2 x RLp-12, sealed and 2000W RMS...

[HHawk 0]

Hi guys,

After much consideration and listening, I am thinking about redoing my current setup, especially the enclosure.

Currently I have a the following setup in my car (Lexus IS 220d):

- Original (Lexus) HUD and amplifier

- Rockford Fosgate 3SIXTY.2

- Front Tweeters: 1 pair of Scan-Speak D2904/6000

- Front Woofers: 1 pair Seas W18NX-001

- JL Audio 450/4 amplifier

- JL Audio 1000/1 amplifier

- 2 SoundSplinter RLp-12 subwoofers

- Cap., 2nd battery, etc.

Anyways the current enclosure is a ported enclosure, about 3.1 cu.ft., but I really dislike how the subwoofers perform. They sound to muddy, unclear and kinda slow (especially with fast techno-based bass songs). Here is a picture how the enclosure looks like: http://auto.mvdl.info/Lexus%20IS%20220d/Lexus%20ICE%2016.jpg

Anyways, now I am going to go use a sealed enclosure instead of a ported enclosure. Also, since I will lose output (compared to a ported enclosure), I am going to order another JL Audio 1000/1 amplifier. Meaning each subwoofer will receive a 1000W RMS at least (I guess JL underrates their products a bit, hence the name).

Will this be a problem for the RLp-12's? I am thinking about a sealed enclosure around 1.25 - 1.35 cu. ft. for each subwoofer.

Cause currently (especially with the music I listen to), the subwoofers are to slow and muddy. E.g. with a song like 50 Cent - It's your birthday (music I normally don't listen to, sorry) it's loud and hard, but still muddy (it keeps going where it should stop imho). And with songs like the song from Blade (sorry, "best" example I can come up with), it simply cannot keep up with the fast paced bass and sounds muddy.

Sorry I cannot explain myself better...

One more thing to note; in my previous car (Audi A3 Sportback) I had 2 x RE XXX 12" subwoofers in a sealed enclosure powered by a Rockford Fosgate 1501 BD. Each XXX would get about 800W RMS. Man this setup owned! It sounded much louder then my current setup and could keep up with it. Therefor I really hope going over to sealed and buying a 2nd JL Audio 1000/1 amplifier will re-create this effect for me...

Also if anyone is interested to view the project, take a look here: http://auto.mvdl.info

Thanks already!

/edit

I just notice Mike (SoundSplinter) has emailed me back with some more information. Thanks Mike!

...but still feel free to enlighten me on the forum guys! Always appreciated.

Edited September 11, 2007 by HHawk

[SoundSplinter 1]

I know I already got to you on email.. but just so the rest of ya'll don't think I'm ignoring this guy, here's what I had to say...

That is one sexy looking enclosure there Michel, I am sorry to hear that the sound is not what you had expected.

1000 watts RMS per RL-p driver, when used appropriately (meaning, your amplifier gain is not set too high), will be no problem for these drivers. There is going to be an inherent disadvantage in terms of output, when switching from a ported to sealed enclosure. Fortunately, you will be compensating for this by doubling your power, which in theory will cause no net change in your output, however due to power compression (http://www.s10forum.com/all_about_power_compression) you may indeed experience a very small reduction in output.

On the upside, placing these woofers in a sealed enclosure should definitely help to tighten up your response. And if you have a full 1000 watts per driver, you may as well try powering them accordingly in a ported box as well, just to hear the difference that some extra power can make. With sealed boxes, I would suggest providing around 1.25 cu ft net volume PER driver, after having accounted for all displacements.

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

I have run 1200ish to my 12" on many different occasions with good success.

[HHawk 0]

I have run 1200ish to my 12" on many different occasions with good success.

Good to hear! And what did you think of it?

[Aaron Clinton 2,372]

I have run 1200ish to my 12" on many different occasions with good success.

Good to hear! And what did you think of it?

Love it ported and tuned real low, but I don't lay into it much.

[HHawk 0]

I have run 1200ish to my 12" on many different occasions with good success.

Good to hear! And what did you think of it?

Love it ported and tuned real low, but I don't lay into it much.

Thanks for your input...

...anyone else has some comments to make or suggestions (regarding going sealed).

Other remarks etc. are, as always, also welcome!

[oxsign 1]

I have had an array of Sound Splinter subs. 18"s, 15", 12", 8", and all of them were (are) fantastic. I'm not kissing ass (although it kinda does sound like it, lol), but I'm am being honest when I say that I will not run anything else. I had 2 15"s in a ported box (2.5 ea @ 34hz) with roughly 1300rms going to each. Output was awesome as well as the SQ. Just to give you an idea. My last numbers with that set-up was a 153.9 legal at the dash, and that was my daily truck, lol. I currently have 2 RL-i 8"s in my wife's car running of a Directed 1500d. Their getting around 600rms each, and loving every minute of it. I'm getting ready to build a box for the 1 18" I have, and I'll let you know how that goes. The only one's I had sealed were in fact the 2 12"s. I had them in a 3cube net box getting about 800ea, and the SQ was second to none.

Edited September 11, 2007 by oxsign

[///M5 2,833]

Just out of curiosity what is your current box tuned to?

I was running a similar setup to you in my car: D2904/W18EX and a single Rlp. Mine currently has a single JL 1000/1 on it and it doesn't complain at all. It is currently in 1.25cuft and sounds great.

Nice gear btw!

[808BMW 0]

I've run my 2 rl-p 12's in about 1.8cf sealed each, with my powerbass xa300d going to both, which should be about 1500rms apiece.

I've run it daily for a good year or so of play time (2 years of going in and out of my car) just fine. I keep the gains low and you can definately push it too far, but it's pretty easy to hear and it's up to you how tempting it is to crank that knob.

I've also run them at 2.3cf each ported with the same amp... wow. Very loud.

[HHawk 0]

I've run my 2 rl-p 12's in about 1.8cf sealed each, with my powerbass xa300d going to both, which should be about 1500rms apiece.

I've run it daily for a good year or so of play time (2 years of going in and out of my car) just fine. I keep the gains low and you can definately push it too far, but it's pretty easy to hear and it's up to you how tempting it is to crank that knob.

I've also run them at 2.3cf each ported with the same amp... wow. Very loud.

So the sealed enclosure did sound good? After intense searching on the internet I discovered that JL Audio 1000/1 will do at least 1200W RMS each. So the subwoofers will be getting enough.

Yeah well ported, I head a lot of good stuff about the Rlp-12 subwoofers being ported, but I didn't like it... Maybe the enclosure is wrong or something, but I lack space in my trunk.

I think the subwoofers are currently in a 3.1 cu. ft. enclosure, so each sub is having 1.55 cu. ft. or so ported. Yeah it's not a lot, but blame my trunk.

Hopefully the sound will improve when running sealed, at least to my taste. And I will be backing it up with an extra JL 1000/1 amplifier...

[808BMW 0]

Yeah it sounded great, tight and punchy.

I'm a boomer, so I preferred the ported (chopped and screwed music with this setup makes reality blur)

I'm not sure you'll absolutely need another amp, I've run my 12's in the same sealed box, but instead of the 3000 I had a RF 800a2 and it was more than enough.

[HHawk 0]

Yeah it sounded great, tight and punchy.

I'm a boomer, so I preferred the ported (chopped and screwed music with this setup makes reality blur)

I'm not sure you'll absolutely need another amp, I've run my 12's in the same sealed box, but instead of the 3000 I had a RF 800a2 and it was more than enough.

Needed or not, I already placed the order. Ah well, I guess I was spoiled with my previous configuration: 2x RE XXX 12" subwoofers in a sealed enclosure powered by a RF BD1001... Man I envy the trunk space I had back then...

Anyways, I really hope 2 JL Audio 1000/1 will provide enough "juice" to power each RLp-12 subwoofer, to make my heart jump twice. Or at least more then it currently does.