Fi Car Audio

If that is the problem the only way to "fix" things is to get more power and use the amps within their linear limits. Pushing amps beyond their limits isnt good for the amps or subs (if its beyond the subs thermal ability). And to be honest, the only way to really know if this is the case is to measure things with an oscope (very quick and easy to see)... or plot things out with an AC clamp and voltmeter. Thanks, Scott

Well... I seem to run against the grain on this one then... with 5.5 cuft after port and driver displacement I wouldnt choose the Q. It would peak in the 50-60 Hz range even when tuned to 30Hz. To me itd act a little odd and less the optimal. The Q18s like larger enclosures in general. Its going to be VERY hard to get enough port behind the 18" tuned low enough plus driver displacement to only eat up 1 cuft. With the BL18 (standard with only pole chamfer) itll work smoother with 5.5 cuft tuned to 33Hz than the Q would. I could tweak the suspension a little to make it work slightly better as well. Or even an SSD18 with the copper coil and BP option would make for a better choice with 1000W in that space. Tune either as low as you can with decent port area (30-33Hz) and theyll work well. Thanks, Scott

Id have to agree with the above. Kickers definitely would be louder. Thanks, Scott

Id absolutely recommend the daily option for those subs. If they are to see any music or daily play, then choose the daily option. SPL is very tight and is designed only for SPL apps, not dual purpose setups. Subs should be fine with what you are intending to do with them. Thanks, Scott

Should make for a nice SQ setup. Decently low f3 and Qtc of about .8. Nice all around setup. Bryan in FL has a pair of Q15s sealed and has won a few SPL comps with them as well... Im thinking mid 140s from an SQ setup. Others have been doing well in SQ competition too, and we have been doing quite a few subs for the Hybrid Audio/Scott Buwalda team lately. Thanks, Scott

Your amps will have a max voltage that they can send out. Clipping is hitting this limit and lopping the tops off of a wave form that has a peak beyond the voltage limit. It squares off the tops of clean wave forms. It heats things up by not increasing the amount of excursion relative to the time/energy the sub is seeing from the amp. Same excursion + more energy = more heat. Loaded BTLs kick off heat by using the space under the dustcap and pole as an air pump. Normally applying more power results in increased excursion. But with clipping more energy is applied, with the same excursion resulting in more build up of heat. Another way of doing this is playing tracks that have lots of info close to the enclosures tuning. This results in minimal cone movement for lots of applied power. Again, not allowing things to move to cool. Thanks, Scott

Post up some basic dimensions that you have for an enclosure and we can design something for you. Simply posting up a cut sheet for the sub probably wont help as dimensions for an 18" are large and might not fit your application. We can custom design one if we know where it can fit. Thanks, Scott

Old XXX is somewhat along the lines of the Q, although the old XXX is an XBl sub and has a very different sound to it. Some like the drier/sterile XBl sound, some dont. Loaded BTL doesnt have much of a reference match to it. I guess if you had a XXX and MT mix...

Roger... email back at you. Casper97TA... looking to try and find either another email or the original one and track down who you are...

Standard Q for a little more depth, or a BL with pole chamfer for a solid hitting daily driver.

BLs can take 1000W just fine for daily. Im getting you a little longer email going right now about your app. Thanks, Scott

AAfanatic... thanks for the kind comments. You definitely live up to your name I think Chad has a proven record with the AA subs and their performance. I hope to continue in that line and push the company much harder in the dealer markets. I think the currrent lineup and all the products I am working on will make for a solidly priced/performance company that will sell well in the brick and mortar market. But, Ill just have to wait and see Assassin first run production is finished. Aresenal will start next week and Havocs the week after. Thanks, Scott

Done building a run of the Assassins and those will be ready to ship as soon as a cart issue is taken care of. Arsenals will be up for production next week and Havocs the week after. Thanks, Scott

Between the Q and the BL is a decent way of putting it. Closer to the Q in SQ performance, but with a fair amount more beef to it. Thanks, Scott

Arsenals old and new are 2.5" Havocs are 3" and Assassins are 2". I didnt change coil ODs between the older lines and new ones. Sizing seems to fit solidly within the required performance expectations. Thanks, Scott

Should make for a nice combo.

SSD uses 2 of the same sized magnets as the SX. The standard SSD would fall in between the SE and SX. The SSD with the flatwind option comes much closer to an SX in performance. We have about a 4% motor strength difference between and SX and SSD. Not much of a difference. BL is a good step above the SX and would fall solidly in between the SX and MT. Thanks, Scott

Damien, I had replied to an email received from a FOULON email address. But that was in regards to a 15" BTL. I will answer this as it seems your requirements might have changed. A pair of Q12s would work well with that amp for a clean SQ setup. No need for 3 cuft sealed. I would probably do 2-2.2 cuft sealed after driver displacement. 1.25 cuft isnt bad either and it will have a slightly lower Qtc (which I enjoy). If you have a strong midbass up front, then using the box you already have at 1.25 cuft per sub should be fine. Please let me know if I can help with anything else. Thanks, Scott

Been years since I have done a Jeep box. If I remember correct you can down fire (3)10s in a wedge box in the back sealed. (2)12s sealed might fit front firing, but I have no idea what the actual enclosure dims are anymore...15+ years since Ive done one and lots of speaker building fumes later...lol I was thinking that you can really only get about 1.5 cuft out of it... which would be tough for a ported 12". For something in the opposite direction of stealth... Pulling seats or folding will make a huge difference with the amount of sub that you can use. Although it is a hardtop they are usually fairly leaky and if you ever run without the top on, Id look at the system as a boat or convert setup. At that point, surface area is king. You simply arent going to get much cabin gain and reinforcement down ultra low, so Id focus on multiple larger driver sealed to increase output. With the seat removed, (4)15s sealed wouldnt be an issue to fit. Im sure there are quite a few solid 15 D2s or S4s that could be had in your price point... Same goes for higher numbers of 12s or (4)12s if the seats are folded.

Peaking at 41 youd probably need to tune around 36 Hz or so. With the box sizing and specs, its not set up to be a massively peaky system but a solid daily driver. Modeling it you can see where you get a 1.5 dB boost tuning higher, but not a specific "peak" like youd want for pure SPL. Do you have a multimeter and current clamp? Id be interested in seeing where your peak is right now with the port and subs that close to the rear of the hatch. Im suspecting that things are tuned even a little lower than the "box" would suggest given how it setup. Not a bad thing in my book as it makes it even more of a bottom end monster. Nice box and build. Please keep us posted as to how they sound long term. Thanks, Scott

It will perform like new. If it "looks" like new is up to the glue job of whoever recones it

Found from some old lit that it is set to 27Hz at 12dB/Octave. 13 Hz and that shallow of a slope is WAY too low. Normally set 2-5 Hz below tuning depending on filter slope. Old RF was tough stuff. I melted plastic with my old Punch 45... thing got so hot for so long that the black anodize started to turn brown and gold. Took way more abuse than any other amp Ive ever owned until the day I sold it.

Going by the OP the SSDs would be my personal choice. The Qs would be a great choice (2 Q12s were mentioned) but there isnt enough space (per the original post at 3-3.5 cuft) With 2600W, (3)Q10s would be nice, but they wont perform any better than the SSDs. Now if it was 3-4kW Id say (3)Q10s in that space. Otherwise save the $$$ with the SSDs. Thanks, Scott

Please sne me your zip so that I can get a shipping quote for you. HI and AK are extra as they need to be air shipped. USPS is usually the least expensive method except for triple stack BTL 18s. They weight over the limit. I think you emailed too... replied to that as well. Thanks, Scott

Slim8605. The 41 cent stamp isnt an issue Send me your name/address and Ill get you a couple out. Definitely no offense taken. I read/take everything on the net with an initial dose of sarcasm. Yours was obvious. Thanks, Scott