A general statement like "10s are clean and 12s are sloppy" is a very difficult statement to make. When it comes to audio, there are so many variables that come into play that any general statement will have numerous counterexamples. I've heard sloppy 10s and ultra clean and accurate 12s. That said, generally, in the right enclosure and on lots of clean power, a 10 will have better transient response than a 12 and a 12 will play lower without distortion than a 10. However, this is not always the case. What I recommend you do is figure out your budget and head over to a reputable stereo store (I recommend Magnolia Hi-Fi if they are in your area) and listen to their subs, see what you like, and then search around for the best price.
keep in mind Magnolia Hi-Fi is gonna be high end, I only know this because Best Buy bought them out and every installer that works with me dreuls over the chance to work at a bay there, if they have em, we haven't even been told. It's like samo said there are a lot of factors, how you have them wired, who makes them, the material the cone is made out of, high pass low pass or all pass settings, where your gain is set, even down to the RCA's you use. The amount of power the amp is pulling or not pulling due to too small a gauge wire. I've had a guy I work with challenge another guy to a installer challege so to speak. He said give him something as small as 500 dollars, and buy the same set of subs and amp and he can make it sound 5 times better just on the install of the product itself, theres something to be said for that. i have two RF 12" HE2s running off of a 700s I have it rigged for SPL right now, but I could just as easily set it up for sound quality.
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96 SE-R: SR20VE - bolt ons
97 SE-R: SR20DET 54C - on hold - need $$$
03 Altima SE V6: PR CAI/SS grill/alarm & remote start/100 sf Stinger Roadkill/
19's (need tires)/stereo going in next
The reason why 12's that you hear might sound distorted and not as nice as your 10's is that people are using crappy amps. It takes a lot more power to power 2 12's than 2 10's. It is true that in general a 10" sub is tigher and more crisp but a 12 will hit lower and harder.
I have 2 Jl Audio 12 inch subs. I dont have alot of power running them but they sound clean, Thats what I went for on this setup So I disagree with this statement, its all about the quality of the equipment
Originally posted by wickedsr20 A sub is only as good as it's enclosure.
Exactly. A co-worker of mine has two 12s on 350w in a pre-made box and I have 1 10 on 100w in a custom box I built myself. Everyone that's heard the two says my setup plays deeper, more accurately, and louder.
Originally posted by wickedsr20 A sub is only as good as it's enclosure.
Id have to agree also. I have two tens and they sound really good in the box I have. It has to do with the internal air volume of the box and the amount needed by the sub.
im gonna favor my 12" s, i have 2 bazooka 12" s powered by a bazooka el 1500 600 watt amp. it has clean bass, and it hits all my low frequencies. tomarrow, im gonna install the full dynamat trunk kit, i cant wait to hear it. i know some people think they can only get good bass out of expensive subs, but if you look at how the bazooka el1204's are made and what material is used, they have some of the strongest cones out there. it sounds great, and for only 700 bucks i got the whole setup. i know the people with car alarms hate me!
Quote:
you dont have to run faster than the bear, only faster than the SLOWEST man running from the bear
tens are good for rock and metal, twelves good for rap. 10's and 12's are just as loud as one another but 12's will hit the lower tones better.
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95 200sx timing advanced to 15*, custom cai, Stromung exaust (no cat), b&m short throw shifter, rusted out fenders, worn suspension, creaking balljoints, cracked windshield and bad cv axles. your regular hooptie that requires 92 octane.
One more thing. It's not what you have, it's how it's installed, which is what will make or break your system. A bad install will make great equipment sound average or bad, but a good install can make even average equipment sound great because the system can play at its full potential. Just another 2 cents from an installer.
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96 SE-R: SR20VE - bolt ons
97 SE-R: SR20DET 54C - on hold - need $$$
03 Altima SE V6: PR CAI/SS grill/alarm & remote start/100 sf Stinger Roadkill/
19's (need tires)/stereo going in next
i totaly agree with the enclosure thing. i have computer program to help design and i own a woodshop to make my own speaker boxes. i had (then sold) two JL 10's in a single bandpass firing at each other tuned from 110Hz down to 43Hz runing an eclipse 4 ch 50watt per ch amp bridged to 2ch and the computer said 119db. when i put it in my 92 ser i pretty much had to tie things down. did not get accual reading but for the setup it f@#kin' pounded
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cranium
When push comes to shove, my car is uglier than yours.:)
"You have a computer program, that can give you the dimensions and airspace???? Where can I get it retail or somehow get a copy ??Sounds interesting... I dont wanna spend $140 for a box
"
yes i do and yes it does but you have to have the model number of the sub (which it has over 6000 on file) or the actual electrical and physical property of the speaker. all of which are with the piece of paper on the inside of the cardboard box it came in( all but the cheapest anyway)
this is the kicker though the program is about $130 dollar for the software and 350+ page manual, or less if you want online manual.
but if you think that your tastes in music will change or you get different sub this saves you from buying another box that is substandard for another $140. and understand if you build a box to a set of speakers that you have, you cannot put another set in them without compromising sound of the new sub. in other words one set of speakers one box, another set of speakers another box.
if you need plans i can do that
hope this helps let me know
email me cranium@prodigy.net
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cranium
When push comes to shove, my car is uglier than yours.:)
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