another good review

[60ndown 0]

08-21-2005 12:23 PM <b>The sound report</B>

First, let me start off by saying that words can't even start to give these subwoofers justice. I'll do what I can.

From the moment I started demo'ing tracks after installation, it was plainly apparent that these drivers reproduce sub bass frequencies with an almost effortless and airy authority. Their accuracy and strength is underscored when playing tracks with multiple layers of complex low-frequency sounds. A movie clip is an excellent example, with music playing, and lots of different sounds all happening at once. Another good test track is Cee-Lo, Sugar. Very few subwoofers that I've heard can execute some difficult parts of that song well, and these definitely do. Audition the RL-P drivers with a Soul Coughing CD and you may walk away with tears (of joy) glazing your eyes. They can, and likely will, reproduce details that you probably never knew were there.

I gave these woofers a bit of a beating with some bass test tracks intended to expose flaws in a woofer's capabilities. Some of these send pulsating imacts of sound during extremely low sub bass tones to test the woofer's ability to respond to different sounds instantly, while in the middle of a long excursion motion. Picture a woofer faithfully humming along at a devastatingly-low 30 Hz at extreme amplitude then on top of that, handed a series of hard 80 Hz double kick-drum beats to try to make sense of, without interruption to its 30 Hz extended cycle, and without any hint of distortion. These woofers performed beautifully.

I then went on to the frequency sweeps starting at my low-pass crossover range of 90 Hz, during these tests. I noticed that there was a very slight but barely distinguishable roll-off (maybe 2 dB per Octave) beginning at about 75 Hz and down to around 55 Hz, where it leveled off all the way to 10 Hz. This could be due in part to the harmonics of my vehicle.

For a few sweeps, I tipped the crossover up into the low midbass range to listen for flavor. While it was up there, these woofers pounded out the sound at devastating levels in the 180 Hz to 80 Hz range. But, their most impressive feat was how accurate they still sounded with more musical complexity in the higher ranges.

The sound quality is truly impressive. Every instrument comes through sounding like the instrument that was recorded and not a muddy synthesized version of its sound. Several songs from Green Day, Rush (drum solo), and Mazzy Star nailed it for me.

In comparison to the Alpine Type X 12" subwoofers, which are easily some of the most serious woofers on the planet, the SoundSplinter RL-P 12" subwoofers have a slightly less colored and less throaty (deep) sound. They do sound slightly more accurate, and I was mostly impressed with the fact that I could tell, while auditioning them in my acoustically poor SUV. The Type X subwoofers do seem to reside more than the RL-P's in the deepest of sub bass, near and below 50 Hz. The Type X's out-performed the RL-P's on just a few test tracks that seemed to have much more of a focus on extreme low-bass like that bass track: Bass, I Love You. I could also tell a difference in the "shake the chassis" factor, in that the Type X's motor structure weight and almost double the power to push them around, created a vehicle-shaking experience that simply must be felt to understand. Although, I do still get a lot of that physical jarring with the RL-P's, it is notably less. This may actually be a good thing in some respects, though, because the vehicle itself can and does create cancelling waves.

Here is proof that a wildly shaking steering column does not necessarily equate to loud and powerful sound: The SoundSplinter RL-P 12" drivers are louder upon initial tests on the exact same tracks, than the Alpine Type X woofers have ever reached, in my vehicle. Measurements of the Type X's have yielded a best 142.5 dB (which is very impressive) and the RL-P's handed over an almost effortless 144.1 on their first day out. That's more than 50% higher sound pressure level. To say I'm impressed would be an under-statement. To say I'm surprised is straight fact.

In my listening tests, though, it became plainly apparent that these SoundSplinter woofers shine more brightly in their musicality than in producing extreme sound pressure. A low kick drum sound is produced so precisely that you can almost visualize the size of the tub and how many pillows have been stuffed in there. An upright bass sounds and feels like the instrument is actually being plucked away in the vehicle with the body of the bass pressed up against my chest.

My personal musical listening preferences range quite a bit but hover mostly around fast-paced, high-impact, aggressive music from bands like Millencolin, Chevelle, Green Day, Limp, Tool, Pantera, Guttermouth, AFI, 98 Mute, and so on. I also listen to everything from classical to classic rock, and of course some hip-hop and techno'. Considering my range of musical listening, the RL-P 12" subwoofers are about as good as it gets.

With a long list of subwoofers that I've had personal experience with spanning nearly 2 decades, through installing in shops, auditioning in other people's vehicles, and those that have found their way into my 17+ personal vehicles, today I can say that, with a wide range of musical styles that I personally enjoy, these are the best sounding subwoofers I have heard.

Cheers, Mike, for a truly impressive product!

-HiAmp

*edited because it didn't need to be repeated 4 times*

http://forums.caraudio.com/vb/showthread.php?t=111935&page=5

[ANeonRider 3]

errr, a cpl too many pastes.

Great review though.

And the retards are starting to come out on his ca.com post...

[mrray13 30]

fixed scott

nice review though!

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee