Ok folks, here it is! The Mach5 Maw12 vs. the rD Classic 12 showdown! I want to thank Mark from Mach5 and Kevin From Low-hz, with a shout out to Steve from rD, for providing the subs. It ahs been fun, and it has been a learning experience. Nothing better then playing with new toys. Ok, on with the setup.

The vehicle is a 2004 Chevy Silverado extended cab. There is a yellow top under the hood, 1/0 Memphis wiring throughout, and a factory 105 amp alternator. The Big 3 has been done as well, also in 1/0. The source unit is a Clarion DXZ955MC, with the HPF set to 125 and the LPF set to 80. The amplification is provided by a Memphis Memphis Belle, MCH1300, which will provide these two subs ~600wrms @ 2ohm. The gains are set to just clipping using an o-scope and a 50hz note. Enclosures will be a 1.25ft^3 sealed affair, and a 2ft^3 @ 34hz w/a 4

RD Audio Classic MSRP $175 dealer only

They were designed and built to be small sealed enclosure SQ subwoofers. When we tested them in small ported boxes we were extremely pleased. When tuned to the mid 30's they have a flat response. They are built off the same concept as the Alpha series. They offer a good amount of output with no distortion. The can accurately reproduce any bass note with ease regardless of what style of music you fancy.

Woofer Description

Vacuum formed polymica cone body with reinforced cone collar

Extended neck joints on cone, coil, and spider

Butyl rubber surround

Waterproof

Vented cone

2 inch long excursion voice coil

Rounded deep back plate

Low carbon front and back plate

Powerful dual stacked 55 oz magnets

Cast basket

Integrated tinsel leads

2.5" long excursion motor structure

Available in 15" built upon order

Box suggestions: Please contact us through email to get a box custom designed to meet your needs.

Port and driver already included-

Classic 10"

.75 ft3 sealed 1.0 ft3 sealed

1.5 ft3 with a 4" round or 12.5" slot port by 10.4" deep tuned at 44hz

2.0 ft3 with a 4" round or 12.5" slot port by 10.25" deep tuned at 37hz

Classic 12"

1.0 ft3 sealed 1.5 ft3 sealed

2.0 ft3 with a 4" round or 12.5" slot port by 12" deep tuned at 35hz

2.5 ft3 with a 20 square inch port by 16.33" deep tuned at 35hz *a lot less port noise

2.0 ft3 with a 20 square inch port by 12" deep tuned at 44hz * high output

Specifications coming soon

Build quality is definitely good. Like the maw, glue lines were excellent and there just isn

Sealed box testing;

The Maw12 was in a bit bigger box then recommended, still it faired very well. With either fast double kicks or drop down low bass lines, it delivered and did so very well. As long as the music was fairly simple, this thing worked wonders. Let it get a bit complicated and it would get a tad muddy. Not overbearing muddy, but it would make it hard to tell what was trying to play. I never got it to bottom out either. A rated 350wrms sub, it was taking the ~600wrms from the Belle with relative ease. It would get warm and the coil would let me know I was giving it too much, but I never reached mechanical limits. Output was a bit disappointing. Not poor, but not what I expected. It loves the low lows, it does great on the fast stuff, it

Term Lab numbers;

I tested both subs, sealed and ported. I did it Db Drag style, mic on the glass, just above the dash, windows rolled up and vehicle off. This was all rD Classic. The only time the maw got the better of the Classic was at 70-75hz sealed. And it got it by 3db. Otherwise it went like this,

Maw12 sealed, 127db, occurring at 47hz

Classic 12 sealed, 128db, occurring at 46hz

Maw12 ported, 130.6db, occurring at 42hz

Classic12 ported, 131.8db, occurring at 45hz

The sealed enclosure was on top of the rear seat, driver

wow i read the whole thing....great read. THANKS for clearing up all that mess

i should add that while teh smell of coils did indeed reach the nostrils, neither sub failed. neither is any worse for wear either, with no visible signs of damage to teh coils or otherwise.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

you just made my decision on choosing a sub harder... haha

-John

Edited June 14, 200718 yr by ILuvJDM

great review Kent

Way to settle this!!!!

KUDOS!!!

J

Of course at the price you could have 2 Maw's which will be more than 1db louder than the rD Nice review Kent.

Great review kent, SQ and Termlab.

The classic did better then I expected, and the MAW's low QTS, show it is a great ported box sub. But as you and Sean said, the MAW can be had for much less, so your conclusion seems to be the right one.

Nice work!

Very nice review Kent!

Thats probably the best review...and most informative ive read...ever

Good stuff

I think you review made me decide to get 2 15 maw's over 1 15inch ssd

all else being equal, it's only the price that separates the two. seriously, they are that close. the output, while definitely in the classic's favor, is such that one can't hear the difference. i was surprised by the numbers, as they sounded very close.

of course one could double up on the maw and regain output. but then one sacrifices room (though the maw is a smaller box woofer per the website) and then adds the need for power.

to be honest, i don't know if i settled anything, but rather created more of an issue. lol, they are that close. all i know is it was fun. even put aside the oil change and service on the truck just so i could play with the subs all day. and that i did, lol!

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

excellent review just wish there was some smaller than recommended small box testing.

well, i'd wager either would work well. the rD classic was in spec boxs, the maw, larger then spec. teh rD might benefit from a smaller ported box, and both would have a bit more punch in a smaller sealed box...

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Excellent review!

Even though I see someone's been looking at my usual review material...especially the soundtrack choices That track from Narnia does funny things to midbasses

great review! One of the best i've read as well. Now, on to the ICON review! (can't wait for that)

Excellent review!

Even though I see someone's been looking at my usual review material...especially the soundtrack choices That track from Narnia does funny things to midbasses

why do you think i downloaded those things? lol. you posted them somewhere around here and i thought, why not? and they work.

and i gotta thank tom for the dimmu bogir tip. i can't remember the song, but my god the double kicks will let ya know right now if a sub will handle them or not, lol.

and thanks for liking the thing. it's long winded as hell, but with all teh back and forth to even get it going, i really wanted it to be as complete as possible.

mark, the icon is in the truck bro. it's been metered once, both sealed and ported. and once broke in, will get metered again. it's going, well.....it's going pretty good, lol

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

nice review

Excellent review!

Even though I see someone's been looking at my usual review material...especially the soundtrack choices That track from Narnia does funny things to midbasses

why do you think i downloaded those things? lol. you posted them somewhere around here and i thought, why not? and they work.

and i gotta thank tom for the dimmu bogir tip. i can't remember the song, but my god the double kicks will let ya know right now if a sub will handle them or not, lol.

and thanks for liking the thing. it's long winded as hell, but with all teh back and forth to even get it going, i really wanted it to be as complete as possible.

mark, the icon is in the truck bro. it's been metered once, both sealed and ported. and once broke in, will get metered again. it's going, well.....it's going pretty good, lol

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

the name of the Dimmu song is Puritania, and that's always the first song i play to test if the subs can handle fast beats, the Icons in Mark's truck even handled it decently

thanks again tom, i've got to refind and download tht song. my disc broke after the test bad enough the computer won't even read it.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

thanks again tom, i've got to refind and download tht song. my disc broke after the test bad enough the computer won't even read it.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

i've got it on my computer....

would ya send it to me, please? [email protected]

and any other song you think would work great on a test disc...

thanks man!

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

well done and informative.

makes me like my maw even more