I am looking for some suggestions on subs to replace the two Eclipse SW8100 series 12's I have now.

Here is what I have:

Kenwood DNX-7100

Audio Control Matrix

Audio Control EQS

Boston Acoustics ProSeries 6.0 (front)

Powered by US Amps USA-4300x @ 3Ohm Bridged.

According to the O-Scope, I am getting ~460w per bridged channel @ 3Ohm (unclipped)

Stock rears power by HU

(2) Eclipse 12" SW8100 Dual 4Ohm

Powered by US Amps USA-1000x @ 2Ohm stereo

According to the O-Scope I am getting ~630wpc @ 2Ohm stereo (unclipped)

The boxes the subs are in are "not much more" than 1^3 sealed, gross internal volume.

My goals: Maintain high SQ as I currently have, but find something that is more efficient than the heavy coned Eclipses, that will get much louder on the USA-1000x. I would like to keep the same boxes (due to fitment, and cost). They are in the trunk of a 2006 Pontiac GTO. So, the subs need to fit in the boxes I have, be a high SQ sub, but be efficient and put out a lot of sound at ~600w per sub (and be wireable to 2Ohm per sub or 4Ohm combined - all the amp can handle).

TIA!

Edited September 9, 200817 yr by Mike M

So you have a little less than 2^3ft feet sealed?

Do you have room for a 15" sealed?

The Soundsplinter RL-p 15" would work well in that space with that power. It comes in DVC4 and DVC2. You could add some poly fill to the box to trick the sub into a larger enclosure as well.

Another option is the Stereo Integrity Magnum. V4 edition is just arriving in the states. It's specifically engineered to be a low box volume SQ subwoofer (think .5^3ft per woofer). It comes in 12" DVC2 only. One would be more than enough for what you're looking for.

Thirdly is the Incriminator Audio Flatlyne. I'm unsure on box sizes for this driver. 15", and DVC2 would probably work in your space though.

Last up, the one and only SSA ICON. DVC1 or DVC2. You're a bit out of space for what the 15" wants, but a Single 12" or even a Dual 10" setup would sound excellent.

A 15 definitely wont work. Here's a pic of the trunk:

Again, I would really like to use the boxes I already have, because they cost me $450 and I can only go with a custom fiberglass job due to space (and the need of accessing the spare tire - it's a daily driver), which wold easily cost that much again to have redone.

If I go with one, it has to be a single 4 or dual 2, and if I go with 2, they have to be single 2's or dual 4.

Thanks again!

If it were me.. I'd prefer to not be limited by existing boxes.. but if you havvee to use them.....

Looks as if the SSA ICON is the way to go. The 12" model would be more than happy in your $450 boxes.

Well, a lot of it has to do with cost, and the rest the fact that even if i do get new boxes, i am still constrained, space wise, to the areas the current ones are in. I have to be able to get the spare tire out in the event of an emergancy, and I have to be able to fit at least a couple bags of groceries in the space GM calls a trunk. Those that aren't familiar with the GTO, behind that amp board lies the gas tank, so the space you see there, is all of it.

Are the Icons efficient enough to really get a good use out of the power I've got?

If I did redesign the boxes (but keeping them n the same area, possibly raising them slighty to get a few more cubic inches out of them), would there be something better to put in there that would still meet the other requirements?

Also, how would a pair of RL-p 12 D4's in those boxes compare with the Icons?

Edited September 9, 200817 yr by Mike M

Question, what is to the left of the Matrix?

Are the Icons efficient enough to really get a good use out of the power I've got?

More than enough power.

Question, what is to the left of the Matrix?

5F cap

Are the Icons efficient enough to really get a good use out of the power I've got?

More than enough power.

Thanks!

You definitely don't have enough room per 12" for an RL-p. iirc, they like the bigger sealed boxes to really shine.

the rl-p is good with anywhere from 1 to 1.25ft^3 sealed, at least IME. i loved my rl-p in 1.25ft^3, LOVED it!! a lil polyfill and boom!!

teh ICON would be an awesome choice as well. personally i prefer the rl-p sealed over the ICON, but the ICON is still a great choice. i just love my ICON ported, lol.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Using WinISD, and plugging in the TS parameters I can find for each of the 3 (includes the ones I have), it looks like all three would perform about the same.

The Eclipses show they would be a little louder from about 32Hz and up, with the RL-p's a little louder below 31Hz. The Icons are slightly below up to about 40Hz then stay with the Rl-p's the rest of the way up to the 80Hz x-over point.

This is using 1cuft with 1 sub at 630w input.

I'm not sure how accurate this program is at comparing subs, though, and I know the in-car response will not be the same as what this program dictates.

Any input?

Oh, and to aid in gestimating the box sizes:

The bottoms are ~13"x16"

The tops are a 15" circle

The "low side" is about 9" high

The "high side" is about 12" high.

And I use polyfill as needed...

rl-ps don't model well, lol. and i never trust what the program says, just way too many in car differences to say for sure. what i will say is this, the eclipse subs and the rl-ps are cousins. amongst other things, they share buildhouse and cone material.

the icon is the outsider. paper pulp cone, different buildhouse, amongst other things. the icon and rl-p just have really good people behind them.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Well, I know the Eclipses don't get loud enough for me when I really want to jam (ok, when I want to shut up someone else that thinks they got a system, lol). It really seems like they start to bottom out earlier than I would like.

your car has some to do with that. that gas tank doesn't help the sound, lol.

the sw8100 is also the LMS driver, IIRC. which makes it closer to the rl-s then the rl-p. and the LMS isn't all that efficient when compared to teh underhung rl-p (iirc, it's underhung, lol). if my memory serves, you should notice a difference in switching from teh 8100 to the rl-p or the ICON.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

The Eclipses are the SW8122DVC's. I only posted the "series" earlier because I had to look up the exact model number. I believe these are the final vintage of the 8100 series.