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Like the title asks; Is an Alpine PDX1.1000 powerfull enough to run an RL-S15. Anyone ever try this combo?

I'm going to be buying (4) 6.5 inch midbass drivers and I'm looking at either the Kicker SS6.5s or the Mach5 Audio 6.5 midbass. They will be actively crossed at 60hz up @24db and 200hz down @12db. They will be getting 75watts rms each and run free-air in the stock door locations of my '04 Dodge Durango. Any thoughts...other suggestions. Either way I go it will only cost me about $150 and that's the range I would like to stay around.

I have Diamond Audio M6 4.5 mids and M&K(Vifa built I think) soft dome tweets...sounds really smooth. My sub is a TC Sounds TC3k 15. Right now I'm using Diamond Audio M6 6.5 mids in the doors for midbass with the same crossover points I plan to use for the midbasses...they sound good but don't handle the power all that well. That's why I'm looking for more midbass oriented drivers.

Hello Mike. It is all over the TC Sounds/Audiopulse forum that TC is going under. Will this affect your business and if so what do you see SoundSplinters future being?

Ahhh. Didn't see that thread.

Hello all. I wanted to start this thread out of pure curiosity. I have been in the audio industry as an enthusiest and a proffessional for about a decade. In that time I have played around with lots of different brands of subs. It seems in recent years manufacturers have been developing what they market as "superwoofers". The subs are getting huge and the prices sure have followed suit. In my quest for more knowledge I have found my way here to the SSA forum. It seems that there are a lot of not-so-mainstream subs that are quite popular. My first experience with a high-output sub that wasn't available in every stereo shop across the nation was an Audiomobile Mass2012. After being in an industry dominated by brand names I was amazed at the output and SQ capability of these subs. Researching the Mass driver led me to TC Sounds where I learned quite a bit more than what I thought I knew about subwoofers. It seems that there is a whole subculture (if I can use that phrase) based around a handfull of "underground" brand subs that seem to really be quality products. What I want to hear about from the masses here in the forum is...In your personal experience how do "mainstream" subs compare to "underground" subs? By mainstream I mean subs like JL W7, Alpine Type X, Rockford T1 and 2, Kicker Solo X and L7, Image Dynamics ID Max, MTX 8500 and 9500, Plok Audio SR...you get the picture. By underground I mean subs like TC sounds various drivers, SoundSplinter, SSA Icons, Fi subs, Adire Audio subs, RE Audio, AA subs, Elemental Designs 13AV2...and the likes. This isn't one of those "what should I use in me car" threads...so lets assume all subs with optimum power and enclosures. I just want to know how these big market big price subs comapre to products by companies that seem to focus on solid build and design rather than outrageous marketing schemes. Thanks folks.

Audiopulse Epic 8s are VERY similar to the SS RL-Is. They are a bit pricey though. Go to the Audiopulse forum and look up a guy named Jake Ballard. He is a manager of a stereo shop that carries the full line of Audiopulse. To get to the forum go to tcsounds.com click on the Audiopusle icon and choose "support" from the Audiopulse main page.

Underhung designs (as I understand them) are coil/motor designs in which a shorter coil is utilized within a large magnetic gap accomanpied by an extended top plate. The idea is that the shorter coil stays within the motors magnetic feilds of flux throughout its entire positive and negative stroke. The result is a coil that is not only controlled by the physical restraints of the suspension but is also always controlled electromagnetically. This design is inherently linear. The advantages are obvious. The disadvantage is typically a shorter throw subwoofer. There are other disadvantages but I'm not familiar with them all. An overhung design typically employs a longer coil with varying size magnetic gaps in which a portion of the coil will move outside of the magnetic gap at the zenith of both the positive and negative stroke. The major disadvantage is the loss of magnetic control on the coil as it leaves the gap. The magnet can only maintain control on the windings of the coil that remain in the gap. Most subwoofer designs are overhung. However TC Sounds developed a variable density coil in which the coil windings are incrementally more dense towards each end of the coil so that as the coil-ends leave the gap the end that remains has more windings still within the magnetic gap. Sort of balancing the magnetic control of the coil. From what I have read it seems to be a very linear design. Of course these are all general statements about the motor geometries and there are all sorts of other design elements to be considered. But these are the theories as I know them. I'm sure there are plenty of forum members that could explain it better.

The Audiomobiles claimed an xmax of 25mm+/-. The Haxos say about 18mm. Is that due to the coil or motor? Both? I wonder what kind of results I will get.

It's a TC-9 motor so it is definitely reconable...but you won't be getting back anything close to a Mass with the switch to the overhung coil. What the new Xmax, Qts, Qes, Re, BL etc. would be depends on the coil they put in there. But you won't be getting a Mass back. The underhung designed subs ED is selling come from a company called Haxo. Their underhung motor is a 3inch design with a flat backplate. It appears to have the same magnet slug as the Audiomobile and the same top plate. I think I might get a little extra throw if they use their soft parts with my motors because my motors have a bumped back plate with more clearence.

This was the actual repley: How tall is the top plate? I'm not sure if we can do a under hung design or not, but i know we can re-cone those motors. Thanks! -Nick

99% sure they are more expensive than going through Fi, if that bothers you. I think going rate at eD is something like $100+shipping (depending on the parts) while the rate at Fi is something like $85 + shipping. And with Scott and co, you get someone who really knows how to engineer and build speakers. I did inquire online to Fi about a rebuild...though price was not discussed they said that they could rebuild off of the motors. However what I wasn't so keen on(and never really got a response about) was the fact that they would be rebuilt with overhung coils. I quess they don't have underhung coils for this motor. Where most motors/coils are built to work together wouldn't paying a little extra for a "properly" matched coil/motor be beneficial? I always LOVED the sound I got from my Audiomobiles and figured it was due to the linearity of the underhung design which is why I was so excited about getting these motors rebuilt. What effects would an overhung coil have if mated with an underhung motor design? Would I still retain the control underhung designs offer? Would I gain a little xmax where as the overhung coil will sit higher in the gap creating more distance from the backplate. Would the TSP be really wacky because of the two different syles merging? These were some questions I was wondering about going with an overhung coil/underhung motor. Any thoughts?

One thing I will say about "underground" speaker companies is their willingness to custom build. I sent Elemental Designs an email yesterday asking if they could rebuild me old Audiomobile Mass motors. They responded within 30mins! They told me they could build my new subs and at a very reasonable price. I smell a pair of underhung 15s in the near future! I don't think too many mainstream speaker companies would be willing to custom build subs with other manufacturers motors.

X2!

I used to work at a shop that carried JL products. I wasn't overly impressed with them. The W7 got loud but lacked the SQ I like. The W6 sounded great but didn't get all thet loud. The W3 line impressed me the most as it had a lower price point and got pretty loud and sounded good as well. However they all seemed a bit overpriced for what you got. Overall I think they are a good company and DO have quality products, I just feel for the money you can purchase better products that yeild all-around better results. By the way Elemental Designs has just released a new line of subwoofers including a couple underhung designs...I wonder if they can rebuild subs from my Audiomobile motors! I see there is a little hostility abound in this forum, the point of me posting this topic to begin with was for people to speak of their personal experieces and interject there opinions based on that. That being said I welcome all of the banter that has ensued, however we should try to be nice to eachother even if we don't agree. Anyways thank you for all of the responses, keep 'em coming!

3 cubes internal volume, add bracing and woofer displacement should get you right where you need to be...You should consult the guys at Fi, they will know best.

If we assume the output level was the same then the edge for SQ would certainly go to the 15. It should hit lower and yeild a smoother response. You mentioned "deep tight bass", that sounds like the benefits of a sealed alignment.

I have always preferred the sound of sealed boxes myself. Assuming you want to use the same budget and amp, 3.5cubes+1 15+1200watts=BOOM! If $500 is your budget you can afford a really nice 15 and still have enough for new box materials. The 2 12s may displace a little more air because of increased surface area...however(assuming sealed) the 12s in a relatively small enclosure(1 cube each) probably won't go as low as a single 15 with a large enclosure. I run a single 15 sealed(TC Sounds TC3K) and I really love the sound. A lot depends on your music preference and listening habits as well.

For the power you have, the space you'll be using, and the price you want to stay around it seems like the SSA Icons or the Fi Qs would be a good fit. They both get outstanding reviews by people who use them. With the volume you'll have in the enclosure a little polyfill might improve the lowend a bit.

SoundSplinter RL-Ps get my vote...not to take away from the Icons. I just love RL-Ps. Solid performance, great sound, superb customer service...it's tough to go wrong.

I had the new style Type R and it sounded like $hit. Tried it small sealed, large sealed and large ported. It sounded like small $hit, Large $hit and ported $hit. Stick with the Mag. I currently run a 15(TC Sounds TC3K) sealed and I love it! It gets loud, goes low, and it quite accurate. If you want more "punch", go sealed and beef up your front end midbass.

Does anyone know any links to reviews (proffessional or magazine) of the underground or obscure subs? I would like to see what the people reviewing mainstream stuff for a while have to say about some of these subs.

Have you heard a W6v2 in a sealed enclosure versus that T4? I have read some really nice reviews of the W6s. They seem a bit pricey though. Are there other drivers out there that can compare to the W6 in terms of SQ without the hefty price tag? My old Audiomobile Mass2012 was the best sounding sub I personally have evr heard....well kinda...it seemed to have a lot of mechanical noise..but in a trunk it sounded outstanding in cabin.

The SoundSplinter RL-P is an underhung design? I did not know that. I always thought it was a traditional overhung TC9. I always wanted to do a SounSplinter RL-S infinite baffle install with a 15 or 2. I tried to convince my friend with a sedan to do it but he couldn't afford it...oh well...maybe when I get a second car.

I know! That's why I'm asking for peoples' experiences...they will ALL be different. That's the point. However some of my questions are quite specific. I'm not looking for majic answers or problem solvers...is this not a forum? Is this not a place for discussion?