amp bad?

[xtremerevolution]

Alright, time for box specs. We'll make this 90 degree cuts without any angled sides for simplicity.

 

Our volume is 0.42 cubic feet, plus 0.05 for driver displacement, giving us .47 cubic feet.

 

I played around with the numbers, and looks like the best dimension will be 12" wide x 12" tall x 9" deep, side firing. You'll need the following cuts:

 

2 pieces of 12 x 12 for the front and back

2 pieces of 12 x 7.5 for the top and bottom

2 pieces of 7.5 x 10.5 for the sides

 

If you have a router with a flush trim bit, cut the front and back .25" larger so you can trim the box later. Your cutout will be 9.25"

 

I would also recommend a double thick baffle to recess the subwoofer. This will look better and will also add more rigidity to the box. If you want to do this, the second baffle cutout will be 10.5 inches.

 

If you haven't carpeted a box before, here's an excellent tutorial video. There are two halves, with a link to the second half below the video:

 

http://www.edesignaudio.com/elementaldesigns_carpet1.php

[pwmin]

AWESOME! you da man! I've carpeted before, but I'm not so good at it, so I'll have to check out that video. What do you recommend for the speaker connections and what size speaker wire should I use?

 

 

I hooked up the amp to the old sub and nothing, so I pulled the stereo and unplugged the RCA's, plugged them back in and it works again. Lol, must have came loose or something. Oh, well, I have stuff to put back in the truck now. Even w/ the crappy sub, it sounds so much cleaner with this amp.

Edited June 16, 2011 by pwmin

[xtremerevolution]

AWESOME! you da man! I've carpeted before, but I'm not so good at it, so I'll have to check out that video. What do you recommend for the speaker connections and what size speaker wire should I use?

 

 

I hooked up the amp to the old sub and nothing, so I pulled the stereo and unplugged the RCA's, plugged them back in and it works again. Lol, must have came loose or something. Oh, well, I have stuff to put back in the truck now. Even w/ the crappy sub, it sounds so much cleaner with this amp.

 

That video makes it incredibly easy to get great results carpeting a box. I've used their techniques on both of my shag boxes, the one with the two IDQ10 V2's and my IDMax box:

 

Here's what my IDMax looks like flush mounted. The actual mounting surface extends about 3/4" so it made it perfect for a 3/4" double thick baffle recessed. The cutout is actually so precise on this sub that I have to lightly wedge the sub into the hole.

 

Also, why use carpet when you can get black shag and faux tiger fur? Can't say I've ever seen anyone do anything like this, and its pretty amusing having everyone pet my sub box when they see it.

 

 

 

As for wiring, 12 gauge would be ideal and even a bit overkill. No need for anything thicker. 14 gauge would also work. Just make sure its 100% copper.

 

As for speaker connections, I completely forgot about that when you were ordering the sub or I would have had you add them to the cart. If you can find a terminal cup at a nearby audio shop, that would work. Otherwise, you can use some nuts and bolts. As you saw in the above pictures, I used binding posts from partsexpress. Gives it a more professional look. Any of the above options will work equally well.

 

Glad to hear the new amp sounds a lot better. Can't wait to hear your impressions once you build the box. You'll be genuinely pleased with the sound quality and transparency this sub has. Its going to sound very musical and will blend very well with the rest of the system.

[pwmin]

I'm going to go pick up some 12 ga Kicker wire at Worst Buy and I'll see if they have any binding posts. All i have right now is 16 ga. Monster stuff and a bunch of misc. 8 & 4 ga. pieces. Guess I can check Radio Suck too. Otherwise I'll just use the regular terminal cups for now. I've heard different things about using cups vs just drilling a hole for the wire and siliconing it, so just wanted to see your opinion. I did get the box built last night. I ghetto-carpeted it for now because I'm impatient, lol, but it actually turned out okay. The covering you used is pretty cool, I just like it to match the factory carpet. I have to coerce mine into the hole, too. I did the glue/water trick, used wood glue like silicone on the inside edges and siliconed the box, otherwise I might have been able to put it in last night (waiting for the silicone to cure especially). Hopefully I can get everything this afternoon and have it running tonight. Only thing I should have to adjust on the amp is the gain, maybe the Q setting.

[xtremerevolution]

I'm going to go pick up some 12 ga Kicker wire at Worst Buy and I'll see if they have any binding posts. All i have right now is 16 ga. Monster stuff and a bunch of misc. 8 & 4 ga. pieces. Guess I can check Radio Suck too. Otherwise I'll just use the regular terminal cups for now. I've heard different things about using cups vs just drilling a hole for the wire and siliconing it, so just wanted to see your opinion. I did get the box built last night. I ghetto-carpeted it for now because I'm impatient, lol, but it actually turned out okay. The covering you used is pretty cool, I just like it to match the factory carpet. I have to coerce mine into the hole, too. I did the glue/water trick, used wood glue like silicone on the inside edges and siliconed the box, otherwise I might have been able to put it in last night (waiting for the silicone to cure especially). Hopefully I can get everything this afternoon and have it running tonight. Only thing I should have to adjust on the amp is the gain, maybe the Q setting.

 

Good to hear. Let me know what you think of the wood glue mixture. I couldn't dent the box unless I hit it pretty hard with a hammer. Makes quite a nice solid surface. Looking forward to seeing some pictures and hearing your impressions. Don't be afraid to give this sub some serious power. I modeled it with cone excursion controlled so you should have no problem getting some pretty explosive beats. You're about to hear what SQ really sounds like.

[pwmin]

will do...can't wait

 

looks like Radio Shack at least has the screw-down terminal cups in stock, so I'll pick them up when I go to BB, which is right across the street anyway.

 

 

thanks again. This was far and away the best box I've ever built. I could barely get the last piece to fit in. The flush-mount looks awesome, too. Only problem is I need to get a longer power wire. It wasn't as long as I'd hoped when I transfered it from my truck, but where I have the amp I wasn't able to route it out of the way so I'll have to get a longer wire. Oh, well, knuconceptz is cheap and I can put this power wire back in the truck and get rid of the 8ga I have for it. It was really nice having the stb here so I can strap the wires to it so you can't see them. I need to get some of those velco zip-tie like strips to make it easier to move the wires instead of these zip-ties.

Edited June 16, 2011 by pwmin

[xtremerevolution]

will do...can't wait

 

looks like Radio Shack at least has the screw-down terminal cups in stock, so I'll pick them up when I go to BB, which is right across the street anyway.

 

 

thanks again. This was far and away the best box I've ever built. I could barely get the last piece to fit in. The flush-mount looks awesome, too. Only problem is I need to get a longer power wire. It wasn't as long as I'd hoped when I transfered it from my truck, but where I have the amp I wasn't able to route it out of the way so I'll have to get a longer wire. Oh, well, knuconceptz is cheap and I can put this power wire back in the truck and get rid of the 8ga I have for it. It was really nice having the stb here so I can strap the wires to it so you can't see them. I need to get some of those velco zip-tie like strips to make it easier to move the wires instead of these zip-ties.

 

So you did flush mount it after all. Damn I can't wait to see this, lol. That double thick baffle will also add a whole ton of rigidity to the box. This is going to be one really awesome sounding sub.

[pwmin]

So you did flush mount it after all. Damn I can't wait to see this, lol. That double thick baffle will also add a whole ton of rigidity to the box. This is going to be one really awesome sounding sub.

 

yes, I did. I made the opening a little wider so I could put the carpet on the sides of the front piece. I'll get some pictures once I get home and get the sub in...just got back from picking up the speaker wire and binding posts.

[xtremerevolution]

You get anything done yet?

[pwmin]

You get anything done yet?

 

yep, it's all in. TBH, I'm a bit disappointed with how much it "pounds" so far, but I still haven't messed w/ the "Q" setting. I put the filters where you said and have the gain all the way up, but it doesn't hit as hard as my old POS crap. I still have the Q at .7, so I'm hoping adjusting that will help. It's nice, clean bass for sure and sounds sublime, but I'm hoping for a little more oomph. Maybe I'm just being too picky, lol. The SQ is great, I'm just hoping for a little more SPL. I can't see how a running 500 watts through a good sub can should have a lot less bass than maybe 150 through a crap sub, but maybe I'm just dumb and don't know anything, lol. I played a ton w/ the settings on the deck, too and have the sub output turned up more than it should, but I have the low pass filter on the deck turned off so it's just the amp controlling that. Maybe I just need to listen to Sublime's "Steppin' Razor" and STFU Never had a system that could play that and have it sound good...or Chemical Brothers' "Surrender" album. I did take some pictures and I'll have to get them up sometime. I'm sure I need to upgrade my wiring and the battery in it is a total POS, so I need to put a yellow top in it. All that will help...and maybe a bigger alternator if I need to. Sorry for the incoherent sentences.

Edited June 17, 2011 by pwmin

[pwmin]

there's got to be something wrong. I'm going to hook up the old sub and compare it to how it used to sound w/ the crap amp. I messed w/ everything again and I have all the settings correct.

[white4d96]

Make sure your crossover on the amp is set to low-pass. Just from experience

 

I had one amp on my 800.4 set to full-pass and it was cancelling the second amp (it's like 2 400.2's sharing a case.) Flipped the switch and got a face full o' bass!

[xtremerevolution]

there's got to be something wrong. I'm going to hook up the old sub and compare it to how it used to sound w/ the crap amp. I messed w/ everything again and I have all the settings correct.

 

Make sure your crossover on the amp is set to low-pass. Just from experience

 

I had one amp on my 800.4 set to full-pass and it was cancelling the second amp (it's like 2 400.2's sharing a case.) Flipped the switch and got a face full o' bass!

 

What he said. Exactly what are your high and low pass settings? What are your subwoofer settings on your deck? Try removing the high pass entirely and see what that does. One of these subs should really shake your car up. No way in hell a Dayton HO 10 is getting shown up by a 150W old cheap sub. Make sure your gains are adjusted. When you play music, that cone should be getting some pretty hefty excursion.

Edited June 17, 2011 by xtremerevolution

[pwmin]

What he said. Exactly what are your high and low pass settings? What are your subwoofer settings on your deck? Try removing the high pass entirely and see what that does. One of these subs should really shake your car up. No way in hell a Dayton HO 10 is getting shown up by a 150W old cheap sub. Make sure your gains are adjusted. When you play music, that cone should be getting some pretty hefty excursion.

Also, when I had the old sub hooked up, I had the gain up half-way and it wasn't hitting very hard and if it was a full 250W, it would probably have about blown the sub, lol.

 

I set the filters as you modeled:

"Normally we don't add a high pass (subsonic) filter with a sealed box, but in our particular case, setting it at 20hz

 

The low pass filter is set to 150hz, which is the highest you can set on the amp you're buying. "

 

 

Hopefully I'll get a chance to dick with it soon.

[xtremerevolution]

Also, when I had the old sub hooked up, I had the gain up half-way and it wasn't hitting very hard and if it was a full 250W, it would probably have about blown the sub, lol.

 

I set the filters as you modeled:

"Normally we don't add a high pass (subsonic) filter with a sealed box, but in our particular case, setting it at 20hz

 

The low pass filter is set to 150hz, which is the highest you can set on the amp you're buying. "

 

 

Hopefully I'll get a chance to dick with it soon.

 

Yeah, sounds like you need to give it more power, lol. What's your sub output set to on your head unit? Crank your gains up if you aren't getting enough power. That amp should literally fry a 150W sub.

[pwmin]

Yeah, sounds like you need to give it more power, lol. What's your sub output set to on your head unit? Crank your gains up if you aren't getting enough power. That amp should literally fry a 150W sub.

It's set at 7/8 right now and putting it up the whole way still doesn't do it. I just checked everything again and the gain on the amp is turned all the way up, the filters are set where I said. Changing them and the Q didn't really make a difference in ouput. I have a 100A AFS fuse and the fuses on the amp are a total of 80.

[xtremerevolution]

It's set at 7/8 right now and putting it up the whole way still doesn't do it. I just checked everything again and the gain on the amp is turned all the way up, the filters are set where I said. Changing them and the Q didn't really make a difference in ouput. I have a 100A AFS fuse and the fuses on the amp are a total of 80.

 

There's got to be something wrong. If you still can't figure it out, I'd give boston acoustics a call and see what the hell is going on. What's the excursion on the sub look when you have it cranked?

 

Didn't you say the old sub sounded a lot better on this amp earlier?

 

Just to verify, you don't have the remote gain hooked up, right?

Edited June 17, 2011 by xtremerevolution

[pwmin]

There's got to be something wrong. If you still can't figure it out, I'd give boston acoustics a call and see what the hell is going on. What's the excursion on the sub look when you have it cranked?

 

Didn't you say the old sub sounded a lot better on this amp earlier?

 

Just to verify, you don't have the remote gain hooked up, right?

Yeah, I'm thinking I might need to call them. It's not popping out very far.

 

I just said it sounds a lot cleaner...I just set it about halfway and ran it for a little. I didn't even have it to where it was pounding like it was before. I'm going to go home soon and hook up the old sub.

 

I do not have the remote gain hooked up, no.

[xtremerevolution]

Yeah, I'm thinking I might need to call them. It's not popping out very far.

 

I just said it sounds a lot cleaner...I just set it about halfway and ran it for a little. I didn't even have it to where it was pounding like it was before. I'm going to go home soon and hook up the old sub.

 

I do not have the remote gain hooked up, no.

 

Yep, something's going on with the amp. That cone should be going insane right now. Hope you get it figured out.

[xtremerevolution]

Well, we figured out what was going on.

 

Had the sub hooked up, and no matter what gain we gave it, there was very little output. Tried running the RCA's off of the stereo outputs on the head unit, still not much volume. Tried another set of RCA's, still nothing.

 

So I had the idea, get a DVD player and hook that up directly. It will give a very high output signal, and will let you know what's up. Hooked that up, set the high and low pass, and all I could hear over the phone was his trunk rattling to hell, and that was with the amp's gain on the lowest setting. So it looks like some adjustments need to be done on the head unit or the head unit might have issues.

Edited June 17, 2011 by xtremerevolution

[alec_b]

Sure sounds like the outputs on the HU are fubar'd. What kind of HU is it? And by chance how many volt preouts?

[pwmin]

It's a JVC Arsenal KD-AR806 w/ 5V pre-outs.

 

I got a set of RCA to 3.5mm phone that I'll try w/ my iPoo when I get the time just to confirm and I'll hook up another h/u too. I've NEVER had a good h/u actually go bad on me and this is my 3rd JVC...have had others before too. Sucks, I really liked this one. I'm tempted to get a 2DIN DVD to replace it. Does Panasonic not make receivers anymore?

[xtremerevolution]

It's a JVC Arsenal KD-AR806 w/ 5V pre-outs.

 

I got a set of RCA to 3.5mm phone that I'll try w/ my iPoo when I get the time just to confirm and I'll hook up another h/u too. I've NEVER had a good h/u actually go bad on me and this is my 3rd JVC...have had others before too. Sucks, I really liked this one. I'm tempted to get a 2DIN DVD to replace it. Does Panasonic not make receivers anymore?

 

The best head units (mass market at least) are now Pioneer, Alpine, and JVC. Might have been one or two I forgot about. For double din with DVD and touch screen, Pioneer is the way to go.

 

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/p_24602_Pioneer_AVH-P3200DVD.aspx

 

I'm using this in my 2000 Regal. I bought this model primarily because of the 7 band equalizer.

[Garrett Powered]

this just arrived today. I saved $100 on it. http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_17639_JVC-KD-R900.html

 

I got it for the three 5v pre outs. front ,rear, sub. for best chance of good sound. I can't believe the price.

 

$199 -free shipping.

 

 

 

I thought the arsenals were 2.5 v pre outs

Edited June 18, 2011 by Garrett Powered
forgot the link

[xtremerevolution]

this just arrived today. I saved $100 on it. http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_17639_JVC-KD-R900.html

 

I got it for the three 5v pre outs. front ,rear, sub. for best chance of good sound. I can't believe the price.

 

$199 -free shipping.

 

 

 

I thought the arsenals were 2.5 v pre outs

 

Not a bad unit. I wouldn't buy a head unit without 3 preouts anyway unless you're on a really tight budget.

 

Could have got it for cheaper on amazon though.

 

http://www.amazon.com/JVC-Color-Illumination-Single-DIN-Flip-Down-Bluetooth/dp/B001PLBWUK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1308417780&sr=8-1

 

I doubt shipping would have been $45.

 

Even buy.com has it for $167 shipped

 

http://www.buy.com/prod/jvc-kd-r900-car-audio-player-cd-rw-mp3-wav-wma-aac-lcd-4-200w-am-fm/q/sellerid/14369784/loc/111/211407113.html

 

sonicelectronix is actually the most expensive place online to get it. Not trying to make you feel bad, just saying, could have saved a few bucks with a quick price comparison.