sub box volume??

[yamahaSHO]

What is the internal box volume for the stock sub box. I want to put an 8" in but am stuck between two subs. First is a Kicker 8" DVC 200watts rms 400peak, 84db----next is a Cerwin-Vega HED 8" DVC 150watts rms 300pead, 88db. I know the volume the Kicker works in but not the Cerwin Vega.

Any answers/suggestions?

 

[naval-avi8or]

I would stick with the Kicker, higher quality. You can go to the websites for both and get the specs for the speakers. Another good one is JL audio but out of all the Kicker surpasses them espeacily in the power handling department. You can also check the Kicker solo baric L (square)series I've considered swaping mine out due to several advantages over the Comp VR.

 

[yamahaSHO]

naval-avi8or:
I would stick with the Kicker, higher quality. You can go to the websites for both and get the specs for the speakers. Another good one is JL audio but out of all the Kicker surpasses them espeacily in the power handling department. You can also check the Kicker solo baric L (square)series I've considered swaping mine out due to several advantages over the Comp VR.

The CerwinVega web site did not show the box parameters. The amp I amp running is only 150watts rms. I have had 2 vega12 subs before and loved them. So you think it would be best for the Kicker. I once was also thinking of the solobaric, but like I said, I am not running a whole lot of power.

 

[naval-avi8or]

You may not be running a whole lot now, but if you ever want to in the future than you will need to purchase a new speaker as well. There is not much of a price differance between the two. I'll see what I can find out about the Vegga.

 

[yamahaSHO]

naval-avi8or:
You may not be running a whole lot now, but if you ever want to in the future than you will need to purchase a new speaker as well. There is not much of a price differance between the two. I'll see what I can find out about the Vegga.

See,
I want to keep the system small. An 8" sub will do fine with a small in size 150 watt rms sub amp. I just want to make sure I get the better of the two subs.

 

[naval-avi8or]

Just keep in mind that a 150 watt sub at its max is much less efficant than running a 200 watt sub running at 150 watts. Also looking at the Vega web site they do have higher wattage subs. I think the one that you mentioned was there low end model. So if you are happy with Vega I'm sure it will be good speaker as well.

 

[thebigjimsho]

naval-avi8or:
Just keep in mind that a 150 watt sub at its max is much less efficant than running a 200 watt sub running at 150 watts. Also looking at the Vega web site they do have higher wattage subs. I think the one that you mentioned was there low end model. So if you are happy with Vega I'm sure it will be good speaker as well.

Not necessarily. Car audio is a funny thing. Wattage ratings can vary greatly from maker to maker. Not only in amps but in speakers as well.

Now, since you're talking about 8's, going above 150 watts isn't going to do much for you, being such a small driver. 100-150 watts is fine. Remember too, that each speaker has an efficiency rating that is pretty reliable. Thet CV is rated 4dB more efficient. That means your 150 watts will be doing more in the CV than the Kicker. Shop around and find whats best for you.

 

[yamahaSHO]

<strong>[/QUOTE]Not necessarily. Car audio is a funny thing. Wattage ratings can vary greatly from maker to maker. Not only in amps but in speakers as well.

Now, since you're talking about 8's, going above 150 watts isn't going to do much for you, being such a small driver. 100-150 watts is fine. Remember too, that each speaker has an efficiency rating that is pretty reliable. Thet CV is rated 4dB more efficient. That means your 150 watts will be doing more in the CV than the Kicker. Shop around and find whats best for you.</strong>[/QUOTE]

Exactly what I was going to say. 4db is a big difference, meaning it needs half the power to get the same loudness.

 

[naval-avi8or]

I used a bad word for what I was trying to explain. If you eun that 150 watt speaker at 150 watts you will be maxing out the cones/coils travle. If you put that same amount of wattage through the 200 watt coil you using around 3/4 of its max. This will give you a buffer for when you amp produces peak voltage. Also just beware of the smoke and mirrors that can be produced on those so called spec sheets. CV does make several different models of subs. One thing that did impress me was that the CV droped down to 25Hz verses Kickers 30Hz. I do however wonder if an 8" sub can carry that freq and still maintain a quality sound. Also don't get to rapped around those Db #'S. Your defintly not going to go do any comp stuff with the set up your attempting to build. The db range that the human ear can distingish a difference in is much much lower than any of the numbers on these subs. You would have to use a spectrum analizer to see the difference.

 

[thebigjimsho]

naval-avi8or:
I used a bad word for what I was trying to explain. If you eun that 150 watt speaker at 150 watts you will be maxing out the cones/coils travle. If you put that same amount of wattage through the 200 watt coil you using around 3/4 of its max. This will give you a buffer for when you amp produces peak voltage. Also just beware of the smoke and mirrors that can be produced on those so called spec sheets. CV does make several different models of subs. One thing that did impress me was that the CV droped down to 25Hz verses Kickers 30Hz. I do however wonder if an 8" sub can carry that freq and still maintain a quality sound. Also don't get to rapped around those Db #'S. Your defintly not going to go do any comp stuff with the set up your attempting to build. The db range that the human ear can distingish a difference in is much much lower than any of the numbers on these subs. You would have to use a spectrum analizer to see the difference.

Yeah, I understood on that first part what you meant. Remember, though, that with subs, you feel as much as you hear. Now I'm not saying the CV will be twice as loud, but for every 3dB, you practically double your output. Now, by no means will the CV put out twice the output of the Kicker. But with the same parameters for both subs, it can be quite a noticable difference. And the CV has a lower frequency range. But maybe the CV can't hit it just right between 25-100hz. Maybe the Kicker has a better response between 30-100hz, it just can't get down to 25. But if it doesn't sound good at 25, what's it matter.

Point is, I have 2 a/d/s/ rs10.2 subs in my Accord coupe. They were each built into a rear corner of my trunk. The volume is small, which helps in quick, hard hitting thumps but won't rock the neighborhood. The great thing about subs is that they sound comparable in your trunk to the showroom. Get the one you like best for what you listen to.

 

[yamahaSHO]

Well, I decided to go with the Cerwin Vega. Etronics ran out of Kicker so I cancelled and ordered the CV. When it is in I will let you know if it was what I was looking for.
thanks for all the help

<small>[ September 12, 2002, 12:25 AM: Message edited by: yamahaSHO ]</small>

 

[D. Avino]

I know that this is a little late since the decision has already been made, but I have some input for future readers. I don't want to step on anyone's toes since I am a new user, but I do have some input on this matter. The first fallacy that I noticed in the above thread is that subs sound the same in a show room as they do in a car. The fact of the matter is that is just wrong. Cars have what is called cabin gain. This is why cars can have increadible amounts of bass, using less power and smaller drivers than a home system. Typical cabin gain in an automobile is 12 db. In many cases, smaller subs, that normally would only play down to 40 or 30 hz can play all the way down to 20 hz effortlessly. However, that is not to say that this has not been taken into consideration when the manufacturer wrote up the specs. It is important to find out whether or not the figures you are reading are taken with a car audio environment factored in or not. The other thing that bothered me is that no one gave an answer to the original question: what is the internal volume of the stock sub box. This is extremely important and would be what drives the decision on which sub to use. An otherwise excellent sub woofer will sound like garbage in the incorrect enclosure. Also as a note, playing down to 20 or 25 hz really isn't that important, the majority of music doesn't even play that low, unless you listen to very bass heavy music. In most cases, the majority of the bass information is above 30 hz.

Hopefully this clears a few things up, and helps some people in the future.

Dave

 

[naval-avi8or]

D. Avino:
The other thing that bothered me is that no one gave an answer to the original question: what is the internal volume of the stock sub box. This is extremely important and would be what drives the decision on which sub to use. An otherwise excellent sub woofer will sound like garbage in the incorrect enclosure. Also as a note, playing down to 20 or 25 hz really isn't that important, the majority of music doesn't even play that low, unless you listen to very bass heavy music. In most cases, the majority of the bass information is above 30 hz.

Hopefully this clears a few things up, and helps some people in the future.

Dave

Myself and yamahaSHO had corresponded by other means and I had already informed him of the enclosure volume. Thanks for pointing it out as i was sure I had it in my post. The enclosure yeilds .5 cubic feet, In my research I have only found 2-3 8" subs that were designed to operate within or slightly smaller enclosures.

 

[DJ SHO]

Depending on how much output you're looking for, why not try a free-air sub in your application? There have been a few SHO's around here that have done this. Jim Grubbs' 93 ATX had a free air JL Audio 10" sub in the rear deck. Click on his link about the setup. Since you're already going to be modifying the stock box to accept an 8" driver, why not modify the opening in the rear deck to accomodate a 10" free-air subwoofer instead? There are many to choose from, and they are designed to give you a frequency response of a similar driver in a smaller (normal sized) enclosure. This way, you will improve the bass over that of an 8" driver, and at the same time keep the installation simple.

Just my .02

<small>[ September 23, 2002, 02:11 AM: Message edited by: DJ SHO ]</small>