DoozeyMontana

So I’ve narrowed my choices down to the FI Q Neo 15 and the FI BTL Neo 15. My indecision is which would be best for my tastes/application. I’ve never had a system as quality as what I’m looking to get into, so I’d like to get everything right and feel satisfied with the end result. I’ve had 1 15” l7 and 2 12” l7 over the last 6 years. Both systems were adequate, however, the most recent system being the 2 12s wasn’t put together properly by the audio shop I had install and build the box for them to be housed in. Long story short; the box and wiring didn’t jive with the setup, which burnt my coils and broke the surround on both subs. They were dual 4 ohm wired to a Hifonics brx2000.1d (know I know, Hifonics is low budget garbage) with 1/0 OFC by knukoncept run from the battery and ground. There is a fancy LOC that had to be installed, because my car (2014 Impala LT 3.6l) has a headunit that can’t be removed. I forget the name of the converter, but I’ll be able to check that all out once I remove the current setup to install a new system. With this being said, I am looking to get into a good quality setup and having everything proper. I will be doing a BIG3 upgrade, replacing battery with an XS power, and replacing stock alternator with HO 250amp alternator. I am even open to adding a second XS in the trunk, which I’m assuming I may have to do if I want everything to be up to par. I will also be getting a quality amp, depending on the sub chosen, and what kind of power I will need to have for it. This will just be a daily driver setup, which will probably never see any competition type settings. While I enjoy SQ and being able to listen to any kind of music, whether it’s rap/hip hop, rock, country, dubstep/edm, I also love just being loud as hell. I am more of a lows kind of guy, in the sense that I love feeling panels flex, but I’m aware that a lot of music I listen to has notes that are probably in the higher frequencies. I have quite a bit of trunk space to sacrifice, as the box that is currently in my trunk is 40”wide 18.5”deep 19.5”high, which is roughly 7cubes before displacement. I will be purchasing a box design plan from the SSA store, as I’d like to have the box as perfect as possible for the sub that is chosen. I’m aware the Q is a sealed box setup, and the BTL can be either sealed or ported. If I go with the BTL and the ported route, I was thinking of having the tuning around 32hz. Any input/suggestions is greatly appreciated. There are probably details I’ve left out and any questions about aspects I may not be addressing with this original post, I am more than happy to try clarifying.

Thanks for the clarification, I understand what you’re saying, and I’m going to have to agree that a few extra $15 fuse setups is well worth saving a 20k+ investment hahaha... So assuming the amp requires anywhere from a 200-300a fuse, does that mean each fuse in the chain should be 200-300a, or would I be splitting that up between all the fuses? I mean in reality it’s probably better to use bigger rated fuses regardless of the situation, so I suppose that’s just me trying to gain a little more understanding about electrical. I notice there’s no mention of an isolator, so I imagine that must not be required for a dual battery setup? From the info I’ve gathered on all 3 of the amps that I’ve got my interest in, each one does well over rated power. The Orion seems to be the best power for dollar, but I just want to get quality power for a sub that deserves the best I can provide it. With all of that said, I suppose I’ll be debating between the SCV and the Orion. Either way it sounds like I’ll be in good company with one or the other.

At this point in time, I’m pretty sold on getting the BTL. I have a feeling from the comments I’ve received in this thread that I will certainly not be dissapointed. I’m actually looking forward to getting things in order, as I doubt I’ll be able to get all the equipment at once haha. I’m debating on the amp still, as I’ve been able to source the opportunity to get an SCV3000 now for close to $600. While I’d like to save the money by getting the Orion XTR, I’m concerned that the amp may not be as good of a choice as the TS2.8k or the SCV3000. I’ll most likely be investing the extra little bit into the power supply, just because it sounds like the best route to get the best results. I’ve never wired a second battery before, but through my research I’ve noticed it’s pretty much just adding fuses to the wiring. One between the two batteries, and one between the second battery and amp. Some suggest to put two between the two batteries and two between the second battery and amp, but that seems a little unnecessary.. Also I’ve read multiple arguments between people in threads/on YouTube, which claim a second battery setup absolutely requires an isolator. Any suggestions regarding the amp selection, as well as the battery situation are greatly appreciated!

I’ve been leaning towards the BTL, from the comments I’ve received so far. Theres a few errors in the post that I should’ve proofread and double checked my facts first lol. For example the mistake of what kind of box each driver is intended for use in, as well as the misnaming of the ampere 2k amp confusing it with the scv 2200 amp haha.. So far what I’ve come up with for choices on amps is either an Orion XTR2500.1 or the Twisted Sounds 2.8k for a BTL setup. From reviews both of these amps look like they’re solid choices to power a BTL to its full potential, and I can imagine with the box design from the SSA store will help to add to that factor that much more. Should I be expecting to add a second battery to the trunk, or is it possible to get away with a 240a mechman and a d3400 xs power up front with 2500-3000watts on the amp? I’ve never had a system that has this much power potential, so I’d like to make sure all my T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted to prevent any issues. As always suggestions and input are appreciated!

yes, you’re right about that, I’m not sure why I thought the Q was a sealed setup. I’ve run a bunch of numbers between various subs, which have varied between sealed suggested and ported suggested. First I started with RE XXX, then went to Orion HCCA, HDC4, DC XL, etc.. so maybe that’s where I made a mistake haha. Everything I’ve read has pointed towards the BTL, but I figured I’d inquire with people who might be familiar with either setup. I’ve seen many posts about how “x” sub pounds low end but gets muddy up top. I’ve looked at other makers like SSA, IA, and AA, which at this point just pretty much seems like it’s whoever I go with I’ll ultimately be satisfied with. Not sure what exactly swayed me to go FI, but I’ve seen nothing but positive reviews on all of them. I suppose my follow up question regarding the decision on which sub to choose, is what amp/power I could be looking at throwing at it. With the Q I was looking at an ampere 2200, or something else that’s got good reviews. Seeing as the BTL can handle more than 2200, I’m unsure what the next level I should be looking at. Assuming the big3, alternator, and battery upgrades is enough to supply the power, I’m sure most any amp would be able to produce rated rms. Once again any suggestions is appreciated!

Hello there, community. This is the first time I’ve actually joined an audio community and posted/commented within a thread. I’ve browsed many threads on various forums, which include the SSA forums, and I’ve actually gathered quite a bit of useful information/knowledge from doing so. I’ve had multiple sound systems throughout the years, which I have learned through trial and error some valuable tricks and what not to dos haha. My most recent system is the only one I haven’t actually fully wired and setup myself, because my vehicle has a dash/head unit that can’t be removed and doesn’t have a wiring harness. I let an audio shop install a sound processor (I’ve never really dealt with that) and wire up my vehicle/build a box for my subs, which turned out to be a bad idea. Long story short; the audio shop wired my subs wrong, built the box to specs that weren’t proper towards the setup I wanted, and in the end I’m trying to setup a new system with a little insight from a quality community. Looking forward to all the cool people and knowledge I can gain. Happy Easter as well!

Thanks guys, I appreciate the hospitality!