felt one of the best feelings ever in my life! I could not believe what a difference it made in the music, the rap and what not became 100x more enjoyable! That first week with the sub, made me feel so invincible and pumped! Of course now, that feeling is gone, but now the show-off factor has replaced it haha //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I def recommend, the music will change!!!

However, like everyone says on here, once you start you become addicted! With me, its gone from that one 12 with small amp to 2 12s, a custom ported box, a high end amp, and now better mids for the back speakers!

Take my word and buy used! Buy off here and get a shop/trustable friend to install! I made the mistake of throwing around 800$ at a shop for new low end stuff, when if i would have done it here, i could be so much better off!

And if your interested, i can sell you the 12 and amp for it, great starter gear! Pm if interested!

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I agree,,every speaker has its purpose in a system,and to really get the sq and missing bass tones, a sub is needed.Even a sealed 10 ,like a Dayton , or American Bass,SSA Dcon sub will be great on 150-300 watts in 4ohms,or even 2ohms will sound great,ported even.Midrange, and Tweets from the front, and coax in rear fill, and subs from rear sound great for your suv,and the bass really will make it sound great,as you are missing that portion of the music

 

[SplAffair 10+ year member]

Tl;Dr cliffs?

 

[floydtheduck]

Wow, thank you all for your replies! I ate lunch expecting to come back "maybe" to one post... but I got a lot of replies! Thanks so much, very helpful.

So, this is a total rookie question... but coming from mixing on a PA/board where I can manually adjust frequencies... how can I do that after I add a sub? Is it even possible? Is it normal to be able to do that? Does it require a special head unit?

Also, I noticed most of you mentioned "ported"... what does that do?

Thanks again!

Floyd

 

[pickup1 5,000+ posts]

Wow, thank you all for your replies! I ate lunch expecting to come back "maybe" to one post... but I got a lot of replies! Thanks so much, very helpful.
So, this is a total rookie question... but coming from mixing on a PA/board where I can manually adjust frequencies... how can I do that after I add a sub? Is it even possible? Is it normal to be able to do that? Does it require a special head unit?

Also, I noticed most of you mentioned "ported"... what does that do?

Thanks again!

Floyd

you need an eq to adjust the frequencies...ported boxes tend to have alittle more output than sealed,given the same driver in both boxes..if your doing 1 sub...you want an enclosure to give ya the most output.

 

[NateDawg122 10+ year member]

As for the question of whether or not to add a sub everyone here (including myself) will say ABSOLUTELY! When you get it you will wonder how you ever listened to music without it. Really enhances the audio experience. One good 10" or 12" sub will be plenty for what you are looking for, especially in a good ported enclosure. Now for what sub you should get we would need to know what amp you have.

 

[duanebro 10+ year member]

Most door speakers start to roll off around 80-100 Hz. So installing a sub will have a huge impact because there is a lot of sound below that point. In an suv I would recommend a 12" sub, sealed. This is an easy to build enclosure. I would skip over most 300 watt rms rated subs and go to the next level that are rated at ~600 watts rms. This is not to be louder, just built better, to often the entry level subs just are built to be cheap, too often how they sound is not important.