I am working with a new AS1 competitor trying to get them a really nice score this season.

Basically, rules are as follows-

System must reside in trunk only, car MUST be off and play a song only.

Well, he currently did a 140.2 with 2 Fi SSD 10s and an audiopipe 3000w using a 35A fuse.

This is my theory-

Because MECA's classes are limited on fuses + cone area.. and cone area and power go hand in hand with each other... as long as the space is there... more cone area and less power "should" result in a higher pressure output.

He was able to pull just over 100A off that 35A fuse to get his score.

We aren't restricted on cone area but cone area + fusing x 10 cannot surpass 550.

So, here are the possible choices-

1 10 - 45A fuse

2 10 - 35A fuse

4 10 - 20A fuse

1 12 - 40A fuse

2 12 - 30A fuse

4 12 - 5A fuse

1 15 - 35A fuse

2 15 - 15A fuse

Actual volume available set aside, i believe 2 15s would be the ideal setup for such a class and if volume were restrictive, 2 12s would come in line next if they had adequate air space.

Even with a 15A fuse, he should be able to pull about 50A long enough to get a score.

Because that isn't large amounts of power, to attempt to achieve such a score at low power would require some stout motor strength, good efficiency and lower powered subs(less spiders\softer spiders) for lower power.

So, with this thinking, I was looking into the DC Level2s for such application.

Whenever i see people running AS1, it's usually single sub setups or dual sub setups with extremely low powered equipment(amateurs).

I am trying not to believe that the key ticket to success is a single sub setup with massive power, while this can be possible, i'm venturing into other ideas right now.

If anyone has any insight in this class, AS1, and some other ideas or anything, let me know.

I know if he went with a single 12, he can run a 40A which should get him up to pull around 1500w which is plenty of power...

There are options but since this is our 1st sanction competing year, i'm unfamiliar with past setups.

i would stick with the 2 10"s but get some better ones. like the Fi BL's or equivelent, and keep with the 35a fuse. if hes not afraid to pop a few for testing it out then just figure out the most you can draw with that fuse and get a very efficient amplifier. possibly run it at 4 ohms for efficiency to get more power. just have to figure out how to get more power with less amperage.

the fuse thing is the one thing i dont like about meca, i mean you could have a 15" sub on about the same power as a 12" sub and be in the same class.... its extremely power biased and i dont like that.

I would worry less about cone area and more about building a more efficient box.

well, i've already considered the idea of having his entire trunk built all around in wood then build a box from within. Brace and attach the box to the outer wooden case for more support.

His current setup with his SSDs are in 3cuft net with a non-tunable port, just using ~55sqin of port tuned to an approximate number he peaks at.

I know with a tunable port AND more port area would help a lot.

I got a design that can give him 120sqin of port so more port area isn't the problem.. tunable port is but i can overcome that once i get there.

I want to see him reach a 145 by the end of the competing season. That's a 5db increase. I don't think i can get an extra 5db out of just a different box and trunk design compared to the box he has now... but we got 11 more months before finals so we'll see what happens.

Before he changes subs anyway, we already had planned on building a new box for his current setup anyway, that's the cheapest solution.

Dude, you need to tell me that I have a thread going that I didn't even know about. lol.

But yes, a new box is going to be built before buying new equipment. I will be enclosing the trunk with MDF. The only thing I am going to change for sure is my battery. I really want to keep the two 10" subs but I guess if I cannot get my 5dB gain from them in the AS1 class then I will upgrade my subs. I am optimistic though about my current equipment. I think a full competition box would make my score a lot higher. The box I have now is more for daily listening and it was just convenient that I was able to have a 2nd tuning in the same box easily and cheaply.

bl's and a good box will net a good improvement. buddy i know was doing a 140.2 with 2 DD 8s and a pr1000 so i believe you can beat the with ease with bl's.

this is mephismzd btw on my girls computer.

Edited November 9, 200915 yr by LexusLover

Was he in AS1 too? Because without the fuse limit, I hit more than a 140. New subs would come later after a new box.

More cone area isn't always the answer.

The key is to maximize your cars potential. 2 15's seems like an awful lot of cone area for a trunk car.

2 10's or 2 12's is about the max I would go with. An AS competitor by me is using a single 15" and is doing mid 145's.

A lot of it is just going to come down to building and testing, just like any other class. You need to maximize efficieny no matter what setup you plan on doing though.

Food for thought, my truck is louder with the single 12" setup versus the single 15". Main reason is because of the box position and layout. That's where you can see a lot of gains, testing out different style and size enclosures.

What kind of fuses are you using?

Also, you have a lot of good competitors in your area that you can talk to and bounce ideas off of.

Edited November 9, 200915 yr by tommyk90

I am using a 35 amp AGU fuse. Ben Hemp says that a single sub would be more efficient in my class than 2 subs. Josh Shacklette and Ben Hemp are the only ones I know that have been where I am now. They both say to go with a single 12" or 15" sub, especially a Type R.

And I understand the placement and direction in the car are big parts of getting loud. Just by moving my box a couple of inches gets me from 139.XX to 140.9.

yes he was as1 and i believe he was using a 30amp fuse at the time. the others may be correct one good single sub and a really good box will most likely be more efficient that trying to fit two.

with two 8s you can use a 40 amp fuse if your friend didnt know.

well, i understand if he had to try and fit but he's got bout 7cuft gross in that trunk.thats good for a 15, 2 12s or 2-4 10s all with bout 120sqin of portif he dont mind spendin money on wood throughout the season, i'd like to try many designs

no, I don't mind wasting money on wood. i am just a little attached to my SSDs.

nothing wrong with ssd's great woofer for the money man. spl wise they do alright but when stacked up to say bl's you will see a clear difference. also the possibility to use 4 ssd's if you choose to, you have the room like said in the previous post.

I would love to have 2 BL 10" subs but money...

oh, i just remembered, i got 2 10s u can try and see if they any louder than those ssds. they got softer spiders and got pretty loud off 600w to the ear. u can wire them together at 4 ohm too. one of the 10s is partially messed up so if u damage it, i dont care.

what 10s do you have? I thought you only had that 15" AQ

2 audiobahn eternals.same as the original Immortals built by Resonance, just with a 2.5" coil.they can move off of low power, thats why i mentioned them.

first thing we need to do is do a sub swap and see if u gain anything.

Then we need to do box testing(may not) and then build a box for those 2 10s with 10,000sqin of port area, lol and see what u do then.

Remember though, your trunk is gonna be isolated from the rest of the cargo area for this new build so I expect a major improvement in your score.

Since the trunk will be isolated, that means we can do all kinds of mods to the interior wood design without effecting your trunk such as bolt down, extensive bracing, sanding, etc...

gotcha. I just gotta find out ways to transport big sheets of MDF from lowes to my house with a trunk car.

gotcha. I just gotta find out ways to transport big sheets of MDF from lowes to my house with a trunk car.

have them cut it in half at the store then haul it. my little 2 door cavalier can hold alot of half sheets of mdf in the back seat (since there is no room in the trunk).

I'm going to wrap all of the MDF in plastic. I hate having to clean up MDF in the car. I'm OCD sometimes about being neat or clean.

Wait, I can ask Josh or Ben since one has an SUV and the other has a trunk. Sweet.

nah, get ben to deliver it,

You don't want the sheets cut exactly in half because you never know when u could have needed an extra couple inches down the run of that sheet.

Ninja edit Sean.

O and my wires will come in this week. I saw that the 2/0 welding cable is the same size as the knu 1/0 wire. But I am getting the welding cable for less so I'm okay with that. Its still AWG 2/0 though. Its supposed to be able to hold up to the low 400 amps of current so if I ever want to go with another ap30001D then its still plenty.

if you plan on having a battery in the trunk then the only real need for the runs from front to back is to charge the the back battery. Unless your trying to squeeze every last once of current from the front battery.