yet another "my subs not hitting like i want them to" thread...

[allyourblood 10+ year member]

my setup is in my sig, below. my Sony crapxials and HU aside, why aren't my subs hitting that hard? i know, we all hate those comparison posts, but... well, i don't know how to finish that sentence:

my pal's got a Jeep Cherokee. he's running a Pioneer/Premier DEH-P4500MP to a Jensen amp, 300w total. he's using all 6 channels: powering 2 Pioneer 6.5"s and 2 Sony Xplod 6.5"s. lastly, he's got both bass channels running to two 10" (100w RMS) JBLs in a sealed box. he threw in some hardcore cd (Thunderdome 13 or some such thing), and proceeded to give me chest pains. the hair on the back of my neck was bristling. he's got it all wired up wicked-skank, with mismatched wires, and 8ga power (not that that's bad).

the point: why the deuce isn't mine hitting like this? i'm giving them tons more power (400w to both, 200w each), they hit deeper (this i can hear for sure), and i'm fairly adept at tuning/tweaking my system.

my theory:

...i'm just not cranking my gain and level enough. i've not played with these too much because i'm never in a good spot to crank it all up, without pissing off the neighbors or alerting thieves to my goodies.

...i also took into account that he runs his system in his jeep, with no separation between him and his subs (besides their being in a sealed box). while pondering this, i flipped my seats down to allow the subs to get at the air in the whole car. i did not notice a significant change in loudness.

my question: why do you think this is? is his setup just louder/harder than mine, regardless of power? do you suppose my gain and level are not cranked up enough? did i buy tainted wang dust?

don't get me wrong: this is my pal. i'm not out to "shut him up" or anything of the sort. i AM however, jealous of his hit factor, and would like to achieve the same with my current setup. if you all need any more info on either setup regarding specs, let me know. thanks for any tips...

abe m.

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[forbidden 10+ year member]

Did you check to make sure that your subs are in phase. Next is cabin gain, this does relate alot to the output of the system, his vehicle and most hatchback type vehicles have much greater cabin gain due to the design of the vehicle. You have already found this out by lowering your rear seat. You need to create a better path for the output of the subs to get into the vehicle. Talk to someone with your hand an inch away from your mouth and you will get the idea. Another option for you is more power to help overcome the mounting limitations taking into concern the capabilities of the subs. A gain of 3 db in poutput will require an amp of double the size of what you are using now. Lastly if these subs can play in a ported enclosure, get them in there, this will also gain you a lot more bottom end in most cases as well as a gain of 3 db in output levels.

 

[allyourblood 10+ year member]

yeah, i've read they run alright in a ported box, but i'm pretty set on my sealed one, because first and foremost i'm after SQ. so, if what you're purporting is true, then his loudness is due mostly to his cabin gain. i suppose that makes sense. but, if you'll read my post again, i was saying that i DIDN'T notice any change in volume when i put the seats down, at least not signifcantly.

i guess i'm content. i didn't necessarily wanna be louder than him, i was more interested in WHY i wasn't louder. still puzzling though...

abe m.

 

[allyourblood 10+ year member]

listened to his stuff again last nite. it's still baffling me. would facing my subs toward the car make much difference? what effect would this have?

abe m.

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

i think it's because his car is open. i had an s-10 blazer then i bought a grand prix put the same exact system in the grand prix and it wasn't as loud. is his car sound deadened? try sound dampining your car if you haven't already.

 

[allyourblood 10+ year member]

nope. he's not sound-deadened at all. that's wild that his Jeep would be that much louder due to it's open design, but i'm sort of understanding it. maybe the overall shape and length of his car add to its resonance or something....

abe m.