Playing With Configurations (Decisions, Decisions)

[neo_styles 43]

Figure this is as good a time as any to beseech some of you for your opinions on the matter of trying to match a few different subwoofer choices with a couple different amplifier configurations...

 

I just recently got a Zed Minotaur III (not II, not a typo) and am so far loving what it has done for my DC Audio Level 2 10". Even after a couple days of use, I know this is an amp I can keep in my lineup for quite some time and I've definitely been bit by the Zed bug as a result of it. Seriously the cleanest, easiest-blending bass I've come across on a modestly-powered setup. There will be plans in the future to add a Leviathan III (or IV if one is released by the time I order) to the lineup.

 

Anyone who knows me either on CA or MAF knows I have a pipe dream cooking up in my head of doing a build next year for a Gen I/Gen II Tahoe/Suburban and will be budgeting $10K to cover all aspects of the build including the truck purchase itself. That being said, here's what I have available now for any aspects of the build:

 

Boston Acoustics GT-2125 (may trade with a friend for either an Orion 2350GX or 225 HCCA)

Zed Audio Minotaur III

Sony Mobile ES XM-2100G

Sony Mobile ES XM-5026

HAT Legatia L8, L3, and L1v2

PHD FB 6.1 mids

JBL MS-62C Component set

Eclipse 8701 Component set (sort of...missing the ribbon midranges and crossover blocks)

JVC KD-A95BT (seriously a sweet deck, cannot believe the SQ I'm getting out of a deck that can be had for $200 new)

 

Now, here's where the build questions come in handy. Assuming $5k for purchasing all the new equipment I'll need, here's some sub configurations I'm playing around with in my head:

 

Pair of IA Flatlyne 15s or 18s

Pair of Sundown X-15

Pair of SSA GCON

Pair of 15" AA Chaos/Avalanche

Single 18" AA Havoc

Single 18" SSA ICON

Single 18" IA Death Row

 

Obviously some of these choices will require getting a second Minotaur and strapping the pair together. My question for you guys is whether or not stepping up to a pair of higher-powered subs warrants the purchase of another Minotaur and, remember, they don't come too cheap. A pair of Minotaur strapped is good for 2.5KW@4ohms for reference's sake. Overall sound goal is clean, solid output with a focus on SQ. The Legatias are phenomenal drivers and I don't want them being overwhelmed by the sub stage. It is not of any interest to me what I meter or whether I can perform hair tricks. Please help me put my pipe dream to rest by offering pros and cons of each selection, especially regarding whether box rise will kill my usable power for the large, high-power single-sub setups. Also keep in mind I have two kids, one almost 6 years old and the other almost a month old, so I will need space in the back to carry the precious cargo's cargo.

 

NOTE - I didn't write this with the intention of it being a versus thread. I really do want to know the pros and cons of each setup.

[neo_styles 43]

A bump for your thoughts, good sirs.

[REVpuggie 23]

so you don't need more power ,aa avalanche's haven't been made for a while now ... space available for sub(s) ?

[neo_styles 43]

so you don't need more power ,aa avalanche's haven't been made for a while now ... space available for sub(s) ?

I'm aware I'd have to find the Avalanche on the used market. As for space available for subs, it really depends on which vehicle I end up with. I'll have to pay more mind with the Tahoe since it doesn't extend as far back as the 'Burban, but I'm trying to keep enough storage space for daily use and carrying around a stroller.

 

If the difference will be drastic enough, I'm not against the thought of adding in more power, but want to see if it's avoidable first.

[neo_styles 43]

@Aaron Clinton ; care to rap to me about the SSA line? I'd like to hear it from the man who makes the magic, you know?

Edited October 10, 2013 by neo_styles

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

@Aaron Clinton ; care to rap to me about the SSA line? I'd like to hear it from the man who makes the magic, you know?

Haha, I just replied on CA.com saying: 

 

If sealed is the direction you want to go and that is the power you plan to run, I would suggest checking out the Xcon if you are leaning SSA. Not that the Icon is bad sealed, far from it, just that the Xcon is a little stronger sealed.

[neo_styles 43]

@Aaron Clinton ; care to rap to me about the SSA line? I'd like to hear it from the man who makes the magic, you know?

Haha, I just replied on CA.com saying: 

 

If sealed is the direction you want to go and that is the power you plan to run, I would suggest checking out the Xcon if you are leaning SSA. Not that the Icon is bad sealed, far from it, just that the Xcon is a little stronger sealed.

Yep. Caught the response lol. I'm not set on sealed or ported. Lol hispls and I were talking about a crazy aperiodic enclosure with two vents tuned to different frequencies, but I don't want to make my box builder have an aneurism trying to figure it out. Both the XCON and ICON look like extremely fast subs from what I could pull up on YT. I suppose I'm just a little overwhelmed by their ratings seeing as how the ICON sits right at what my amp is capable of doing and the XCON exceeds it. Just want to make sure that they won't be begging for more power if I give them less than rated, that's all.

[pmureika 31]

 

@Aaron Clinton ; care to rap to me about the SSA line? I'd like to hear it from the man who makes the magic, you know?

Haha, I just replied on CA.com saying: 

 

If sealed is the direction you want to go and that is the power you plan to run, I would suggest checking out the Xcon if you are leaning SSA. Not that the Icon is bad sealed, far from it, just that the Xcon is a little stronger sealed.

Yep. Caught the response lol. I'm not set on sealed or ported. Lol hispls and I were talking about a crazy aperiodic enclosure with two vents tuned to different frequencies, but I don't want to make my box builder have an aneurism trying to figure it out. Both the XCON and ICON look like extremely fast subs from what I could pull up on YT. I suppose I'm just a little overwhelmed by their ratings seeing as how the ICON sits right at what my amp is capable of doing and the XCON exceeds it. Just want to make sure that they won't be begging for more power if I give them less than rated, that's all.

A xcon will sound great on icon power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[S.DeYoung 968]

They don't need a lot of power but can take it, I ran two xcons on 200w each and they shook my cobalt pretty well. Don't get caught up in rms ratings.

[neo_styles 43]

 

 

@Aaron Clinton ; care to rap to me about the SSA line? I'd like to hear it from the man who makes the magic, you know?

Haha, I just replied on CA.com saying: 

 

If sealed is the direction you want to go and that is the power you plan to run, I would suggest checking out the Xcon if you are leaning SSA. Not that the Icon is bad sealed, far from it, just that the Xcon is a little stronger sealed.

Yep. Caught the response lol. I'm not set on sealed or ported. Lol hispls and I were talking about a crazy aperiodic enclosure with two vents tuned to different frequencies, but I don't want to make my box builder have an aneurism trying to figure it out. Both the XCON and ICON look like extremely fast subs from what I could pull up on YT. I suppose I'm just a little overwhelmed by their ratings seeing as how the ICON sits right at what my amp is capable of doing and the XCON exceeds it. Just want to make sure that they won't be begging for more power if I give them less than rated, that's all.

A xcon will sound great on icon power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's a bit of a relief, then. I've always been curious about SSA's subs. You just don't see them run an awful lot.

[pmureika 31]

 

 

 

@Aaron Clinton ; care to rap to me about the SSA line? I'd like to hear it from the man who makes the magic, you know?

Haha, I just replied on CA.com saying: 

 

If sealed is the direction you want to go and that is the power you plan to run, I would suggest checking out the Xcon if you are leaning SSA. Not that the Icon is bad sealed, far from it, just that the Xcon is a little stronger sealed.

Yep. Caught the response lol. I'm not set on sealed or ported. Lol hispls and I were talking about a crazy aperiodic enclosure with two vents tuned to different frequencies, but I don't want to make my box builder have an aneurism trying to figure it out. Both the XCON and ICON look like extremely fast subs from what I could pull up on YT. I suppose I'm just a little overwhelmed by their ratings seeing as how the ICON sits right at what my amp is capable of doing and the XCON exceeds it. Just want to make sure that they won't be begging for more power if I give them less than rated, that's all.

A xcon will sound great on icon power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's a bit of a relief, then. I've always been curious about SSA's subs. You just don't see them run an awful lot.

There are a lot more out there then you think.

[nem 2,019]

XCON's sealed sound very smooth and delicious!

[neo_styles 43]

 

 

 

 

@Aaron Clinton ; care to rap to me about the SSA line? I'd like to hear it from the man who makes the magic, you know?

Haha, I just replied on CA.com saying: 

 

If sealed is the direction you want to go and that is the power you plan to run, I would suggest checking out the Xcon if you are leaning SSA. Not that the Icon is bad sealed, far from it, just that the Xcon is a little stronger sealed.

Yep. Caught the response lol. I'm not set on sealed or ported. Lol hispls and I were talking about a crazy aperiodic enclosure with two vents tuned to different frequencies, but I don't want to make my box builder have an aneurism trying to figure it out. Both the XCON and ICON look like extremely fast subs from what I could pull up on YT. I suppose I'm just a little overwhelmed by their ratings seeing as how the ICON sits right at what my amp is capable of doing and the XCON exceeds it. Just want to make sure that they won't be begging for more power if I give them less than rated, that's all.

A xcon will sound great on icon power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's a bit of a relief, then. I've always been curious about SSA's subs. You just don't see them run an awful lot.

There are a lot more out there then you think.

Lol ok...I just don't see them run an awful lot. 

 

I was recently adopted to be on Team Vertex (as in Vertex Audio). Just about the only things I'll have that aren't coming through them are the enclosure, front stage, and subs (if I don't go Incriminator). Just want to make sure that if I go out there representing him that my setup can be impressive enough to direct him some traffic.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

 

@Aaron Clinton ; care to rap to me about the SSA line? I'd like to hear it from the man who makes the magic, you know?

Haha, I just replied on CA.com saying: 

 

If sealed is the direction you want to go and that is the power you plan to run, I would suggest checking out the Xcon if you are leaning SSA. Not that the Icon is bad sealed, far from it, just that the Xcon is a little stronger sealed.

Yep. Caught the response lol. I'm not set on sealed or ported. Lol hispls and I were talking about a crazy aperiodic enclosure with two vents tuned to different frequencies, but I don't want to make my box builder have an aneurism trying to figure it out. Both the XCON and ICON look like extremely fast subs from what I could pull up on YT. I suppose I'm just a little overwhelmed by their ratings seeing as how the ICON sits right at what my amp is capable of doing and the XCON exceeds it. Just want to make sure that they won't be begging for more power if I give them less than rated, that's all.

What do you mean by fast?  Like Zoom Zoom?  I am not the best resource on ABC boxes.  As for power rating, don't sweat it too much as it is not at all a requirement to match rating of subwoofer to output wattage of amplifier.  The Xcon does not need gobs of power to sound quite good sealed.

[neo_styles 43]

 

 

@Aaron Clinton ; care to rap to me about the SSA line? I'd like to hear it from the man who makes the magic, you know?

Haha, I just replied on CA.com saying: 

 

If sealed is the direction you want to go and that is the power you plan to run, I would suggest checking out the Xcon if you are leaning SSA. Not that the Icon is bad sealed, far from it, just that the Xcon is a little stronger sealed.

Yep. Caught the response lol. I'm not set on sealed or ported. Lol hispls and I were talking about a crazy aperiodic enclosure with two vents tuned to different frequencies, but I don't want to make my box builder have an aneurism trying to figure it out. Both the XCON and ICON look like extremely fast subs from what I could pull up on YT. I suppose I'm just a little overwhelmed by their ratings seeing as how the ICON sits right at what my amp is capable of doing and the XCON exceeds it. Just want to make sure that they won't be begging for more power if I give them less than rated, that's all.

What do you mean by fast?  Like Zoom Zoom?  I am not the best resource on ABC boxes.  As for power rating, don't sweat it too much as it is not at all a requirement to match rating of subwoofer to output wattage of amplifier.  The Xcon does not need gobs of power to sound quite good sealed.

I was referring to transient response. Caught some videos with pretty technical sweeps and jumps in freq and each time the ICON/XCON seemed to attack/release flawlessly. That's one thing this Level 2 does NOT do so well.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

Much of transient response will be affected by the enclosure, both the Icon and Xcon have a great deal of cone control in the right enclosure.

[neo_styles 43]

That's something I'm hoping to remedy with the new enclosure coming in. Going from a 1.3cu@32Hz enclosure to a 1.0cu@29Hz enclosure. Also correcting some key deficiencies with the enclosure design, such as the front baffle being barely large enough to house the sub itself. Going from 10x12x37 to 12x12x35.

 

Build log for the new enclosure:

 

http://mobileaudioforum.com/forum/showthread.php?4056-New-Build-for-neo_styles-10-quot-DC-Level-2