[CrowHorse]

The subject title says it all.... I've seen downright cheap to dizzying expensive. What features should I be looking at?
I do want to keep this as cheap as possible as it is going in my Sami......

 

[Guest]

Years and years ago Crutchfield was the only place I knew of that you could get quality car audio at good pricing, but now with the internet (LOL) there are many more options that are priced better but here is an article from their site which should be somewhat helpful.......

http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/learningcenter/car/subwoofers.html

HTH

 

[841]

I put a pair of these in a box from the local kragens (the kragen box had 6.5 in it ) it is loud and sounds good just running off the amp in the cd player

(these arent real lanzar speakers as far as I can tell Lanzar is a american made speaker or was these arent)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3292&item=3070119883

 

[JimC]

How have you got any room in that Zuk? It is load with so many goodies, I can't believe you can get another one in there.

Jim

 

[2908]

make sure the outside circle (the one that connects the cone to the metal) is made of rubber material as well as the cone it self should have a rubbery look to it. They have a better sound than the paper ones and hold up alot better. also get one that goes down to 30Hz as that is the limit of human hear'n if I remember right. think mine goes down to 25hz as you can still feel it rumbl'n. also I would'nt worry about finding one with a voice coil in it (if it has one cool) as If you hook it up right you'd be using a crossover which will block out all the high signals

any ways hope some of that made since

lundy

 

[2868]

Mostly right. 30hz is the lower limit. All speakers have voice coils. They wouldn't work without.

It depends on your budget, your room, and what music you listen to.

For boxes, you're pretty much either making yourself a custom one, or buying a prefab truck box. I have the latter. Its just deep enough to mount my Kicker Competition 12" (USA made for all of you flag-wavers). Its a sealed box, which gives you tighter bass with more definition, but won't be as loud, or as boomy, as a ported box. Ported boxes generally take up more space, and requite a bigger amp to run.

It also depends on how deep you want the bass to go. For the average person a 10" is good, relatively cheap, and won't take up too much space. I prefer deeper bass, so I run a 12" (larger cont surface = lower range).

Usually more $$ = better sound, but with our limited amount of space (assuming you still want a back seat) a mid range model in the $100-$150 range will be good. More $$ = bigger magnet (deeper box to mount) and more power to run ($$$ amp).

A mid range Pioneer, Kicker, Rockford, or MTX will do you good. They're also available at most big-box retailers for a decent price. Avoid anything with a paper cone or a foam surround.

 

[kerrywittig]

A BBS that discusses "car audio" rather than 4 wheeling of Suzukis would be "what to look for in subwoofers"....................

 

[2908]

whoops guess I didn't call it the right name. any ways some of em have a lil' speaker built in for the high's

 

[CrowHorse]

Actually, I think it's quite pertinent as it's going in my zook.....

 

[1100]

Crow,
I would recommend going with an nexonomical woofer which takes a very small box. My preferance would be the Infinity "Kappa" line of woofers. They are very efficient and use a very small box. For example the 10" woofer takes up .5 cubic feet of air space and they sound clear and crisp. There are alot of other out there, but this would be my choice. My main business is actually aftermarket automotive parts, accessories, and components and I have been in 15-20 sound competitions over the years......As I like to say....I think I have a clue. Here is a pic of a set of panels I custom formed for one of my Nissan trucks:

These won quite a few trophies and they were ear bleedingly loud and completely clear all the way to max volume which was concert level!
Good luck on the hunt for the perfect woofer.

Sean DeVinney

 

[2868]

Sean.... i'm a diehard Infinity fan as well, but they no longer make the Kappa series! I was heartbroken! The new line is just the same, no green cone, and cost a whole whack more! I use the Kappa's for my front set. Would love the Kappa Perfect (White aluminum cone) sub, but they mounting is far too deep. Unless I do a custom box in the tailgate.... but, then i'll also need a new amp. Lift and tires come before more sound!

Lundy... you were thinking of the tweeter that comes pole mounted in most 2-way and 3-way sets. These are midrange speakers..... nothing over a 6x9 comes with these. A subwoofer is considered 8" and up.

One other thing to clarify..... the question was about SUBwoofers. Woofers = midrange. Subwoofers = low range.

Remember.... 16hz = unvoluntary bowel release!

 

[daxe]

In reply to:

30hz is the lower limit.

[/ QUOTE ]

nope. The normal range of healthy human hearing is 20-20,000.

~daxe

 

[CrowHorse]

Daxe, I love the penguins!!!!!!!

I have a box already and just wish to replace the toasted speakers. I'm stuck using 8" subs, which is fine by me. I'm leaning towards the Rockford Fosgate RFZ3408's. Decent specs and affordable.....
Gotta remember that I live in NY and can't have things that are too nice as someone always wants them more than I do........

 

[763]

Take it from me it is easy to wast a lot of money on this type of stuff. For the money the Rock Foss's you mentioned are the best. Ask any competition guy and they will tell you they suck, and depending on how you look at it they may. But the point here is it's all you need. Putting Infinity's in a samurai is like gold plating a turd, you just don't do it. As specialy if theft is a problem in your area.
Just my .496 cents (aint inflation a bitch)

,
F_T

 

[1413]

Crow there are a lot of things to look for in a quality speaker, first find out the RMS and max wattage the actual speaker is made to handle. RMS would be the speakers continual handage of wattage and max would be the max wattage it can hold. Another thing to focus on is what frequency the speakers hold at, different songs have different frequency levels, the more range it can take the better your off, otherwise, some songs the speakers will distort and others they will hit clean as a whistle. Now onto observation, the rib ( rubb/foam core around the cone that allows the speaker to flex) and the magnet are very key factors in the hit of the speaker. Having a hefty rib doesnt mean the speaker is gonna hit good, it requires a thick magnet to draw the cone back in order to prepare for the next hit(usually the more wattage the speaker can take hte more polarity the magnet much acquire), to strong of a magnet or rib can result in over flex or to much draw back. Another thing to look on is the voice coils, but that all alters around the frequency and actual tone of hit the speaker can or will make. Thinking back onto the wattage and frequency readings, a very popular thing to do with speakers is connect an amp that pushes far more power then the speakers are made to handle then turn the amp down almost all the way. This helps delete distortion and give more of a crisp hit as your not drawing on the amp to hard yet your delivering a garaunteed powerband to the speaker. A few good cheap brands I have came across would be MA audio and legacy, midrange speakers good for the money would be like rockford fosgate ( punch series) and pioneer Impp ( I favor the gold series), the best and far most expensive speakers range in the power acqoustics and eclipse ( ranging 800-1500+ a speaker). In favor of amps I have always liked rockford fosgate the most cause they always seem to deliver the amperage there promised to put out, otherwise cheap or average amps wont push what they say they will. Last thing to focus on would be the box requirements of the speaker...hope I havent lost you and if you have anymore questions just ask

 

[1413]

In reply to:

Putting Infinity's in a samurai is like gold plating a turd, you just don't do it. As specialy if theft is a problem in your area.

[/ QUOTE ]

To be honest, almost all of the competition series built cars I have seen or been around, are entirely POS! The kind of cars that make you look at them and go " jesus I wouldnt steal something out of that even if you paid me" plus people never expect to find something nice in cars like that...go figure

 

[1100]

Ask 10 people and you get 10 different answers! I was not trying to steer you towards an expensive woofer, merely a good sounding one that takes a small air space. Rockford products are not too bad although not as good as they were several years ago. The Kappa woofers can be found used for extramely cheap and were replaced by the "PERFECT" series of woofers that are quite pricey. Lightning Audio is the best "cheap" brand that I like to use that sound decent and last.

Sean

 

[CrowHorse]

In reply to:

Putting Infinity's in a samurai is like gold plating a turd, you just don't do it. As specialy if theft is a problem in your area.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point, but not how I would word it....

From my reading on this subject, you can spend all kinds of big money on speakers for great sound, yet it's still going in a Samurai which isn't the best accoustically.... Kinda like a huge tin can......By design, the sound is compromised right from the start. That doesn't mean we can't get good sound and "good sound" is subjective at best.
I decided to post this question here because: 1. The Samurai has definite pecularities in accoutstics 2. The Samurai has definite size limitations 3. Other's have probably been down this road before and I was hoping to benefit from their experiences...... 4. There are some folks here that KNOW car audio far better than I and I was hoping to learn from them.......

In reply to:

Take it from me it is easy to wast a lot of money on this type of stuff. For the money the Rock Foss's you mentioned are the best. Ask any competition guy and they will tell you they suck, and depending on how you look at it they may. But the point here is it's all you need.

[/ QUOTE ]

The last sentence above says it all.....I agree!

 

[CrowHorse]

Woe Studly, I'm impressed!!!!!!!! Thanks.......

 

[Guest]

Woofers?
Man jus get em loud an play em loud.
When people turn around and dance before you come into view, yeah!!!!!

Hahaha couldn't help it. I hear the artillery fellers like it LOUD.

A.