Why do my subs sound so weak?

[cyberbob121]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum but thought this was the perfect place to ask my question as I am definitely not an expert. So I have a pair of Kicker CVT102 10" 2 Ohm single voice coil shallow mount 10's. They are 400 RMS at 2 ohm and I have them wired parallel to an older Kenwood KAC-9103D 1800W mono amp. If I have this figured out correctly, wiring them in parallel should be giving me about 450 watts per side RMS at 1 ohm. I have them in rhino lined Q bomb shallow boxes under the seats of my Tacoma Tundra. Now I know this setup is not the greatest equipment but it hardly bumps at all, even with the gain cranked. It just seems like there is something definitely wrong. I'm also running a Pioneer 8100NEX head unit and have been messing with the setup for weeks. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

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[BSchrowang]

Wired out of phase. One sub is pushing while the other is pulling. Double check your wiring

 

[The_Quiet_One 10+ year member]

Agree with above: Check your wiring to make sure they aren't out of phase (one may be wired backwards)

Also check your Head Unit. I want to say when I ran a Pioneer HU it had a sub output "volume" for the RCA signal.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum but thought this was the perfect place to ask my question as I am definitely not an expert. So I have a pair of Kicker CVT102 10" 2 Ohm single voice coil shallow mount 10's. They are 400 RMS at 2 ohm and I have them wired parallel to an older Kenwood KAC-9103D 1800W mono amp. If I have this figured out correctly, wiring them in parallel should be giving me about 450 watts per side RMS at 1 ohm. I have them in rhino lined Q bomb shallow boxes under the seats of my Tacoma Tundra. Now I know this setup is not the greatest equipment but it hardly bumps at all, even with the gain cranked. It just seems like there is something definitely wrong. I'm also running a Pioneer 8100NEX head unit and have been messing with the setup for weeks. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

Bothell WA?

Agreed with the other fellas....wiring outta phase. Easy way to check that is if the subs are moving like crazy but no bass.

 

[cyberbob121]

I checked the wiring and it all looks right. I even took out a sub and just ran one and I still don't seem to be getting the bass I should be outta even one CVT. I checked the subs when they were on and they definitely have bass coming out just doesn't seem like they are hitting as loud as they should. I had one 12 jl w3 In a stealth box with a tiny 400 watt mono in my last xterra and it hit way harder.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Can you get pics of your set up? It could be amp settings then.

Who installed the audio?

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I checked the wiring and it all looks right. I even took out a sub and just ran one and I still don't seem to be getting the bass I should be outta even one CVT. I checked the subs when they were on and they definitely have bass coming out just doesn't seem like they are hitting as loud as they should. I had one 12 jl w3 In a stealth box with a tiny 400 watt mono in my last xterra and it hit way harder.

First off face your subs against a solid wall aka the rear truck wall or downwards.

volume on the head unit at 80% sub level max, bass boost off, loudness off.

no bass boost on the amp, raise the gain until your subs stop getting louder.

 

[iLL Ridge 10+ year member]

A friend of mine's had the same subs in a shallow mount enclosure------ WEAK AS FUUUK!!

Switched them to a larger ported box----- still *****!!

Bottom line-- those subs ****.

 

[cyberbob121]

It was hooked up at Stereo Warehouse. I can try and get a picture of the amp settings but its kind of hard to get under there. What should the settings be set to? I have messed with the gain up and down and the boost but it hasn't changed anything significantly. Don't get me wrong, they still hit, I just can't believe these subs hit this weak with that much watts. I've read reviews of the subs on Amazon to make sure its not the subs and people give them decent reviews and say they hit pretty hard considering they are shallow mount subs. I didn't buy them, they came with the truck, I'm just trying to get them sounding right.

 

[EnvoyDenalii]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum but thought this was the perfect place to ask my question as I am definitely not an expert. So I have a pair of Kicker CVT102 10" 2 Ohm single voice coil shallow mount 10's. They are 400 RMS at 2 ohm and I have them wired parallel to an older Kenwood KAC-9103D 1800W mono amp. If I have this figured out correctly, wiring them in parallel should be giving me about 450 watts per side RMS at 1 ohm. I have them in rhino lined Q bomb shallow boxes under the seats of my Tacoma Tundra. Now I know this setup is not the greatest equipment but it hardly bumps at all, even with the gain cranked. It just seems like there is something definitely wrong. I'm also running a Pioneer 8100NEX head unit and have been messing with the setup for weeks. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks[/quote,
not to be mean but you have 2 $100 10 inch subs on a $160 amp and they are shallow mount in a pre-fab box, what are you expecting? I mean no disrespect but you get what you pay for. also shallow mount subs are not going to hit as hard as regular sized subs. Then you have the box which not only is it pre fab but its an under the seat box which again isnt going to hit as hard as a ported regular size box. also the gain is not a bass volume knob either, it shoud be set to what the head unit puts out. heres some good info on setting gain Amplifier Gain Controls hope that helps. good luck

 

[cyberbob121]

I don't feel disrespected as I did not purchase this equipment it was already in my truck, but that being said, regardless of the sales price on these items, at one point they were more expensive, and they still should put out much more bass than they are. I have read countless reviews of people running these same subs in the same type of boxes under the seats of their trucks and having them "pound." I was more or less trying to see if it was something to do with the amp because I know full well many amps are way overrated. I don't want to go and buy another amp to replace this Kenwood only to have the subs sound exactly the same. I originally had a big *** ported box under the seat with these subs in them, and they did hit harder per say but they sounded like ****, which is why I went to these smaller boxes. Are you saying the loss in bass is because of the box choice because the last box sounded terrible. You could hear the subs slapping inside the box there was some much extra space.

 

[iLL Ridge 10+ year member]

Like i said man, they're just no good.

I hooked up more power to the cvt's in a ported box,,, they couldn't take ANY significant power..

I'm talking about they started to get stinky before you could even feel the bass.

WEAK.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Stereo Warehouse in Seattle? Go back and tell them to fix it. Crying about it on here isn't gonna solve anything. Well we can try and help but still.

I just don't understand people sometimes....