SkizzDawg
CarAudio.com Newbie
Hello all, new to the forum but not car audio. I have been out of the "game" (not been following all the latest companies and trends) for a good 12 or so years.
I think the problem all started a Couple months back when I upgraded my wife's car system, added a Kenwood touch screen HU with all the fun modern touches along with new door speakers.
Well the audio upgrade bug bit me. I got the urge and had to update my head unit but also needed to keep the price down, and man it was slim pickings with this "shortage" going on.
I ended up replacing my old Pioneer DEH-P800PRS with a Kenwood DMX 706s. After changed out HU's I felt like my sub a JL12W3v2 powered by a JL XD600 was also in need of something, a new box, a different amp or replace all together? Soo down the rabbit hole I went. Sub has been in the same off the shelf Sealed pre fab box since i bought it. i always felt the box was on the smaller size and after finding myself in said rabbit hole, it is on the smaller size. SInce i already had a sealed box I picked up a ported enclosure made to "JL specs" (1.75 cf) and tuned at 30. Some songs it really shines but in general It hits ok but it doesn't "pound" like i feel it should and lacks the punch it had. Now i am wondering if i should have gone with a sealed box to spec, if i should get a 12W6 or another brand 12" all together or should i have left my system alone and lived with the old tech HU?
My musical tastes are all over the place. Rock, Rap, Hip Hop, Pop, Country, Electronic.
My Car is an 06 Subaru Sti (sedan) rear seats do not fold down and there is no ski pass through like some Subaru's have (x-brace would have blocked it anyways)
HU is Kenwood DMX 706s, Alpine SPX-17 PRO 6.5's in all 4 doors powered by a JL HD 600/4.
to power my sub i have a JL XD 600 or a down4sound JP8 to choose from. I have tried both amps with the current sub/ported enclosure and yeah, i feel like its lacking something.
So back to my question at hand, what would you all recommend? (enclosure size wise, the size of my current ported box is as large as i would like to go and if possible, smaller)
A proper sealed enclosure for my current JL 12W3v2?
Swap the w3 for a w6 (freaking expensive as hell. really worth it?)
A different sub that would work in the ported enclosure i have (save me some coin, that be nice)?
A diff sub/box combo all together?
*Edit. moment of clarity/Update*
Could it be the head unit swap (probably)? I didn't even think of this before and writing out this post got me thinking and the light bulbs started brightening up. Old head unit has a 16 band eq with these 4 frequencies on the "low end" 20—31.5—50—80 vs the kenwood's 13 band eq that only offers 62.5 with the next frequency being 100. (one thing to note that the kenwood does. I can turn on a four-step Bass Boost (Off/1/2/3) to enhance the lower frequencies. When "Bass DC Extension is turned on, frequencies lower than 62.5 Hz are set to the same gain level as 62.5 Hz is set to).
Thanks for your thoughts all.
I think the problem all started a Couple months back when I upgraded my wife's car system, added a Kenwood touch screen HU with all the fun modern touches along with new door speakers.
Well the audio upgrade bug bit me. I got the urge and had to update my head unit but also needed to keep the price down, and man it was slim pickings with this "shortage" going on.
I ended up replacing my old Pioneer DEH-P800PRS with a Kenwood DMX 706s. After changed out HU's I felt like my sub a JL12W3v2 powered by a JL XD600 was also in need of something, a new box, a different amp or replace all together? Soo down the rabbit hole I went. Sub has been in the same off the shelf Sealed pre fab box since i bought it. i always felt the box was on the smaller size and after finding myself in said rabbit hole, it is on the smaller size. SInce i already had a sealed box I picked up a ported enclosure made to "JL specs" (1.75 cf) and tuned at 30. Some songs it really shines but in general It hits ok but it doesn't "pound" like i feel it should and lacks the punch it had. Now i am wondering if i should have gone with a sealed box to spec, if i should get a 12W6 or another brand 12" all together or should i have left my system alone and lived with the old tech HU?
My musical tastes are all over the place. Rock, Rap, Hip Hop, Pop, Country, Electronic.
My Car is an 06 Subaru Sti (sedan) rear seats do not fold down and there is no ski pass through like some Subaru's have (x-brace would have blocked it anyways)
HU is Kenwood DMX 706s, Alpine SPX-17 PRO 6.5's in all 4 doors powered by a JL HD 600/4.
to power my sub i have a JL XD 600 or a down4sound JP8 to choose from. I have tried both amps with the current sub/ported enclosure and yeah, i feel like its lacking something.
So back to my question at hand, what would you all recommend? (enclosure size wise, the size of my current ported box is as large as i would like to go and if possible, smaller)
A proper sealed enclosure for my current JL 12W3v2?
Swap the w3 for a w6 (freaking expensive as hell. really worth it?)
A different sub that would work in the ported enclosure i have (save me some coin, that be nice)?
A diff sub/box combo all together?
*Edit. moment of clarity/Update*
Could it be the head unit swap (probably)? I didn't even think of this before and writing out this post got me thinking and the light bulbs started brightening up. Old head unit has a 16 band eq with these 4 frequencies on the "low end" 20—31.5—50—80 vs the kenwood's 13 band eq that only offers 62.5 with the next frequency being 100. (one thing to note that the kenwood does. I can turn on a four-step Bass Boost (Off/1/2/3) to enhance the lower frequencies. When "Bass DC Extension is turned on, frequencies lower than 62.5 Hz are set to the same gain level as 62.5 Hz is set to).
Thanks for your thoughts all.
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