|
New member Username: KegkillaPost Number: 1 Registered: Dec-04 | Hey ya'll, nice board you got here, I'm basically new to the science of Car Audio but I've been reading up on it and I'm starting to figure this all out. I'm planning on putting 2 subs and an amp in my car over Christmas break. I'm leaning towards going with the very reasonably priced JBL BP 1200.1 (if I can find it...it doesn't seem to be listed on CarDomain.com anymore, or anywhere else for that matter, looks like I missed the boat on that one, if I can't find it then I'd probably go with the GTO 1201.1). Anyway, I'll have 1200 watts to power my subs with, and I'm looking for input on what kind of subs to go with. I'm on somewhat of a budget, and since I'm already looking to break the bank on the amp, I was considering going with two Kenwood KFC-W2509. Heres where I need some help, as I'm not very good with all this electric wiring business. The subs run at 350 RMS, the amp is capable of putting out 1200 watts at 2 ohms, 600 watts at 4 ohms, so if I wired 2 of these subs at 4 ohms, they would be receiving 300 watts each, correct? Are these numbers correct? Would this be an ample amount of power to the subs? Any comments, advice or suggestions would be appreciated. |
|
Silver Member Username: CarguyPost Number: 634 Registered: Nov-04 | Hey Chris, JBL BP1200.1 isn't the only amp that can deliver 1200W. Have you seen RF T10001BD? It is a much better amp compared to JBL. Go download their pdf file and compare the specs. Why are you interested in Kenwood subs? They're ok, not the best for your money. The watts you're talking about isn't much when it comes to subs. You need 500W rms or higher. Check out Kicker subs. As for your question on 600W amp on 300W subs, it will supply 600W rms to both subs. This will surely fry/blow your subs. When you're calculating the power, you do not add up the sub's power together. The individual watts listed for each sub is the power it will handle. For example, you can have 4 300W subs, and it's still 300W max they will take before blowing. Hope that helps. |
|
New member Username: KegkillaPost Number: 2 Registered: Dec-04 | Thanks for clearing that up Isaac. The reason I like the JBL amps isn't the wattage, but the price of it. The BP 1200.1 goes for as low as $200 it seems, and the newer model the GTO 1201.1 goes for around $330 at some sites, which is just barely in my price range. Obviously, I've reconsidered my choice of sub. The reason I was interested in the Kenwood was basically just price. The 12" Kicker Solo-Baric L5 S12L52 looks real nice and handles up to 600 watts RMS. Will this sub be a good match for the JBL 1200 watt amp? I've decided to go with just one sub rather than a pair. Also, am I correct in saying that the Solo-Baric does not need an enclosure? Two last questions, is it safe to trust internet sites such as www.sonicelectronix.com ? I figure it probably is, seeing as how they are based in the US, but better safe than sorry. And finally, are there any advantages or disadvantages to having an amp wired in 4 ohms rather than 2, other than less wattage? Will it make any difference in overall sound quality? Thanks again. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Djeter108USA Post Number: 22 Registered: Nov-04 | yeah its safe. look to see if they are sponsored dealers for any well known brands to be sure though. right now i have an L7, which is amazing. i love kickers. stick with them. the 2 ohm sounds fine. you have more sound control with 4 ohms but, not to be condescending, but if you didnt know that it wont matter. for that matter i didnt even know that when i bought it so dont feel bad. secondly, im not sure i understood your question correctly. unless im mistaken all subs need some type of enclosure. and for that matter, go to http://www.millionbuy.com/hbx12ksqtc.html for this ported box or http://www.millionbuy.com/hbx12ktmtc.html for a sealed enclosure if you dont want to loose as much trunk space. great price and good sound on a budget. |
|
Silver Member Username: CarguyPost Number: 638 Registered: Nov-04 | Hey Chris, most of what djeter108 said above are correct. If you're only going to get one sub, then get a higher rated power. Instead of getting 600W sub, look for 800 - 1000W. And try 15" instead of 12". You will notice a big difference in bass power. The larger subs will be able to move more air thus creating stronger thump. I personally have one 18". It's enough to shake my car at quarter of the volume setting. If you're going to buy stuff off the internet, use your credit card. It's much easier to call your bank and stop payment than paypal. They really suck. I lost $100 on eBay and when I tried to recover my loss, paypal told me they can't do anything for me. Their guarantee sucks. There is no difference between 4ohms and 2ohms in SQ. If you have a choice between 4ohms DVC and 2ohms DVC, get 4ohms. Lot of the amps will support 2ohms more than 1ohms. |
|
New member Username: KegkillaPost Number: 3 Registered: Dec-04 | Thanks for all the help guys, lets see if I can put it all together now. 15" Kicker Solo-Baric 04S15L7 RMS 1000 watts, $325: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/viewitem.php?id=2346 JBL GTO1201.1 1339 Watt, $330: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/viewitem.php?id=2243 15 inch Solo-Baric Enclosure, $50: http://www.sonicelectronix.com/viewitem.php?id=500 Will 787W at 4 ohm be enough power to satisfy that 1000W sub? Or should I be looking at another amp? Also, is my car's electrical system going to supply all this additional power? Any precautions I should take? Is there anything else I'm going to need along with whats above when taking it to the shop for installation? Are some places more reliable than others when it comes to installations, or is it pretty much the same process anywhere you go? Heh, sorry to barrage you guys with questions like this, but I'm sure I'm getting better information here than I would from a salesman working on commission. Thanks again all. |
|
Silver Member Username: CarguyPost Number: 651 Registered: Nov-04 | Hey Chris, before you buy that amp, you might want to do a little more research. Did you know that JBL GTO1201.1 has Signal-to-Noise Ratio of 70db?? That's is very low for a $330 amp. Even my cheap Jensen has 85db. Look for an amp that's close to 100db or higher. You will need HO alternator along with alternator power wire upgrade for your car. Look at 4alterstart.com. You will also need 1.5F - 2F capacitor later. Make sure your power wire is at least 4gauge with 100A mininum near the battery. |