Anyone running 2 18's?

[tahoe218 0]

Im ordering 2 18" Bls running off my one kicker 2500.1 i already have one order and i m about to get my second one ordered. i want to know who is Also Running 2 18's of any series of Fi audio. and how does it sounds. ive never ran 18's before and im very curious on how they perform.

[cj232 0]

I'd like to know also, I'm thinking on 18's for my caprice.

[Grim 0]

Mead i think had a dual 18 setup

[tejcurrent 13]

Well, I'm not sure how the BLs compare with the BTLs, but being that I'm giving them similar power they'll probably be pretty close.

I have 2 18" btls fully loaded in my 99 yukon. Each one has about 7.5 cubes net tuned to 35hz with about 115sqin of port each. I have each one run off of a hifonics bxi2006d. I'll be putting about 4-5k watts on each one within the next two months, just have to figure out what amp to get.

I've had a lot of setups, but I definitely like this the best so far. Last two were a single kicker L715 on 1300watts(5cubes 32hz), and before that a single alpine type-x12 on 1300 watts(1.1cube 32hz). The alpine did have a bit more distinction with kickdrums, but the kicker was MUCH louder. Then the single btl 18 was MUCH louder.

Now that i've had both 18s a few months I've noticed the change in how they play, and I will say that they aren't amazing on kicks or anything, but they're almost comarable to the alpine type-x 12. They sound better than most 12s and 15s I hear. On top of that they are AMAZINGLY loud.

Today I met a guy who told me he used to do comps with a honda accord with 6 12s and metered some rediculous number. He asked to hear my subs since he saw them through the window, so I let him sit in there. I played Jeezy, first track on the new album, and as soon as that first note dropped he cringed and put his fingers in his ears. A few minutes later he complained that his ears were still ringing, and that it must've been a while since he cranked his system up. They're the loudest two subs I've ever heard, and sound better than many of my previous 12" setups. The biggest thing I've noticed is the low lows are very strong.

I'm sure you'll love them, and if you ghetto-blast near people you're bound to get attention.

I guess my point is they don't have quite the SQ you might find in a highend SQ driver, but they still sound extremely good, and have enough output to make up for any SQ downfall they might have. Plus the fact that most people say 'holy-crap thats a big speaker'.

I'll upload a few pics of the setup tomarrow when there's more light.

[visitor 3]

Mead i think had a dual 18 setup

meade's 2-18 set up was re mt's. not fi...

[tahoe218 0]

ok cool! im hoping for that! i want it stupid loud! i had 6 12's 4 15's and my latest/ setup was 2 15" Louder than all my setups 2 M3 15's off my amp.

[theabunai 3]

Mead i think had a dual 18 setup

meade's 2-18 set up was re mt's. not fi...

Meade has 4 18" BTLs

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/ind...p?showtopic=453

that link shows his review on the subs (VERY nuts reading)

Also click some of the later videos it will say 4 18" BTLs

he hasn't found the time to update his system details on his page but he is NO longer running the RE in the tahoe

[tejcurrent 13]

I'm not familiar with Meades old setups, but I know his 4 18s look rediculous.

If you're looking for stupid loud it should do it. I've been in peoples cars with many 12s in a wall, and 15s and all, and they were nice, but I'd say they compare to the 1 12 or 15 I had before. I went to the one audio shop near here and had the guys working there ask me to come back so they could get a vid of how bad their shop shook. I stopped by a shop today and the guys inside were amazed at how they could feel their clothes shaking outside the store, and you could watch the windows of the store moving.

I'm hitting about 151 @ 42hz, tuned to 35hz. I'm also hitting about 149.5 at 32hz, so its still has oomph on those deep notes. I know people are hitting much louder than that, but mostly at high tuning freqs in a small car, and the few vehicles I've sat in that claim to be hitting in the 155+ range dont sound near as loud to the ear. Plus they don't have near as smooth a response through the range.

Yesterday it was over 70degrees here in MB SC, so I was riding with the windows down to my fiances house. I turned down the music about 1/5-1/6 of a mile away so I wouldn't bother her neighbors. When I got there she told me she heard me coming about 5 minutes away, and that before I turned it down her refrigerator started vibrating as well as other things in the house.

Those 18s should be loud, but it's really dependent on the install. Like I said earlier, I've heard walls of 12s in extended s-10s that sounded about as loud as my single Kicker L7 15 in my yukon.

I think when I redo the boxes I'll tune a bit lower though, but you should like it. What kind of car/size box/tuning freq/port type are you planing on using?

[tahoe218 0]

sounds Amazing man! thats what i like right there. those are some sick number. i have an 1996 Tahoe that the install is going in. i was gonna do about 14.5 cubes internal after all disp. and 140sqin of port tuned to 35hz also. so very similar setups!

[lj_dudley@yahoo.com 0]

i was thinking of doing something very similar. i want to do 2 Q 18"s in the back of my ext cab truck im tired of the local boys with their 15" audiobahns. ill have 1000 rms going to each one im hoping for crazy bass. just trying to decide on some box plans.

[tejcurrent 13]

OK, I think I finally have a good enough signal to upload everything. F-in image shack must be having server problems, cause nothing wants to upload.

Here is when I had one sub, facing back. I found out I gained about 1.5dbs from changing the box style to what I have in the following pics.

And a pic of my goofy ass holding it when it came in. Shows you how big it is, I'm somewhere between 5'11 and 6' depending on the gas station, 165lbs.

Here is the btl compared to my old type-x 12

Heres a pic of the two subs-yes one is carpeted and one isn't. I could only find a small amount of carpet, so I put it on the one box. It was 3 weeks later when I finally could get enough to cover the other, but I'm considering building a different box, so I'd rather save the carpet for that.

Heres an awful pic of how bad the wiring looks under my seat. I need to make a rack for those, but I'm getting new amps anyway. Need to clean the car too...

This is the yellow top I have under the rear seat, and the tools I carry around. Looks like a mess but I'm working 2 full time and 2 part time jobs, so I have to have everthing with me.

And one last one of the terminals. I put the small segment to bring the coils together on the inside of the box instead of the outside like I meant to, but this way you can change coil configurations easier. Forget who gave me that idea, but it works great, and much better than a terminal cup. Also when I get the new amps I can run 4 guage to the box w/o a problem.

Most people run wire right out of the box, but with work I constantly have to pull those things in and out so terminals of some fashion were neccessary.At around 150-200lbs a box they're heavy to move though...

I plan on changing the boxes more like this:

This bad sketch was brought to you by MS Paint.

But i'm going to try to figure out a way to get the proper air space for 4, so I don't know if i'll go through with it.

lj516, my friend had 4 audiobahn 12s in his blazer, got pretty loud, but sounded like crap. My one 12" type-x got louder in my yukon though. I think most guys to good with the port and subs firing up in those ext cabs.

Anyway, hope that gives you some ideas, I'll take some better pics when I get the car cleaned out.

[lj_dudley@yahoo.com 0]

thats the thing all my friends think that audiobahn is the "best". they can get loud but handling power and sounding any good at all is another thing. but wow ur setup looks sweet. i was wondering how big each one of ur boxes were. i only have about 16-17 cf to work with i just hope it is enough. also how much rms u getting to each one?? i was thinking of something similar to what u said subs and port on top that should sound pretty awesome.

[lj_dudley@yahoo.com 0]

nevermind about the size and wattage i went back and read. but i would like to know where u got the plans for your box. i have not yet worked with slot ports, i have used aero ports and know how to calculate the correct length for them but i dont really understand how to get the correct slot port measurements.

[tejcurrent 13]

I just tried to get as much space as possible. My seat line is just over 22", so I made my boxes so I could see over them. The rear area is just over 48" from tire well to well (where it rises), so I just made each box 24 inches. I made it deep enough that I can put gallons of paint between the port and the door, I think 36", but I can't remember. I'll have to measure to be sure.

I'm trying to figure out how to get one box for both subs to take up half the back area and still give them 5cubes net each after sub and port displacement, but I think I'll have to use pvc or aeros to do that. Either that or a slot that'd be pretty small.

I'd get a lot more space if I had just one big box instead of the two seperate, but I like being able to leave one in when I need to haul something, and I couldn't get the help to carry a single box that big in and out of my car as often as I pull them out. I just measured the area and worked with what I had. From talking to people on this forum I was told by others that the sub up port back was better, and from switching boxes I found that to be true. Every time I talk to someone with an ext cab they tell me they had good luck sub&port up.

After displacement for the sub and port each one is getting about 7.5cubes net, give or take. I found some calculators to be helpful, but they give you different lengths depending on what side you consider the width and length. I don't know which is right, so I just found a medium and went with it. I believe I used this one, but watch what happens when you interchange the w and h of the port. I can find the formula for you, but if you can find a better calculator I'd try that.

http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=31

I believe I ended up going with (interior dimensions) 5"hx22.5"wx15.5"l for the port and I like how it sounds.

I chose the slot because I have a router and can bevel the edges (though I only did the inside of the port on these boxes) and it seemed easier than cutting pvc and what goes into using it.

Edited February 26, 2007 by tejcurrent

[lj_dudley@yahoo.com 0]

oh ok well what i think ill end up doing is using pvc pipe anyway i work at a hardware store and can get a discound on it. and i dont have a router. but i do plan on doing double 3/4 on the entire box i just wonder if that is going to be strong enough.

[tejcurrent 13]

oh ok well what i think ill end up doing is using pvc pipe anyway i work at a hardware store and can get a discound on it. and i dont have a router. but i do plan on doing double 3/4 on the entire box i just wonder if that is going to be strong enough.

I only have 2 layers of 3/4 on the face and one layer the rest of the box, and it doesnt seem to have any problems at all. 2 x 3/4 should do well. Are you using 4" PVC or 6"? I've got both sizes and I'm thinking about using 3 pieces of 6" instead of 4 4" with a face plate on either side of the ports cut and routered to give flared ends. What would you recomend?

[lj_dudley@yahoo.com 0]

the only thing i have avalible to me right now is 4" but im guessing i could order 6". i plan on flaring the ends of the the pvc with a heat gun and a metal bowl it explains it here. i was going to do 4 or 6 of them in the top middle of the box.

[tahoe218 0]

Finally got my BL about to post about 2 pics in a seconds Thanks Scott! subs are a beast!

[tahoe218 0]

my review of this sub? OMFG! i havent even put it in an box yet and its insane! just free air. Thanks scott! gonna order my second 18 pretty soon! gonna add another kx 2500.1!

[djjdnap 78]

they sound nice, lol