Icon 12 review
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Bronze Member Username: Mrray13Post Number: 97 Registered: Oct-06 | The wait is over and the ICON review is here! Thanks go to Aaron, aka denim, and to Mark,aka SSaudio, for making this possible. Thanks again for having enough faith in me to do this. I really appreciate it! Again, the test mule is my 2004 Silverado extended cab. Power will again be supplied by a Memphis Memphis Belle, MCH1300, at 1ohm nominal. Roughly 1100wrms, with the gains set with an o-scope to just clipping. Electrical is the big three in 1/0, a yellow top under the hood, and 1/0 Memphis wire throughout. Source unit is a Clarion DXZ955MC with HPF at 120hz and LPF set to 80hz. The enclosures used are a 1.25ft^3 net sealed affair and a down firing 2.0ft^3 ported box with a 4" port tuned to 34hz. SSA ICON 12d2 MSRP $369 "At the heart of the ICON line up, we have the ICON 12D2. With a perfect mixture of output and sound quality the ICON 12D2 is pure sonic joy. With a dual spiders and a powerful motor, you can be rest assured you will have excellent linear excursion from the ICON 12D2. If you really want to move some air without losing any bit of clarity, the ICON 12D2 is a top choice." Build quality is excellent. Using a tried and true 12 spoke basket, hefty 12 gauge tinsel leads with felt pads on the cone and push pin style terminals, it's got everything one would expect from a subwoofer at this price. The triple stack motor looks industrial without a boot and it's a touch I like. And with only a bit of excess glue around the spider, it looks like the builders take pride in their work. From the tasteful logo on the "b00b" style dustcap, to the pulp paper cone and the fat foam surround, there isn't anything I would change about this sub. Sealed box; If all you want is a flat response from your sub in a sealed box, then this sub works. If you want output from your sealed sub setup, this isn't your woofer. While the sub can handle anything musical thrown at it, it's not going to overwhelm anything in a sealed box. From Dimmu Borgir's double kicks to the heavy lows from Lil John and everything in between, nothing seemed to trip the sub up. However, as nice as it sounds, as quick as it is, it just doesn't get loud. Some might like that, it should blend brilliantly with just about any setup, especially if crossed over low. But just don't expect record sealed box numbers. Ported box; As night is to day, this sub performs that much differently ported compared to sealed. While still a very clean sounding sub, the output is finally there. As the specs hint at, so does this sub do. It's a ported box subwoofer. Lightning quick with little delay, dropping low with ease, yet with enough force to tickle the ears even on subtle bass lines, this thing is a pleasure in a ported box. Listening to Ozzy's "Paranoid", I was startled at the impact of the kick and double kicks in the song. Switch to the Lil John remix of "My Humps" and the truck shutters, hearing rattles I haven't heard since I pulled the s18x out of my truck. Now the output is nowhere near that, but it is the perceived loudest under the seat setup I've had to date. And to top it off, in this ported box, the sub is a "pure sonic joy" to listen too. Term Lab testing; Done DB Drag style, mic on dash, truck sealed up, engine off. Sealed box; As noted above, this sub simply doesn't have overwhelming output in this particular sealed box. It achieved a so-so best of 126.9db at around 40hz. Move up to around 78hz, and it drops 5db. It got beat by both the Maw12 and Classic 12 previously tested, and they had half the power. Ported Box; Again, it came alive in the ported box with just over a 5db jump over sealed, recording a best of 132db flat @ 40hz, yet again. Yeah, this thing is a SUBwoofer, lol *special note* TL numbers were taken with a brand new sub. No break in was done. I will update the TL testing soon. Overall; What more is there to say? This thing pounds down low, is extremely quick and agile for a sub and is sexy to boot. It can handle any kind of music tossed at it and do it with a grin on it's face. It's got so much going for it, that it's hard not to overlook it's output on the meter. The upside to the weak showing on the meter, is the fact that it's best numbers came so low, 40hz, both ported and sealed. I mean this thing is a bass racer's dream. And it's hard to call it's showing weak, but I guess I was expecting more, even though no where does SSA claim this to be a high output sub. And 132db @ 40hz isn't exactly a quiet, or weak, single 12 setup. In the end, this thing does everything that Aaron and Mark claims it will do. Play low, play clean, snap crisp kicks and thunderous booms, and handle every bit of power the Belle could throw at it. Toss in it's great looks and build, and at $250, you'll be hard pressed to find a sub that does what this one does. SSA has a winner here and a product they should be proud of. wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
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Gold Member Username: The_image_dynamicSan Diego Post Number: 1966 Registered: Dec-06 | Nice review Kent. Did you catch Dimmu when they came through the US? I saw them in San Diego at SOMA last month and they were beyond awesome and I went backstage and met them all and they are way cool too. |
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Gold Member Username: 420alldaylongPost Number: 2085 Registered: Sep-06 | Kent What other subs have you done reviews on besides the Mach 5 Audio Maw 12" and Revolution Design Classic 12"? |
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Gold Member Username: Extrmndor3IF U HEAR ME... crazydbs.com Post Number: 5637 Registered: Feb-06 | wow the same people who built their subs review their subs :0 people are the ones who do the review  send me one and ill review it for ya |
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Silver Member Username: ShowridesHartford, CT USA Post Number: 806 Registered: Feb-06 | 3rd party review FTW Have a SSA fanboy review a SSA driver lol. Then when it performs average on a TL, he says it excels in everything that doesn't have a numerical value attached to it. Sorry still laughing. I am not saying this sub isn't everything you said it was. But it just seems a little suspicious when you say everything is amazing about this sub, but the only numerical values we have aren't very good. But just to make things 100% clear here. I am in NO WAY COMMENTING ON THE PERFORMANCE ON THIS SUBWOOFER. I have never owned one, never tested one, and can't speak at all for how it performs. I only feel that a 3rd party unbiased person should be reviewing this sub, and not somebody who has been a long time member of the SSA forums. But that is just my opinion. |
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Bronze Member Username: Mrray13Post Number: 99 Registered: Oct-06 | mr kingrob...i am in no way associated with the company SSA, only the forum. i'm not on the payroll, nor did i get paid for the review. ben, gee, that coming from you? i mean everything you sell is the bomb, right? you back up everything you say, correct? i mean, it's not like when you called out mach5 that you jumped at the opportunity to put your product where your mouth is. kevin had to back your play. and i'm honest. the numbers aren't the greatest, and i posted that. but sound wise, there are very few that can touch it. and if i'm dogging the output, how am i biased? if i was truly biased, would i not even mention numbers? no, the truth is, i was asked to do a review. and i did. that is all. it is an excellent subwoofer, and does what is claimed. and what is not claimed is that it'll beat all on the meter. how many other companies say that? and term lab scores aren't the end all, be all, tell all of subwoofers. if you feel that they are, then this sub isn't the one you want. you'll want something like a L7 or a mojo, or a btl or mt. something where output is first and sq is a hindthought. plain and simple. and lastly, ssa fanboy? lol, you crack me up. i've been banned from there once and even had my mod status pulled at one time. yeah, i'm a fanboy. ok ben, you got me. but at least i back up my words and don't run and hide when the person i called out actually shows up. how about you? wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
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Bronze Member Username: Mrray13Post Number: 100 Registered: Oct-06 | brad, no, i've never gotten to see dimmu live. would like to though, especially if they are as intense live as their recordings. joey, i've done reviews on the soundsplinter rl-p and the last generation xxx. kicker cvts have been in the truck as well as memphis prs, mclass and hpos. even a mojo has lived on the bench. a pair of solo x's, a 10 and a 18, have called the truck home as well. i've also got to play with the soundsplinter rl-s and rl-i8, la x2 and a kicker cvx currently resides in the trailblazer. a L7 once lived there as well. while i haven't reviews on all of them, i've touched upon their performance one time or another. wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
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Silver Member Username: DenimWww.TeamSSAudio.com, MD Post Number: 315 Registered: Nov-06 | Wow do people make some incorrect statements on this website. Anyway, Kent did a well done review. Kent does not get paid by us, nor was he apart of the design of the sub. He has proven a good reviewer for sub woofers in daily driving set ups for a while now. Just look at the one before this he did on the MAW and RD. There are very few people who have Kents box building skills that can write up a coherent and understandable review, that will build multiple boxes for the test and has a termlab to test with on top of that. We were pummeled with requests by people to "review" the ICON, when they were only after a free sub. Kent has more then enough subs to play with that he does not need an ICON. I could have written up a biased review if I wanted to, but we needed someone that could write and has plenty of skill. That is very hard to come by on the online forums. |
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Silver Member Username: DenimWww.TeamSSAudio.com, MD Post Number: 316 Registered: Nov-06 | Ben; I believe Kent said he liked the sub because we never stated it was an SPL driver, and never pushed for db #'s. That was not the design or intent of the sub. Kent you can correct me if I am wrong, just trying to clarify I think. I am not really worried about the numbers because it will do different numbers in different set ups. |
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Bronze Member Username: MrogowskiPost Number: 45 Registered: May-07 | "...and term lab scores aren't the end all, be all, tell all of subwoofers...." I agree with this... |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 3271 Registered: Jul-06 | "and term lab scores aren't the end all, be all, tell all of subwoofers...." But it's nice to have your cake and eat it too  |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 3272 Registered: Jul-06 | "SSA ICON 12d2 MSRP $369 " Does anyone sell the Icon besides SSA?If so,who?I'm just wondering because that MSRP is totally useless if you're just selling direct  |
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Silver Member Username: DenimWww.TeamSSAudio.com, MD Post Number: 322 Registered: Nov-06 | That is for the dealer network. |
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Silver Member Username: Mrray13Post Number: 103 Registered: Oct-06 | "But it's nice to have your cake and eat it too" ain't that the truth, lol wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 3279 Registered: Jul-06 | Damnit Denim!I was kind of asking who or where the subs were sold lol,you left me in the dark.I guess over at SSA.com ?Is that the only place? |
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Silver Member Username: DenimWww.TeamSSAudio.com, MD Post Number: 325 Registered: Nov-06 | Hey Rob, Yes online, SSA will be the only source. We have a few brick and mortar dealers lined up, but keep in mind the sub has only been on the market a few weeks. |
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Gold Member Username: Extrmndor3IF U HEAR ME... crazydbs.com Post Number: 5647 Registered: Feb-06 | kent dont youg et paid to put a section of their subs on your forum |
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Silver Member Username: Mrray13Post Number: 107 Registered: Oct-06 | mr king rob, that's not my forum. i don't have a forum, the forum in question is owned by a gentleman named mark and admin'd by denim. those two people are the owners of the ssa brand of subs. i am only affiliated with them in that i'm a member/moderator of the forum, nothing more. i don't get paid by them or anything they do. people really need to get their facts straight. otherwise, i guess since the RD Classic AND maw12 both did good, damn near as good as the Icon, i'm on both of their payroll's as well, correct? unlike ben, who overhype's only what he sells and questions everything else. like dc sounds. he has limited experience with anything, yet claims to know everything. i only hype what i know, in my mind and my meter, to be true. and that's it. take my review for what it is. but please, get your facts straight. wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
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Platinum Member Username: BestmankindSQ IS THE ONLY WAY Post Number: 13777 Registered: Oct-05 | very nice review. |
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Silver Member Username: DenimWww.TeamSSAudio.com, MD Post Number: 326 Registered: Nov-06 | No, Kent is not paid by SSA at all. |
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New member Username: Ndmstang65Post Number: 5 Registered: Oct-06 | Ben and lowhz can't make a dollar off of it, it can't possibly be a good speaker now could it? |
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Gold Member Username: Trey4sportsPost Number: 1332 Registered: Sep-06 | cmon now. i dont want another SSA vs LowHZ BS thread.... |
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Silver Member Username: DenimWww.TeamSSAudio.com, MD Post Number: 327 Registered: Nov-06 | Trey its not. For some reason people want to put down Kent and his review that he did. Which is odd because he showed both the strong and the weak points of the sub. |
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Bronze Member Username: DevildriverPost Number: 32 Registered: Jun-06 | "cmon now. i dont want another SSA vs LowHZ BS thread...." Then you only have one person to blame, and he was the fifth poster in. |
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Gold Member Username: Trey4sportsPost Number: 1333 Registered: Sep-06 | ehh both sides are to blame. both biotch and moan. anyway lets see an 12 inch btl vs. 12 inch alpha v2. i think that would be an excellent idea. then we can really see who makes the better mid-upper level driver |
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Gold Member Username: Trey4sportsPost Number: 1334 Registered: Sep-06 | BTW i do appreciate the testing kent. however for the next test maybe we could have sean and lloyd do the comparison? since no one really has a problem with them |
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Bronze Member Username: DevildriverPost Number: 33 Registered: Jun-06 | What I feel the worst about is I tried to help bridge the gap on both sides and Ben is just throwing that all down the toilet at every opportunity. It's funny that you fake like you're interested in getting along with everyone and stopping any quarrels, then you stir sh1t right back up. Absolutely ridiculous and I hope that you either change quickly or it catches up with you. |
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Bronze Member Username: TeamrevolutionATLANTA, GA USA Post Number: 23 Registered: May-07 | I think Kent did and put what he thought was right in his opinion and recorded what facts he could. I beleive he did a great job. This is what i personaly got from it; The Maw subwoofer is a very good subwoofer for what they sell them for and sounds very good in a ported box. 127.0 @ 47 hz 550 watts sealed/130.6 @ 42hz 550 watts. The SSA sounds very good sealed but doesnt have output. It also sounds good ported but does ok for SPL @ 1100 watts. 126.9 @40hz sealed @1100 watts/ 132.0 @ 40 hz 1100 watts The classic Sounds excellent in a sealed box and and does pretty good for sealed output. It sounds ok for ported but has very good output. 128.0 @ 46hz 550 watts sealed/ 131.8 @ 45hz 550 watts ported. One important thing to note is the classic was not broken in either about 5-10 mins of play time before kent got it. I am very pleased with the results and with talking with kent after he told me that it was right there with the best sealed box subs he has ever heard that was great to hear since that was my design Goal with the Classics. I am also very happy with the output being 128 sealed that was louder then a sub with twice the power. I was also happy with the output in the ported box a 131.8 was only 0.2 db less then another subwoofer with twice the power. We are also proud of the fact we build here in the U.S.A. So Kent basically summed up what we tell people about the Classic and that is It works great for reproducing any type of music to a T- in a sealed box and gets loud doing it and for ported boxes it works very well for Rap/Hip hop with real good output with only 500 watts. |
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Gold Member Username: Trey4sportsPost Number: 1335 Registered: Sep-06 | anything new from RD in the future steve?? looks like you guys are really making some nice products |
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Gold Member Username: OglejustPost Number: 2082 Registered: Aug-06 | kent do u have aim? i was wondering what tone u used when u set the gains w/ the oscope |
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Bronze Member Username: DevildriverPost Number: 34 Registered: Jun-06 | To me, assembled in the US is very different than built in the US. ;) The ICON is, for the most part, built in the US. |
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Bronze Member Username: TeamrevolutionATLANTA, GA USA Post Number: 25 Registered: May-07 | USA- The Voice coils are designed and wound to the formers here in the USA. The magnets are sourced out buy cut here in the USA. The back plates and front plates are designed here and sourced out. The Glue we use is from the USA. The basket is sourced out. The Tinsel leads are from the USA. The surround and cones are designed in the USA and sourced out. The Actual assembly is done in the USA. That is why we can alter any of our subwoofers to your needs. If you want 6 Spiders instead of three NO PROBLEM you want a sub geared to SQL instead of SPL ? NO PROBLEM. |
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Silver Member Username: DenimWww.TeamSSAudio.com, MD Post Number: 330 Registered: Nov-06 | Steve, with all due respect, I feel the three subs mentioned in this thread really should not be compared. The Mach5 and the RD were tested against each other only because of the things said about the Mach5 and the RD, so Kent did a review of those two. The ICON is a different driver also, it was a single sub review, not written to be compared to the Mach5 or RD. All three subs have different designs, limitations, price brackets, marketing behind them. |
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New member Username: DerkadurPost Number: 1 Registered: Jun-07 | "USA- The Voice coils are designed and wound to the formers here in the USA. The magnets are sourced out buy cut here in the USA. The back plates and front plates are designed here and sourced out. The Glue we use is from the USA. The basket is sourced out. The Tinsel leads are from the USA. The surround and cones are designed in the USA and sourced out. The Actual assembly is done in the USA. That is why we can alter any of our subwoofers to your needs. If you want 6 Spiders instead of three NO PROBLEM you want a sub geared to SQL instead of SPL ? NO PROBLEM."  |
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Bronze Member Username: DevildriverPost Number: 35 Registered: Jun-06 | Why hello Derka Dur! WE MAKE YOU PEEKA REAL CHEEP! |
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Gold Member Username: 420alldaylongPost Number: 2093 Registered: Sep-06 | Kent How did those kicker cvts sound a friend of mine might be trading his car in for a truck and that means less room to work with. |
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Silver Member Username: Mrray13Post Number: 109 Registered: Oct-06 | trey, i didn't start it. i've left ben alone for quite a while now. he dragged this sh!t back up, and me bieng who i am, i'm not laying down for noone. and while i agree that chad is a good choice for reviews, some people do have an issue with lloyd, though i am not one of those. justin, i used a 50hz, 0db tone. steve, thanks for the vote of confidence. and your summation is pretty spot on. denim, don't sweat the numbers, or the comparision to the maw or classic. all three subs have strong point, all three have weak ones. tis life, lol. joey, the cvts are the very best shallow mount sub i've heard to date. that includes offerings from clarion, pioneer and sony. while the pioneer and clarion were cleaner, the cvt kicks their collective butt for output. wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
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Gold Member Username: Adam_sPost Number: 1417 Registered: Aug-04 | Once again nice review Kent, written up very well. |
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Silver Member Username: Mrray13Post Number: 111 Registered: Oct-06 | also, quick note. seems everyone is forgetting that the Icon also got it's best numbers dang near a half octave lower then the others. same boxes. could be a pointer as to why it's overall numbers aren't that much higher? just a thought. wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
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Silver Member Username: ShowridesHartford, CT USA Post Number: 816 Registered: Feb-06 | "unlike ben, who overhype's only what he sells and questions everything else. like dc sounds. " What are you talking about? I have seen one thread about DC audio and said you couldn't tell much by looking at 8 15's. Also, FYI I did contact a sales rep and plan on talking to DC audio about their subs. Don't know why you think I have anything against them. Unless you made a type and meant TC sounds, in which case I still don't know what you are talking about. And show me proof where I have overhyped anything I sell. Not that I should even be wasting my time with someone who doesn't own a business, and just sits back and talks about people who do. |
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Bronze Member Username: TeamrevolutionATLANTA, GA USA Post Number: 29 Registered: May-07 | lol, Ben just brush stuff off, You do you and kent does kent. Agree to disagree. It is old drama not worth hanging on to. |
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Gold Member Username: LoudonPost Number: 1243 Registered: Jun-04 | hey steve ... was it you that i talked today ... i called ... didnt remember catching a name ... email me binny816@yahoo.com ... need to ask a question |
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Silver Member Username: Mrray13Post Number: 113 Registered: Oct-06 | "What are you talking about? I have seen one thread about DC audio and said you couldn't tell much by looking at 8 15's. Also, FYI I did contact a sales rep and plan on talking to DC audio about their subs. Don't know why you think I have anything against them." wrong. you've posted in at least two. however, you are correct in that all you have done is just ask basic questions. my bad, bad memory. you win this one. "Unless you made a type and meant TC sounds, in which case I still don't know what you are talking about. " nope, see above. "And show me proof where I have overhyped anything I sell." how about every post you made with about mach5 vs rd? before my review. and especially since you laid down the challange, and then backed out. that's what i'm referring too mostly. and i'm not digging through the archives here to drag stuff up. but i've seen posts where you've made blanket statements concerning your products overwhelming better performance then anything out there. "Not that I should even be wasting my time with someone who doesn't own a business, and just sits back and talks about people who do." wrong again. though i don't advertise much on the internet, i do indeed have my own enclosure business. it's a part time gig, sure. but it's still my business. and i don't just talk about business owners, like steve miller, mark5, markss and aaron, mike k, hell, even kevin holden. every single one of them do all they can to back up what they type. i only talk about those who open their mouths and then run backwards when the challanged show up. like i posted in the ssa/low-hz tension thread, i want this off the boards bro. get my number from kevin or steve, even my email. let's get it off the boards and get it over with. two companies (three) are getting dragged into something because of us. of course, i'm not a part owner of any of them, so i'm not reflecting bad upon mine. what about you? in any case, let's get it off the boards. you and me, hash it out person to person. it's your move bro. wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
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Silver Member Username: ShowridesHartford, CT USA Post Number: 818 Registered: Feb-06 | Good idea Steve. I let it go a long time ago, but someone else keeps holding onto it lol. |
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Silver Member Username: Mrray13Post Number: 115 Registered: Oct-06 | "Good idea Steve. I let it go a long time ago, but someone else keeps holding onto it lol." what? i haven't spoken to you or about you for well over a week, until you felt it necessary to pop off. pull your head outa your azz and join the real world. again, you show your true colors and don't man up about what you have caused. nice. wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee |
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