What model/make out of these subs is best?

[Phatmat 10+ year member]

I am new to car audio, and would like to set up a cheap sub/amp in my car. I have been doing some research, and have come across these affordable sub models to me, though I'm not sure which is best - In regards to performance and quality.

Also, to clear some things up, could someone help me on these issues:

1) If my sub is 1200W max and 400W RMS, should my amp be lower or higher than these figures? For example, say my amp is 1300W max and 500W RMS, will the speaker only draw up to 1200W max and 400W RMS, or will the amp force the full power (1300W max/500W RMS) into the sub and destroy it?

2) I am looking for max bass. From what I know, I should be looking for a high RMS and a high XMax for the most bass? Or are there other factors?

3) Can someone explain the ohms to me? I have seen some 2 ohm and some 4 ohm subs, which will have more power? And is each amp ohm-specific?

Now onto the sub models that I can afford and have access to buy. What do you recommend I use out of these subs? Or do you know another better sub for a price of around 100AUD?

Model 1: Pioneer TS-W307D4 12" ($107AUD)

Model 2: Kenwood KFC-W3011 12" ($86AUD)

Model 3: JVC CS-GX2200 12" ($97AUD)

Model 4: Clarion SRW1251 12" ($100AUD)

If anyone can help me on these questions it would be great, thanks!

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[BumpinTypeR 10+ year member]

if your sub is 400RMS you would be shooting for an amp that does 400RMS at the correct ohm load. But most amps (especially cheaper amps) dont do rated power. In this case, you should look for an amp that would do around 500RMS. You would then set the gain so that it is only doing around 400RMS...the amp will not automatically force the sub 500RMS.

Ohms is a measure of resistance. Resistance describes the forces that oppose the flow of electron current. 4ohms = higher resistance than 2ohms. Most cheaper amp will only be 8, 4 or 2 ohm stable. More expensive amps will be 1 ohm stable or maybe even less (like .5) Amps usually put out more RMS power at lower ohms (becasue there is less resistance) For example, you may find an amp that does 500RMS at 2ohms but only 350RMS at 4ohms...the way you wire your sub(s) to the amp decides whether the amp is putting out the power at 4 or 2ohms.

Subs come as single voice coil or dual voice coil. usually more expensive subs and dual voice coil, but not in all cases. Dual voice coil subs give you more ways to wire them.

The subs you are looking at are most likely single voice coil 4ohm subs (but im not positive i didnt look them up) and in this case you can only wire them to an amp at 4ohms. So if you have a single voice coil 4ohm sub that can handle 400RMS, you want an amp that does 400RMS at 4ohms.

But if you sub was a 4ohm DUAL VOICE COIL sub, it could be wired at a 2 or 8 ohm load. It is easier/cheaper to find an amp that does 400RMS at 2ohms than it is to find an amp that does 400RMS at 4ohms.

Also, the sub enclosure is extremely important if you want great bass. A pre-fab box will not be as good as a custom box. Custom boxes are also cheaper, but take some time to make. Ported is also usually louder than sealed.

Hope this helps

 

[maddskillzz 10+ year member]

Very well explained.... now about your sub choices...i hate it when you give people 4 or 5 choices to tell you whats best and they throw a thousand others for the same price range...but im gonna do it too...lol....im going to assume all those subs are single voice coil 4 ohm subs which as TypeR explained an amp cost more for 400 watts at 4ohms than 400 at 2ohms so im going to suggest getting something dual voice coil 4 ohm.. RE SE D4 is dual 4 ohm and its about 124 shipped....im sure there are alot of others that are around the same price but i own these and i know they bang and if you read around you will see thousands of people recommending them..but basically i think what you should be looking for is a dual voice coil 4ohm sub..

if your sub is 400RMS you would be shooting for an amp that does 400RMS at the correct ohm load. But most amps (especially cheaper amps) dont do rated power. In this case, you should look for an amp that would do around 500RMS. You would then set the gain so that it is only doing around 400RMS...the amp will not automatically force the sub 500RMS.
Ohms is a measure of resistance. Resistance describes the forces that oppose the flow of electron current. 4ohms = higher resistance than 2ohms. Most cheaper amp will only be 8, 4 or 2 ohm stable. More expensive amps will be 1 ohm stable or maybe even less (like .5) Amps usually put out more RMS power at lower ohms (becasue there is less resistance) For example, you may find an amp that does 500RMS at 2ohms but only 350RMS at 4ohms...the way you wire your sub(s) to the amp decides whether the amp is putting out the power at 4 or 2ohms.

Subs come as single voice coil or dual voice coil. usually more expensive subs and dual voice coil, but not in all cases. Dual voice coil subs give you more ways to wire them.

The subs you are looking at are most likely single voice coil 4ohm subs (but im not positive i didnt look them up) and in this case you can only wire them to an amp at 4ohms. So if you have a single voice coil 4ohm sub that can handle 400RMS, you want an amp that does 400RMS at 4ohms.

But if you sub was a 4ohm DUAL VOICE COIL sub, it could be wired at a 2 or 8 ohm load. It is easier/cheaper to find an amp that does 400RMS at 2ohms than it is to find an amp that does 400RMS at 4ohms.

Also, the sub enclosure is extremely important if you want great bass. A pre-fab box will not be as good as a custom box. Custom boxes are also cheaper, but take some time to make. Ported is also usually louder than sealed.

Hope this helps

 

[BumpinTypeR 10+ year member]

Very well explained.... now about your sub choices...i hate it when you give people 4 or 5 choices to tell you whats best and they throw a thousand others for the same price range...but im gonna do it too...lol....im going to assume all those subs are single voice coil 4 ohm subs which as TypeR explained an amp cost more for 400 watts at 4ohms than 400 at 2ohms so im going to suggest getting something dual voice coil 4 ohm.. RE SE D4 is dual 4 ohm and its about 124 shipped....im sure there are alot of others that are around the same price but i own these and i know they bang and if you read around you will see thousands of people recommending them..but basically i think what you should be looking for is a dual voice coil 4ohm sub..

I agree. I also went with a dual voice voil 4ohm sub....and i have only heard good things about RE

 

[maddskillzz 10+ year member]

yeah thats why i went with them..you never will hear anything bad about RE's or Alpine TypeR's either but im not sure you can get a TypeR at that price.. I had some TypeE's that really sounded awesome but you couldnt do just one...one sounded terrible and when you hooked up the other it sounded like the sound tripled

 

[Phatmat 10+ year member]

I went into an audio shop and listened to the Pioneer sub (model in my first post) and I could barely hear it. It was as if it was sub-zero-bass. I then compared the 400W RMS Pioneer to the 100W RMS Kicker and the Kicker blew the pioneer away, even at one quarter of the power.

I am not too sure if I can get RE Audio subs, since I am in Australia, but I've got another choice. Has anyone ever heard the Kicker CompVR (http://www.kicker.com/compvr). If anyone knows, how would this sub compare in audio quality and bass to the RE Audio SE 12" sub?

Also, I was looking to power the sub from a Pioneer amp, model Pioneer GM-5300T (as it is on special at my local shop).

In audio views, is an amp an amp? I know that there is great variation in subs, the lower quality subs perform less, give less bass, etc. What if I get the Kicker CompVR, with the pioneer sub, would that still perform well? Because is there such a thing as an amp greatly reducing the subs sound quality and bass (e.g. A 400W RMS Kicker sub running the CompVR compared to a 400W RMS Pioneer sub?)?

 

[BumpinTypeR 10+ year member]

^^ i think you meant to say amp instead of sub a few times but i have also heard good things about the kicker CompVR. There is a vid on youtube with a single 12" CVR that flexes the roof.

That amp is a 2-channel, you would probably be better with a 1 channel but it might be ok for what you want. That sub is 400RMS and it is dual voice coil, so you would want the 2ohm dual voice coil verison if you wanted to use that pioneer amp. This is becasue that amp can only be bridged at 4ohms, and a 2ohm dual voice coil sub can be wired at 4ohms or 1ohm. A dual voice coil 4ohm sub can be wired at 2 or 8 ohms.

But i would loook into a hifonics or profile mono amp that does around 400RMS at 2ohms for the dual voice coil 4ohm CVR...i have heard good things about both and they are cheap