Alright so I have had my 18" fi ssd for about a year and want to upgrade, A guy locally on c-list is selling a 12" Fi BTL and I thought about buying that as an upgrade to my 18" ssd.. Question is, will i really gain much from this upgrade? I believe it is a new btl n2 series 12".

Since my current sub is an 18" and tuned to 32hz it hits pretty freaking loud and low, So im just trying to see if any of you with more experience in different subs know if it will be noticeably louder?? its only a 12? Currently I am running a Sundown SAX-1200d but i could also sell that/trade for an AQ2200 if needed to get more power for the btl if it will even help or make a difference.

I just want to know if it will be worth the hassle of getting rid of my 18" and paying more on top for the 12 btl. IF it is a noticeable upgrade and worth it I WIll def. buy it, i just want to know if i will be dissapointed, because my 18 hits pretty hard but ive never even heard a btl/xcon/zcon type sub in person ever.

Thanks in advance for all the help. You guys have always had my back!! - Jordan

I'm 99% positive it won't be as loud. You lose a huge amount of cone area, and don't gain enough motor force to make up for it. You can always recone the BTL to an 18".

The btl wont have the cone area to compete with the ssd, maybe if you buy the btl then recone it to an 18"

So even though my sub is est. 800-1000rms and the btl is rated @ 2000rms, mine will still sound much louder due to massive cone area?

So if i get an 18" BTL, then it will be much louder? or is it still very little difference? Its just hard for me to understand how an 18btl can be muchhh louder than a 12btl with the same rms/peak rating while my 18 ssd with a low rating can be greater than a 12btl.. But then if reconed to 18btl or just purchasing an 18btl would be a big upgrade.. lol

It would be a big upgrade with the BTL 18".

Should be a noticeable difference, the 18" btl will have more power and more motor force than ur ssd, the only way to see how much of a difference is to try it, theoretically is should be twice as loud

Twice as loud means a 3 decibel increase in SPL.

Twice as loud means a 3 decibel increase in SPL.

^^^

To the OP:

doubling either cone area or power causes a 3 db increase, but this is just a generalization and is not alway the case. Usually doubling power is less efficient than doubling cone area.

So doubling power, and retaining 18" size should increase 3db. At the level i am now, 3db should be noticeable to the ear still correct? since im not even close to a "major" system

theoretically yes, double power = 3db increase on the same sub. in reality it probably wont be a full 3 db.. as far as it being a noticeable difference, the smallest change in amplitude most people can hear is 1db.

from what i understand of the SSD and the BTL, all things the same (sub size, amp, box, etc) the btl will be louder on the same power do to its design. so going from an 18 ssd to an 18 btl will give you more output (i dont know how much..) and the ability to run more power down the road.

Rms power has NOTHING to do with output btw

You are just going to gain linear displacement with the High xmax coil on the BTL if you go with that route..

You are just going to gain linear displacement with the High xmax coil on the BTL if you go with that route..

Which makes me wonder why a BL would be louder than the SSD if it were to be replaced?

Sorry that's off-topic, don't mean to threadjack.

You are just going to gain linear displacement with the High xmax coil on the BTL if you go with that route..

Which makes me wonder why a BL would be louder than the SSD if it were to be replaced?

Sorry that's off-topic, don't mean to threadjack.

Assuming same power and ideal enclosure for each and same diameter that would be the case. Guess what it was designed to do?