ILuvJDM's Build Thread

[ILuvJDM 0]

lol..

yep, that change in tone is distortion.

glad you're liking it! i love my setup!

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I'm still worried about the fact that the test tone may not be recorded at the same intensity as my other CD's, so when I turn my music up to the point I tuned the test tone to, it's actually over what I tuned it for... get what I'm sayin?

-John

[mrray13 30]

the difference is music is dynamic, the tone was constant. that's why your sub will live. but always pay attention to it. if, after a hard session, you start to smell VC, turn it down a bit. otherwise, wang away.

i've got my amp set to just clipping with a tone (and a oscope), and i've not had any issue with the sub.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[///M5 2,833]

You shouldn't have any problems with that. Keep your ears and nose open and everything will be fine. Enjoy your setup!

[ILuvJDM 0]

cool, I guess I'm just paranoid about stuff

thanks for all the help, I'll try and get a review up soon

-John

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

glad you likey. ICON's will show they're true potential to people as soon as we get more of them out there. But We both think this sub, it is a GREAT product and stand by it 200%. Anyways, enough with my proud moment, lol. Glad you like.

[ILuvJDM 0]

Here's 2 video's of the ICON in action.

First song-Late Nite Tip by 3-6 Mafia

Next song- Don't Make Us by Da Great Yola and DJ Unk

sorry for the length of the second video, I forgot how long the intro was... and for some reason the digi cam didn't focus when I tried to show my truck at the end.

I used the new 50Hz test tone today and I set the sub to what I thought was distortion, but again I'm not sure. There's like 2 or 3 points where to sub seems to make a step-up with loudness even when I move the gain knob very slowly. I set it to the highest one where the SSA logo really jumped from a smooth motion to a more wavy type, and the sound got funky again.

Is there anyone on these boards in Austin that could help me with setting the gains so I know for sure. I'm scared to f*ck something up... but I don't smell voice coils or anything

-John

Edited July 14, 2007 by ILuvJDM

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

seems it's not getting enough power for some reason, doesn't really look like it's being pushed enough (unless your camara has a bad frames/second), I would double check the polarity of the sub and make sure thats right. I'll be taking new video's of them soon, now that their fully broken in.

also the video with the 10" ICON was being run by a RF BD500.1 which is half the amp you have, so i'm not thinkn it's the power you have going to it. I am assuming you have it wired at 1ohm? This sub was also brand new when we shot the video for it, maybe the 2nd time it was ever played.

[ILuvJDM 0]

seems it's not getting enough power for some reason, doesn't really look like it's being pushed enough (unless your camara has a bad frames/second), I would double check the polarity of the sub and make sure thats right. My subs where brand new when we filmed the video, and where very stiff. I'll be taking new video's of them soon, now that their fully broken in.

also the video with the 10" ICON was being run by a RF BD500.1 which is half the amp you have, so i'm not thinkn it's the power you have going to it. I am assuming you have it wired at 1ohm?

As far as I know, yeah. I have the positive wire running to the left VC, and the negative wire running to the right VC on the sub. From that I have a connecting wire going from one negative to the other and same for the positive. Is that the right way?

I must not be hearing distortion... is it a really noticeable sound, or does it take a trained ear?

also the video with the 10" ICON was being run by a RF BD500.1 which is half the amp you have, so i'm not thinkn it's the power you have going to it. I am assuming you have it wired at 1ohm?

that's exactly why I think it's underpowered. It already shakes my rear-view mirror and my driver's side mirror, so I figured that was all it would do...

-John

[mrray13 30]

distortion with a 50 hz note will be very distingishable. distortion with music will take some listening.

thing is, i haven't gotten my icon to bottom out yet. and i've driven that bitch hard, lol. (sorry mark, but i gotta try to break it, lol)

i'll see about getting a vid of mine up. since it's the exact same kind truck and the boxes are twins, similiar power, maybe yours just need broke in a bit more john.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

seems it's not getting enough power for some reason, doesn't really look like it's being pushed enough (unless your camara has a bad frames/second), I would double check the polarity of the sub and make sure thats right. My subs where brand new when we filmed the video, and where very stiff. I'll be taking new video's of them soon, now that their fully broken in.

also the video with the 10" ICON was being run by a RF BD500.1 which is half the amp you have, so i'm not thinkn it's the power you have going to it. I am assuming you have it wired at 1ohm?

As far as I know, yeah. I have the positive wire running to the left VC, and the negative wire running to the right VC on the sub. From that I have a connecting wire going from one negative to the other and same for the positive. Is that the right way?

I must not be hearing distortion... is it a really noticeable sound, or does it take a trained ear?

also the video with the 10" ICON was being run by a RF BD500.1 which is half the amp you have, so i'm not thinkn it's the power you have going to it. I am assuming you have it wired at 1ohm?

that's exactly why I think it's underpowered. It already shakes my rear-view mirror and my driver's side mirror, so I figured that was all it would do...

-John

I think we just found your problem, sounds like it's wired in series which would put you at a 4ohm load. You'll want to wire the sub in series, meaning, send the (+)(-) from the amp to one coil, then just jump (+)(+) & (-)(-), ii'll find you a diagram, one sec...

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

you should double your amps output wiring it like this.

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

distortion with a 50 hz note will be very distingishable. distortion with music will take some listening.

thing is, i haven't gotten my icon to bottom out yet. and i've driven that bitch hard, lol. (sorry mark, but i gotta try to break it, lol)

i'll see about getting a vid of mine up. since it's the exact same kind truck and the boxes are twins, similiar power, maybe yours just need broke in a bit more john.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

you can't bottom our sub out! there's a 1/2" gab between the back plate. You can try though.

[mrray13 30]

distortion with a 50 hz note will be very distingishable. distortion with music will take some listening.

thing is, i haven't gotten my icon to bottom out yet. and i've driven that bitch hard, lol. (sorry mark, but i gotta try to break it, lol)

i'll see about getting a vid of mine up. since it's the exact same kind truck and the boxes are twins, similiar power, maybe yours just need broke in a bit more john.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

you can't bottom our sub out! there's a 1/2" gab between the back plate. You can try though.

lol, sweet.

i can't seem to make it reach full xmax then, lol. i'm going to try though!

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[ILuvJDM 0]

you should double your amps output wiring it like this.

see that's how I have it... I have the main + to one VC and the main - to the other like the picture has. Or should I wire them both to the same VC and run jumpers to the other VC?

-John

[ILuvJDM 0]

distortion with a 50 hz note will be very distingishable. distortion with music will take some listening.

thing is, i haven't gotten my icon to bottom out yet. and i've driven that bitch hard, lol. (sorry mark, but i gotta try to break it, lol)

i'll see about getting a vid of mine up. since it's the exact same kind truck and the boxes are twins, similiar power, maybe yours just need broke in a bit more john.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

well when you're sub is playing music, does it flex alot? Mine just kinda vibrates, doesn't really have any linear excursion like those vids

-John

[ILuvJDM 0]

Also, when you're setting the gain by ear, should you go really slow or fast? Whenever I go slow and I hear a change in tone or loudness, I think that's distortion. Would it be better to speed it up and see when the sub changes tone that way?

-John

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

you should double your amps output wiring it like this.

see that's how I have it... I have the main + to one VC and the main - to the other like the picture has. Or should I wire them both to the same VC and run jumpers to the other VC?

-John

yes, wire one voice coil using the (+)(-) from the amp, then just run jumpers to the other coil, that should fix your problem

unless i'm not understanding you correctly, it sounds like you're wired in series. If this doesn't fix your problem, it's got to be a amp/deck setting

[ILuvJDM 0]

yes, wire one voice coil using the (+)(-) from the amp, then just run jumpers to the other coil, I garantee that'll fix your problem

so is the way I have it wrong? I have it just like the picture, is the picture wrong?

should be like this right?

I'll go take out the sub and fix it here in a bit

here's how I have it

-John

Edited July 14, 2007 by ILuvJDM

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

yes, wire one voice coil using the (+)(-) from the amp, then just run jumpers to the other coil, I garantee that'll fix your problem

so is the way I have it wrong? I have it just like the picture, is the picture wrong?

-John

if you have it just like the pic, then it is RIGHT. You're problem should lie in one of your settings. You're sub deff isn't getting the power it needs, but that amp is more then capable of running it, so it must be a setting somewhere.

[ILuvJDM 0]

if you have it just like the pic, then it is RIGHT. You're problem should lie in one of your settings. You're sub deff isn't getting the power it needs, but that amp is more then capable of running it, so it must be a setting somewhere.

oh ok. I must just not know what 1000watts is capable of. I went from a 250watt crappy JL 10 to this, so I'm not sure how loud it should be

I'll mess around with it, brb

-John

Edited July 14, 2007 by ILuvJDM

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

you're sub should deff be moving like mine in the video's. Looks like it's barely moving, like it's getting no power for some reason. What is your sub setting on your deck? the bass setting on the deck? you gain set to on the amp? etc...

[ILuvJDM 0]

you're sub should deff be moving like mine in the video's. Looks like it's barely moving, like it's getting no power for some reason. What is your sub setting on your deck? the bass setting on the deck? you gain set to on the amp? etc...

well the video doesn't pick it up, but the sub is moving just not as much as the videos... I have the stock BOSE headunit, so there's no subwoofer setting and the bass is almost all the way up (1 click away). The gain knob is about half way

does anyone know of any good videos that show distortion? I know that one video where the guy shows what bass boost does to a sub, is that the sound I'm listening for?

-John

[Mark LaFountain 1,054]

hmm, sounds to me like the head unit might be the problem? is the amp getting it's signal from the highlevel input? If so I've heard before that you can't use those outputs from the bose system. MrRay13 might have more insight in that one. This could deff be the source to your problem.

[Acidburn 10]

yeah, how exactly do you have the amp wired from the Bose head unit?

[ILuvJDM 0]

yeah, how exactly do you have the amp wired from the Bose head unit?

well I have the PAC OEM GM24 peice to get 2 sets of outputs from the deck. PAC said that it didn't matter which output was used, but maybe that's the problem. I'm pretty confused right now and I'm considering taking it to custom sounds in Austin and seeing if they can set the gains. I have too many rattles and stuff on my truck so I can't really hear the tonal difference from distortion...

Maybe it's time to get a new headunit

-John