Which brands produce a nice sound quality sub?

[mastershake575 10+ year member]

I wouldn't call them trash because they use Chinese build houses

That's exactly what you said in the last DD thread

the newer chinese mass market DDs ..arnt worth a crap .

I stocked up when I heard they were going to Chinese build houses

You literally said the Chinese stuff was crap and that was why you intentionally stocked up

Luckily they never declined, they where just adding a new price segment instead of competing against what they already had

but DD is just far from the quality it once was ..the Competition Lanes are proof of that ...90% of these SPL trophies and plaques were won with older DD subs not one was with newer DD subs

This statement doesn't show a decline in quality. Other brand catching up engineering wise and having more brands in the competition lane doesn't mean DD has lowered in quality, it means the industry overall has gotten better and improved which is what everyone should want.

You also have to factor in daily parameters, cooling, and customization options have all potentially gotten better with age but none of those 3 things will show up on a trophy case. Trophy case isn't the basis of something declining

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Powertuned, M series, and Neo are all amazing from DD. That user I originally quoted is stuck in the whole "ohh back in my day things where better" when that's not true with DD.

He's complained before that there trash now because they have a chinese line (redline) but that's completely irrelevant because the redline is not only solid but was designed for a price bracket that literally did not exist (redline is in no competition with any of the USA lines).

I actually like both the Brahma and Tumult more than the famous JBL WGTI series. Adire is rock solid

Apart from the MSRP I don't think anybody has ever said a bad word about DD-Z. What I don't like is they're starting to go with bigger gaps, 8 layer coils, and oddball diameter coils. IMO 3" 4 layer tight gap is still about the best balance for efficiency and power handling for practical applications, though the older 99XX series do hold their own. Also I've seen redlines in person and thought they performed great. On the fence about the value for the money in them but they're definitely not junk.

I have never seen WGti in action but those have been very highly regarded for subs that sound good and can take some power. Like I said, I have seen some Adire stuff around and they always do great.

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

That's exactly what you said in the last DD thread


You literally said the Chinese stuff was crap and that was why you intentionally stocked up

Luckily they never declined, they where just adding a new price segment instead of competing against what they already had

This statement doesn't show a decline in quality. Other brand catching up engineering wise and having more brands in the competition lane doesn't mean DD has lowered in quality, it means the industry overall has gotten better and improved which is what everyone should want.

You also have to factor in daily parameters, cooling, and customization options have all potentially gotten better with age but none of those 3 things will show up on a trophy case. Trophy case isn't the basis of something declining

I base it on what I see at the shows and people are buying..usually they buy whats winning ... I had a friend send me a couple of newer DD subs and they aren't what they use to be ..would I run them in a daily 135db system ...probably ..would I run them in a daily 150db system ...I don't think they'll do that so no . The new stuff is about like Kicker... nice average stuff ..but far above crap like new Blaupunkt or Pyle

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

Hello Everyone,
I've been saving money for long time, and it's time to start buying. I'm looking to do a nice sound quality build. I'm currently running a budget system, that's been great for what it is, but I'm looking to get a cleaner sound, a deep bass that feels like it surrounds you. I've heard bass like this from sealed enclosures in car trunks, and if I have to do a sealed build I will.

I have $2800 for the whole thing subs, amps, speakers, electrical, and a custom enclosure. I'm looking to do a 3-5k set-up. I have no idea which direction this build will go product wise, ported/sealed, how many subs, ect.

Some sub brands I like are Fi, Adire, SSA, Sundown, possibly Image Dynamics.

For an amp I'm not sure yet. Wolfram, SQ, Synergy, Crescendo, I don't know.


It's going to be my first sound quality set-up, and I hope it turns out pretty good. I'm going to start by getting subs and a amp. Do you all have any suggestions at which brands I should be looking at?

Thanks in advance.

Hello Everyone,
I've been saving money for long time, and it's time to start buying. I'm looking to do a nice sound quality build. I'm currently running a budget system, that's been great for what it is, but I'm looking to get a cleaner sound, a deep bass that feels like it surrounds you. I've heard bass like this from sealed enclosures in car trunks, and if I have to do a sealed build I will.

I have $2800 for the whole thing subs, amps, speakers, electrical, and a custom enclosure. I'm looking to do a 3-5k set-up. I have no idea which direction this build will go product wise, ported/sealed, how many subs, ect.

Some sub brands I like are Fi, Adire, SSA, Sundown, possibly Image Dynamics.

For an amp I'm not sure yet. Wolfram, SQ, Synergy, Crescendo, I don't know.


It's going to be my first sound quality set-up, and I hope it turns out pretty good. I'm going to start by getting subs and a amp. Do you all have any suggestions at which brands I should be looking at?

Thanks in advance.

I have a pair of original OZ Audio Matrix 10s bnib I bought for my Mustang but went a different route ...if your looking for some really nice high end SQ subs....

 

[mastershake575 10+ year member]

Apart from the MSRP I don't think anybody has ever said a bad word about DD-Z.

Yeah 9000 series and Z are still solid choices if you want an overbuilt subs that can take abuse and get loud. For daily setups the 1000-3500 series are what most would consider the perfect balance of SQ and motor force while still having that overbuilt feel

I have never seen WGti in action but those have been very highly regarded for subs that sound good and can take some power. Like I said, I have seen some Adire stuff around and they always do great.

Adire is solid for sure, the Brahma is basically the JL W6 killer and the Tumult is the W7 killer.[/QUOTE]

 

[bassheadbeck123]

Hello Everyone,
I've been saving money for long time, and it's time to start buying. I'm looking to do a nice sound quality build. I'm currently running a budget system, that's been great for what it is, but I'm looking to get a cleaner sound, a deep bass that feels like it surrounds you. I've heard bass like this from sealed enclosures in car trunks, and if I have to do a sealed build I will.

I have $2800 for the whole thing subs, amps, speakers, electrical, and a custom enclosure. I'm looking to do a 3-5k set-up. I have no idea which direction this build will go product wise, ported/sealed, how many subs, ect.

Some sub brands I like are Fi, Adire, SSA, Sundown, possibly Image Dynamics.

For an amp I'm not sure yet. Wolfram, SQ, Synergy, Crescendo, I don't know.


It's going to be my first sound quality set-up, and I hope it turns out pretty good. I'm going to start by getting subs and a amp. Do you all have any suggestions at which brands I should be looking at?

Thanks in advance.

The cleanest sub Ive ever heard sound quality is the power series focal subs are the best as far as sq goes.
their mids/highs are amazing as well. Hope I could help

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

If you are looking for small enclosure sound quality subwoofers, first thing that comes to my mind is CDT. The QEX-1220 works in 1cu.ft sealed and sound phenomenal doing it.

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

The Digital Designs 9100 was one of the best subs ever made SQ wise with the right amount of SPL they were hand built and are few and far in between... I still have a 10 I plan on using in a high end SQ build eventually... the motor structure was very unique on them ..way ahead of its time ...I think most of DDs products were at one time ...

 

[Gatorade]

Thanks for all the help fellas,

I'm pulling money from the sub/amp budget and putting in into the electrical budget. I haven't ordered yet, but I'm think I'm going with 2 Fi Q 12's sealed in two separate 1.15cu enclosures, pushed by a Wolfram W-3000.1d amp.

Again, thanks for all the input and advise.

 

[Firewalker]

You can't even get Q Series from Fi so idk where you are getting them. Also why 2 separate enclosures still. Also those Q Series are 1,750 watts RMS IDK if that 3,000 watt Wolfram is going to push them enough.

 

[mastershake575 10+ year member]

You can't even get Q Series from Fi so idk where you are getting them. Also why 2 separate enclosures still. Also those Q Series are 1,750 watts RMS IDK if that 3,000 watt Wolfram is going to push them enough.

Yeah no disrespect to the topic creator but I don't think he understood anything we told him. He's looking at 2 not every efficient SPL subs and trying to use them for a sealed SQ setup ? (what ?)

Your going to have to spend over a grand just in electrical upgrades just to even get these slightly moving and these subs love large ported boxes (your wasting these subs in a sealed setup, much better and more efficent options for sealed).

The problem is you desire SPL level wattage for your build but want suffocating SQ type box size/room. Your going to have to give or take (increase the size dramatically or lower the wattage and get more efficent SQ based subs)

 

[Dafaseles]

Thanks for all the help fellas,

I'm pulling money from the sub/amp budget and putting in into the electrical budget. I haven't ordered yet, but I'm think I'm going with 2 Fi Q 12's sealed in two separate 1.15cu enclosures, pushed by a Wolfram W-3000.1d amp.

Again, thanks for all the input and advise.

Coolhand20th and mastershake are right.
1- no Q's anymore, but the "replacement"is the 3.5 I believe.
2-I have Q's (4 12" neo) and I'll be pushing them with 2 Salt 4's. That wolfram might be a little low on power.
3 - low QTS. They like ported better than sealed. You should see how friggin big this 6th order I'm about to build is going to be.
4- electrical. I've got a 370a alt and a cyber 12k lithium.... I'm hoping that's enough. Might not be though

 

[Firewalker]

That wolfram is ok and all but there is no way it is going to power 2 Fi Q series subwoofers. And still separate boxes which isn't going to work all that well as many of us have said. Fi subs in general like ported better then sealed. I've seen ported boxes in a Mustang from that era I did one and it was ported. It can be done with 2 12" subwoofers or do 2 10" subwoofers if he wants to have some space either way ported is the way to go and never separate boxes it just isn't a good idea.

 

[Gatorade]

As you all have stated, I don't have a keen understanding of how things work in the modern car audio world.

I might need to start from scratch. Goodbye 2 sub sealed set-up, and hello one sub ported, and more electrical.

Sorry for being a car audio moron. I'm trying to figure a few things out. It looks like I need to research sub specs like qts, and so on.

 

[LsGuy]

As you all have stated, I don't have a keen understanding of how things work in the modern car audio world.

I might need to start from scratch. Goodbye 2 sub sealed set-up, and hello one sub ported, and more electrical.

Sorry for being a car audio moron. I'm trying to figure a few things out. It looks like I need to research sub specs like qts, and so on.

The important thing is that you are listening to the advice given and learning. I was in the exact same boat as you 6 months ago, and the advice given to me here has not done me wrong. So many people come here for advice and then don't take it.