Hi. New member signing in. This board appears to have a number of knowledgable as well as experienced individuals, so I'm looking forward to your input.

To get down to it...

I'm looking at subs. My car is a 2009 Mazda 3 sedan. I listen mainly to rock. Maybe throw in some hip hop. 90/10. I'll be working with approximately 500w RMS @ 2 ohms. My focus is SQ, and (like everyone seems to say) I enjoy listening at higher volumes. This will most likely be a sealed application. I'm comfortable sacrificing in the neighborhood of 1ft^3.

I'm probably not experienced enough to call myself an audiophile, but I'm very critical of my equipment. I ask a lot from the products I buy. I really look for quality in performance, and Fi appears to offer stand up products.

I think I've narrowed my decision down to either the RE SE12, or the Fi SSD 12.

From reading their site, the SSD seems like the sub that best fits my application, or am I mistaken? It's been surprisingly hard to find input on Fi products, so that's why I'm here...

Any opinions from people who have experience with this sub, or who have similar tastes?

i had a 15 ssd sealed its now on my TV. it plays very well and has a nice low end, and for the price its very underrated it gets pretty loud.

I went from a RE SR to a FI SSD (both ported) and the SQ on the FI is just as good as RE. The FI seems to hit lower which how is how I like it. I have 1000 watts going to mine. I think you'd be happier with a bigger amp since you like your music at high volumes. And on top of that a sealed box won't be as loud as ported. Better to have too much power than too little power.

Edited April 15, 201015 yr by HemiCoupe

Welcome ....

I have always said the SSD is a very underrated subwoofer!

It deff is under rated. It allmost takes all 1000rms my amp pushes. My friends are like shit there's no way that's one 12 in a sealed box. Check out my build for a lil more info. And u should go more around 1.2 before displacement. Sounds soooo good.

I went from a RE SR to a FI SSD (both ported) and the SQ on the FI is just as good as RE. The FI seems to hit lower which how is how I like it. I have 1000 watts going to mine. I think you'd be happier with a bigger amp since you like your music at high volumes. And on top of that a sealed box won't be as loud as ported. Better to have too much power than too little power.

Welcome

I like the SSD's myself.

going to get 1 and run 1000wrms to it but in 1 or 2 months have heard great reviews

I went from a RE SR to a FI SSD (both ported) and the SQ on the FI is just as good as RE. The FI seems to hit lower which how is how I like it. I have 1000 watts going to mine. I think you'd be happier with a bigger amp since you like your music at high volumes. And on top of that a sealed box won't be as loud as ported. Better to have too much power than too little power.

yes really. it's called head room.

I went from a RE SR to a FI SSD (both ported) and the SQ on the FI is just as good as RE. The FI seems to hit lower which how is how I like it. I have 1000 watts going to mine. I think you'd be happier with a bigger amp since you like your music at high volumes. And on top of that a sealed box won't be as loud as ported. Better to have too much power than too little power.

yes really. it's called head room.

, you think all people will use it as headroom?(i like headroom too. )

Instead of cranking it up to the max, with sometimes not properly set gains.

Not really smart to post that kind of stuff on a forum, where a lot of beginner's read up to gain knowledge and then they read that and think they need a bigger amp.(and burn woofers, and then ask what happened.)

I went from a RE SR to a FI SSD (both ported) and the SQ on the FI is just as good as RE. The FI seems to hit lower which how is how I like it. I have 1000 watts going to mine. I think you'd be happier with a bigger amp since you like your music at high volumes. And on top of that a sealed box won't be as loud as ported. Better to have too much power than too little power.

yes really. it's called head room.

, you think all people will use it as headroom?(i like headroom too. )

Instead of cranking it up to the max, with sometimes not properly set gains.

Not really smart to post that kind of stuff on a forum, where a lot of beginner's read up to gain knowledge and then they read that and think they need a bigger amp.(and burn woofers, and then ask what happened.)

OP doesn't have to take my advice. It's just my 2 cents. If I had a choice of running a SSD with a 500 watt amp or 1000 watt amp I would choose the 1000 watt amp and set the gain lower to reduce strain on the amp.

Edited April 16, 201015 yr by HemiCoupe

I went from a RE SR to a FI SSD (both ported) and the SQ on the FI is just as good as RE. The FI seems to hit lower which how is how I like it. I have 1000 watts going to mine. I think you'd be happier with a bigger amp since you like your music at high volumes. And on top of that a sealed box won't be as loud as ported. Better to have too much power than too little power.

yes really. it's called head room.

, you think all people will use it as headroom?(i like headroom too. )

Instead of cranking it up to the max, with sometimes not properly set gains.

Not really smart to post that kind of stuff on a forum, where a lot of beginner's read up to gain knowledge and then they read that and think they need a bigger amp.(and burn woofers, and then ask what happened.)

OP doesn't have to take my advice. It's just my 2 cents. If I had a choice of running a SSD with a 500 watt amp or 1000 watt amp I would choose the 1000 watt amp and set the gain lower to reduce strain on the amp.

you guys are both right, it's just a personal preference.....if you have experience with setting proper gains and etc...then go for it.....but then again we don't want people coming on here reading that they can take a certain number of watts because then people will start to improperly tune there amps and bam we got a whole lot of fried subs....

Thanks all for the replies so far.

Hemi and Kirill: Gentlemen please... Hemi, I understand that leaving headroom is always wise, but I selected my amp based on a couple different factors, so I'm just working with what I've got. The only thing I felt was a compromise was the output, but keep in mind, power handling is not a power requirement. Just play responsibly, and if you keep it from clipping, it'll still sound just fine.

Kirill, yea, I hear what you're saying... But people should hopefully first educate themselves on the basics before coming to a discussion board.

A couple people saying the SSD is underrated... I'm new to the Fi crowd... I didn't know it was looked down on? Why?

Opinions still very welcome. Thanks guys!

Kirill, yea, I hear what you're saying... But people should hopefully first educate themselves on the basics before coming to a discussion board. True, but not everyone does it, but props to the ones who do it

A couple people saying the SSD is underrated... I'm new to the Fi crowd... I didn't know it was looked down on? Why?

The SSD is underrated, that is a good thing, means it can handle more power then it's RMS. (i think that is what you asked.)

If your looking for a great daily subwoofer that has the ability to get loud and still handle 1K watts the SSD is a great buy!

A couple people saying the SSD is underrated... I'm new to the Fi crowd... I didn't know it was looked down on? Why?

Opinions still very welcome. Thanks guys!

People use to talk about big woofers, like the bl, the btl,...

Bigger is better for all the bassheads. That's why you did not find enough info about it !

But an ssd may be the right solution for you, or a Fi Q if you want.

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck

Thanks all for the replies so far.

Hemi and Kirill: Gentlemen please... Hemi, I understand that leaving headroom is always wise, but I selected my amp based on a couple different factors, so I'm just working with what I've got. The only thing I felt was a compromise was the output, but keep in mind, power handling is not a power requirement. Just play responsibly, and if you keep it from clipping, it'll still sound just fine.

Kirill, yea, I hear what you're saying... But people should hopefully first educate themselves on the basics before coming to a discussion board.

A couple people saying the SSD is underrated... I'm new to the Fi crowd... I didn't know it was looked down on? Why?

Opinions still very welcome. Thanks guys!

I wouldn't say its looked down on, just that more people tend to go for the BL or BTL when it comes to Fi subs, since they are known to be the loudest of the Fi lines.

I myself have an SSD 18, 9cuft box ported to 32hz. It's not in a car though, it's actually in my room. But it is still very, very loud. I listen to mainly rap, but it works well with all my other music too. I highly recommend one to you

Thanks all for the replies so far.

Hemi and Kirill: Gentlemen please... Hemi, I understand that leaving headroom is always wise, but I selected my amp based on a couple different factors, so I'm just working with what I've got. The only thing I felt was a compromise was the output, but keep in mind, power handling is not a power requirement. Just play responsibly, and if you keep it from clipping, it'll still sound just fine.

Kirill, yea, I hear what you're saying... But people should hopefully first educate themselves on the basics before coming to a discussion board.

A couple people saying the SSD is underrated... I'm new to the Fi crowd... I didn't know it was looked down on? Why?

Opinions still very welcome. Thanks guys!

I dont think people are syaing there looked down on at all. There saying that if you buy one and its said to hold 800 watts rms...its underated and can easily take more power than that with no problem. I have recently installed one of my Fi subs i own (15" fully loaded) in a single ported box and i am currently running a Kicker ZX2500.1 on it, with the gains at 3/4 and it still seems to want more....lol

For what you are doing. I HIGHLY recommend the SSD's, you will be more than happy that the output these subs can produce. I would do a sealed box and try to squeeze it out to about 1.4cu.ft. so after speaker displacement you will end up right where Fi recommends it to be. As far as the 500 watts goes..It will work, but you can double that and be even more impressed.

Hope this helps.

How can you say no to these?????

+ a million on the ssd. Im running a 15" ssd with BP power in my mazda 6 Sedan and it sounds GREAT. I get a lot of wows from people on how "loud yet clear" it is. Im running a mb quart discus on it at 1k rms and it takes it just fine, even with the gain tuned a little under halfway with an o-scope. I live in Texas, which is typically hot in summer, and I have only heard it clip a few times when it is really hot out (whether coincidence or not). The even funnier part is its not even at its full potential, cuz I have the sedan model, and the box was too big to fit how I had planned. The sub is pointing straight up on the panel, and I am pretty sure it is taking away a lot of the energy of the bass. The only person that didnt like it was some dude with two 12" Alpine Type R's. He "was not impressed"

I tend to ramble a lot on here when I get off work.. So long story short, amazing and definately under rated sub.

Edited April 26, 201114 yr by Ktownmazda6

Thanks all for the replies so far.

Hemi and Kirill: Gentlemen please... Hemi, I understand that leaving headroom is always wise, but I selected my amp based on a couple different factors, so I'm just working with what I've got. The only thing I felt was a compromise was the output, but keep in mind, power handling is not a power requirement. Just play responsibly, and if you keep it from clipping, it'll still sound just fine.

Kirill, yea, I hear what you're saying... But people should hopefully first educate themselves on the basics before coming to a discussion board.

A couple people saying the SSD is underrated... I'm new to the Fi crowd... I didn't know it was looked down on? Why?

Opinions still very welcome. Thanks guys!

I think the reason SSDs are "are looked down upon" is because Fi is known for their high spl woofers. Not many people know of the lower, more SQ oriented subs that Fi offers. SSDs rule!