idiot

Hmm, might back off the LMS-R then until it gets vetted by more users. And I'll definitely take all those drivers under consideration, thanks! Although I admit that I'm starting to itch for a Shiva with a PR if I can swing the box design and volume. We'll see--never built one of those before. For a front amp, I'm really intrigued by--and this surprised the hell outta me--the old Kenwood X4R. My Denford is barebones in terms of processing, so having a parametric EQ and TA onboard the amp is a strong draw. However, running components on a Class D used to be frowned upon, so that's probably my biggest hesitation. Not sure it's a valid concern these days. Otherwise they seem to be a cheap version of Zapco DCs, which is always welcome. Any thoughts? Any similar amps with some DSP capabilities out there?

Awesome feedback, thanks! That Shiva-X2 is looking like a mighty fine option. I'm also curious about the Fi Q12 and TC's LMS-R 12", although I haven't found much in the way of direct reviews/comparisons yet. And it also looks like there was some drama with TC Sounds going bankrupt for a while, and so I'm a bit confused if this is even the same company with a catalog full of Thilo's designs or just something else pieced together from the ashes that managed to keep the name. I've missed so much! The SI driver is interesting, but looks to be unavailable for now. Anything else you think should make my short list apart from those three above?

No fancy crossovers or signal manipulation, but the 8250 is one of the finest head units I've owned. Glad it's still around. Has an aux-in for my Zune, which is all I need. Ahh, glad to see that Adire is still around in some capacity. The Shiva was a lower line than the Brahma back in the day, but it sounds like they're more comparable now? Any other XBL^2 drivers out there anymore? On the subject of motor designs, last time I was around it was looking like TC Sounds was going all-in on the LMT tech. Now I'm seeing something called FEA on their drivers? Is that just some fancy name for traditional split coil or what? Anyone have a handy link giving me some kind of comparison with the other topologies?

Yep, definitely SQ-oriented. I never really used the full SPL capacity of my 15", so I'm hoping that a long-throw 12" will let me reduce box volume while maintaining similar output levels and low-end extension. I had a 3 ft.^3 enclosure before, so nothing larger than that. Size is one reason I'll probably stick with sealed. I can has cargo space.

An interesting thing happened in my system recently. I

I had some scraps of Peal & Seal lying around after I had finished my box, so I used them to line the inside of my (fiberglass) enclosure. As far as I can tell, it made absolutely no difference.

Same here.

Too ugly. I like the brushed aluminum classiness, since it sorta matches the cheap, painted aluminum plastic surrounding it. Here's my current dash: Not the best lighting in the world, but you get the idea. I think that I'm slowly falling for the P880, despite the motorized face.

Anyone remember these? RFX8250? The major HU boner from a year or two ago? Anyway, I bought one on sale from Sounddomain and have been using it for maybe a year and a half. The other day, the aux input suddenly decided to stop working, and I don

Pretty much what they told me. Did you try talking to Denon? I'd hate to see the 2-way shipping cost of sending that thing to Japan (plus any repair)... I've sorta resigned myself to getting a new HU, at this point. I just wish that the P880 didn't have that damn motorized face that makes the front stick out so far. I like my HU's flush with my dash and sexy-sleek. For some reason, that's hard to find in the mid-priced decks.

And damnit, I hate coming back to these boards! Always something new! I've been perfectly content with my system this past year and a half. But then something breaks and I start looking at this new Pioneer P880 unit... This hobbie is stealing all my money!

I haven't. I don't have any of my papers with me, so I'm not even sure what kind of warranty I have on the thing. I'll give them a call or send an e-mail tomorrow. I'd be amazed if they would just exchange the unit with a new one, presuming that they can't fix the problem. But I somehow doubt they will have some available any longer. That was the impression I got when making this purchase: it'll be amazing as long as it works, but you're out of luck if it breaks, since rockford won't be able to repair it.

Yep. That was an RL-p15 versus an ID10. I think we all know who won. And I believe that mine came out of the very first batch of logo'd cones. So don't discriminate!

Represent!

It looks great! Standard mounting would look better than inverted in that setup, I think, so I'm glad you chose to go that route. Ah... the black annodized cone looks so nice with dark carpet... *sigh*... How easily does that top piece come off so that you can get to the amps? From the first picture, it doesn't look like the sub is mounted to that carpeted facade piece, but I could be wrong. Also, you forgot to address the all-important "how does it sound" question. Good job again!

I'm still running a Powerclass on my fronts. Best amp my Focals have seen.

Have to agree.

Looks great. Where will it be installed? Are you planning on keeping the amp holes as they are, or will you cover them with some lexan/plexiglass? Both ideas have certain advantages and disadvantages; I'm just curious...

Not quite so beefy looking if you remove the magnet boot, but still a very impressive 8". Completely unused too.

ID8v3 vs. Antique RL-p15

This is what I run. Well, what I'm capable of running... I nearly always feed her less than 1200W sustained. She takes it like a champ when I do, though... I just can't sit in the car at the same time.

Glad to see that everything worked out how you wanted. Mine has been installed for over a year already, and I've had no desire to switch it out. Fantastic sub.

Those Dyns should definitely be able to get down to 60Hz. Cross them low, and your upper bass/midbass worries should vanish. It should sound great when everything is all set up. Let us know how the install goes.

Agreed. 2.25 cu.ft is a perfect fit for my RL-p15. I'd compare my sealed box to a vented one if I had the room and skill to slap an internal port on a curved surface. It would likely get a bit louder, but I have severe doubts that it would sound better, even at lower frequencies. Amish, if you're worried about upper extension, can you tell us what midrange driver you're running? As Mike said, the crossover point should be between 60-80Hz (much closer to 60Hz, if possible). If you're getting poor midbass performance, I would look at your other drivers (and their x-over settings) before the sub.

I agree with that!