Subwoofer brand names, mainstream vs smaller companies.

[dcoils101]

I have been wondering something for a little while now. Ever since I started really getting into car audio about 5 years ago, I learned about all these different brands I'd never heard of before. Brands like SoundQubed(Audioque), Fi Audio, DC, Sundown and basically everything on soundsolutionsaudio.com; What makes them so different from more mainstream brands like Alpine, Rockford Fosgate, JL Audio, Kicker and Memphis?

Is it really just a price thing? The bigger mainstream brands just charge more money for the same product? Or is there something else to it?

I've had 2 sets of kicker 12's, 2 07 Comps and 2 07 CVRs. I've had a JL10W3, and I currently am running an Alpine Type X 12" ported at 37hz.

I've also had a model of 2013 Fi Audio SSD 15" stock, ported tuned at 34hz and right before I bought the Alpine Type X, I had a SoundQubed HDS200 15" in a sealed box.

The Fi SSD 15", powered by a Hifonics Gladiator series 1400 watt amp @ 1 ohm, replaced the 2 kicker CVR 12s running on a Hifonics 1000W RMS amp @ 1 ohm and it was definitely a huge improvement. Of course I expected such considering it was a $250 subwoofer. It was extremely loud and clean sounding, much more so than the CVRs, more SPL and better SQ with less cone area, but with about 300 more watts and what I guessed was just fantastic specs in every way better than the CVRs combined.

But to get the equivalent sub from kicker at that time, you'd be getting a 15" L7. which are twice as much. They are listed at $499 on crutchfield.

If they are able to mass produce their products the way that they do why wouldn't their products be less expensive, and the smaller brands like I mentioned more expensive...like a Ferrari vs a Mustang GT.

Currently I have to say that my Alpine Type X system is the best sounding setup i've had ever before followed by the Fi SSD15. The SSD15 did have a little bit more SPL and get a little bit lower, I'd say that all things considered I prefer the sound of the Type X because it seems to play the 55-80hz range much better. This is surely also because I have the type x in an 08 malibu, sub and port forward with the rear seats down and the box pulled all the way back towards the tail lights. While the SSD was sub up port back, in the very middle of the trunk of a 2001 BMW 525i which only had a ski hole, rear seats did not come down. I'm willing to bet that if I had the SSD in my current vehicle set up the same way then it'd probably sound better.

TLDR:

Is it really just brand names that you're paying for? Did companies like Alpine used to be much smaller the way a company like SoundQubed is now? How can it be that you can get a 1200W RMS subwoofer that is supposedly of very good build quality such as the SQ HDS300 series for $170~?

Every single other brand name on the market would be charging you at least twice that price for a similarly rated subwoofer. So what gives? What's everyone's general opinons on SoundQubed here?

I can't keep the same subwoofer setup for more than a year. I'm always wanting to try out new and different types of setups. So I'm beginning to do some research for what I want next.

Size preference: I want either 12s or 15s

Budget: I don't want to pay much more than $250

Power: I've got a Kicker CX1200.1 Amp to play with, 1200w RMS @ 2 ohms.

Available Space: I have no more than 14 inches of height to play with. Width need not exceed 30 inches, and I have up to 18 inches of depth.

Goals: I want a setup that has a great deal of SPL but also has a clean musical sound. If 1 is pure SPL and 10 is a pure SQ setup. I'm looking for about a 6. I'm kinda thinking 3 or 4 subs in a sealed box. I've had 2 12s ported, 1 12 ported, 1 15 ported and 1 15 sealed. The one that I thought had the best sound (most musical) was the sealed 15 (SQ HDS215 600w RMS) but it didn't have enough boom, so I kind of want to get 3 or 4 12s and put them in a relatively large sealed enclosure.

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[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I have been wondering something for a little while now. Ever since I started really getting into car audio about 5 years ago, I learned about all these different brands I'd never heard of before. Brands like SoundQubed(Audioque), Fi Audio, DC, Sundown and basically everything on soundsolutionsaudio.com; What makes them so different from more mainstream brands like Alpine, Rockford Fosgate, JL Audio, Kicker and Memphis?
Is it really just a price thing? The bigger mainstream brands just charge more money for the same product? Or is there something else to it?

I've had 2 sets of kicker 12's, 2 07 Comps and 2 07 CVRs. I've had a JL10W3, and I currently am running an Alpine Type X 12" ported at 37hz.

I've also had a model of 2013 Fi Audio SSD 15" stock, ported tuned at 34hz and right before I bought the Alpine Type X, I had a SoundQubed HDS200 15" in a sealed box.

The Fi SSD 15", powered by a Hifonics Gladiator series 1400 watt amp @ 1 ohm, replaced the 2 kicker CVR 12s running on a Hifonics 1000W RMS amp @ 1 ohm and it was definitely a huge improvement. Of course I expected such considering it was a $250 subwoofer. It was extremely loud and clean sounding, much more so than the CVRs, more SPL and better SQ with less cone area, but with about 300 more watts and what I guessed was just fantastic specs in every way better than the CVRs combined.

But to get the equivalent sub from kicker at that time, you'd be getting a 15" L7. which are twice as much. They are listed at $499 on crutchfield.

If they are able to mass produce their products the way that they do why wouldn't their products be less expensive, and the smaller brands like I mentioned more expensive...like a Ferrari vs a Mustang GT.

Currently I have to say that my Alpine Type X system is the best sounding setup i've had ever before followed by the Fi SSD15. The SSD15 did have a little bit more SPL and get a little bit lower, I'd say that all things considered I prefer the sound of the Type X because it seems to play the 55-80hz range much better. This is surely also because I have the type x in an 08 malibu, sub and port forward with the rear seats down and the box pulled all the way back towards the tail lights. While the SSD was sub up port back, in the very middle of the trunk of a 2001 BMW 525i which only had a ski hole, rear seats did not come down. I'm willing to bet that if I had the SSD in my current vehicle set up the same way then it'd probably sound better.

TLDR:

Is it really just brand names that you're paying for? Did companies like Alpine used to be much smaller the way a company like SoundQubed is now? How can it be that you can get a 1200W RMS subwoofer that is supposedly of very good build quality such as the SQ HDS300 series for $170~?

Every single other brand name on the market would be charging you at least twice that price for a similarly rated subwoofer. So what gives? What's everyone's general opinons on SoundQubed here?

I can't keep the same subwoofer setup for more than a year. I'm always wanting to try out new and different types of setups. So I'm beginning to do some research for what I want next.

Size preference: I want either 12s or 15s

Budget: I don't want to pay much more than $250

Power: I've got a Kicker CX1200.1 Amp to play with, 1200w RMS @ 2 ohms.

Available Space: I have no more than 14 inches of height to play with. Width need not exceed 30 inches, and I have up to 18 inches of depth.

Goals: I want a setup that has a great deal of SPL but also has a clean musical sound. If 1 is pure SPL and 10 is a pure SQ setup. I'm looking for about a 6. I'm kinda thinking 3 or 4 subs in a sealed box. I've had 2 12s ported, 1 12 ported, 1 15 ported and 1 15 sealed. The one that I thought had the best sound (most musical) was the sealed 15 (SQ HDS215 600w RMS) but it didn't have enough boom, so I kind of want to get 3 or 4 12s and put them in a relatively large sealed enclosure.

your space, you can only do a single 12 in a proper ported. Performance is all about the enclosure and loading. Not the sub. Sub is irrelevant after a certain point. BOX design is EVERYTHING.

this is a pair of 8s on less than 400 watts. Louder than and WAAAAY better sounding than all poorly done dual 12 setups out there. aka prefab boxes.

https://vid.me/DIQz

If you are in the mindset that subwoofer determines the bulk of your sound, you'll never achieve anything better than mediocre results. Emphasize on superior box design and install and even a flea market sub can win spl and SQ competitions.

 

[dcoils101]

If you are in the mindset that subwoofer determines the bulk of your sound, you'll never achieve anything better than mediocre results. Emphasize on superior box design and install and even a flea market sub can win spl and SQ competitions.

honestly i could probably go up to 35 inches wide and 18 inches deep.

Yes, I know that your subwoofer is only as good as the box that's been built for it. that said, you don't know how large you know your box needs to be until you've picked your sub. It's also true that you can't really pick a sub until you've set aside how much space you will use for the enclosure. our ways of thinking are just two different paths to the same destination. I know how to properly construct a box, i know the proper airspace ratios for the vent. i want to try out having like 3 12s or 4 10s, sealed, which would mean that I would be able to fit an enclosure with the proper size. it's my personal opinion that when you're planning to get 3 or more subs that are 12's or larger, then you should always go sealed. all that cone area is really going to move some air, i'm thinking 3 or 4 sundown LCS 12s.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

honestly i could probably go up to 35 inches wide and 18 inches deep.
Yes, I know that your subwoofer is only as good as the box that's been built for it. that said, you don't know how large you know your box needs to be until you've picked your sub. It's also true that you can't really pick a sub until you've set aside how much space you will use for the enclosure. our ways of thinking are just two different paths to the same destination. I know how to properly construct a box, i know the proper airspace ratios for the vent. i want to try out having like 3 12s or 4 10s, sealed, which would mean that I would be able to fit an enclosure with the proper size. it's my personal opinion that when you're planning to get 3 or more subs that are 12's or larger, then you should always go sealed. all that cone area is really going to move some air, i'm thinking 3 or 4 sundown LCS 12s.

Sealed or ported is dependent on the driver itself. Both can do the same thing. Ported will always be larger with a bump in output around tuning. You don't have to always go sealed unless the driver just won't work ported. That's silly to thing you have to because you have 3 subs.

 

[dcoils101]

You're right, a driver with a QTS of .5 or above is better suited to a sealed enclosure. It would be silly to think that I have to go sealed just because I have 3 subs. You're right that would be terribly funny, but since I only have room for one 12 inch driver ported properly, then I should probably go with a more compact sealed design, don't ya think?

 

[garychoffmann 10+ year member]

Mainstream brands you are paying for the companies infrastructure. Many more employees/marketing.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

You're right, a driver with a QTS of .5 or above is better suited to a sealed enclosure. It would be silly to think that I have to go sealed just because I have 3 subs. You're right that would be terribly funny, but since I only have room for one 12 inch driver ported properly, then I should probably go with a more compact sealed design, don't ya think?

if you wanna do 3 12s, go for it, just find drivers more suited towards sealed. the LCS hasnt published specs yet.

you can actually do two 12s ported if you use the right 12s.

these work very well in a small box.

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-rss315ho-4-12-reference-ho-subwoofer-4-ohm--295-466

 

[dcoils101]

Yeah but you see, i prefer the sound of a sealed enclosure more than ported. The last sub I had sealed was a 15 inch soundqubed HDS200. It had the best sound quality I've ever heard in any one of my setups. It played very smooth and had a flat response from 20hz up to 65hz,. But it would roll off sharply at each of those frequencies. My only complaint about it was the SPL. I traded up to this ported alpine type x 12" tuned at 37hz. It gets very loud and has a higher frequency response. It plays well up to 100hz and above, I have the LPF at 90hz with a - 18db/octave roll off, and my amp has a built in subsonic filter : 25hz -24/db/octave. The question I have with that is that I have a kicker cx1200.1 amp running on it at 2 ohms

My head unit is a kenwood DPX592bt with 4v preouts. It's only half way up and it occasionally tells me with a flashing red light that, according to the manual means low voltage. I'm about to do a big 3 and hook up a capacitor. And Ill be buying an optima yellow top as soon as I have the money. I bet I'll be able to crank up the gain and get that 1000 watts to it, I don't think with my current factory electrical I'm actually getting much more than 6 or 7 hundred watts to the sub. There's also a kicker 400.4 using power for 2 6.5" mid range woofers in the front, about 100 watts rms each. Would this extra power capacity I'm going to have, give my sub enough extra power to really shine? In a ported enclosure, Isn't most of the power used in frequency ranges close to an octave above tuning and All the ones below? In my case 25-36hz