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THINK MAD Hey guys... I've been browsing all over Google, as well as reading through a bunch of your forum topics. I really hope I'm not repeating something that's already been answered... anyhoo I've just bought a 500W DVC 4 ohm sub. I'm very new to this area of automotive tinkering. Everything I usually do with my car is mechanical. I can't seem to figure this stuff out! SAD I need to know what kind of amp to buy that'll give the sub the best performance. I may eventually get a second sub, exactly the same, but it'll definitely be a while. I've got all kinds of wiring diagrams from your site and others. Wiring the thing isn't going to be an issue. I think the most bothersome question plaguing me is- Is the Wattage from the amp split between each sub, and again between each voice coil?? Would I have to find an amp that puts out 1000W at 2 Ohms for this single sub (or 2000W at 4 Ohms for two)? Thank you so much Replies (16) cplkittle on 10/4/2007 23:03:44 The power is split between the subs, but there is the element of voice coil ohms. In your situation, you have one 500w 4 ohm DVC sub. If you wire this sub parallel to the amp, you get 2 ohms. If you were to buy a 1 ohm stable 1000 watt amplifier, it will put out 500 watts at 2 ohms. When you add the second (IDENTICAL) sub you can wire it parallel also and you will get 1 ohm. This will double the power output of the amp, which will be split between the speakers giving each of them 500 watts each. Benharal on 10/5/2007 02:16:23 Oh sweet I wasn't too far off I guess, except on the 2000W... haha Thank you for your help you rock swez on 10/5/2007 05:01:41 Yep, Kittle is one of our best and brightest stars here. As mentioned, buying 2 subs and a 1000 watt (RMS) amp will power both subs at 500 watts per sub. However, even though we doubled the power of the amp and surface area of the woofers, it only nets about +3 dB more Bass SPL. (Sound Pressure Level) The other side of the coin here is more about power consumption/drain on the vehicle's electrical system. Todays amps are not toys and they pull a considerable amount of "juice" when pushed hard. Much of that depends on ones listening habits and muscial tastes. Since we are dealing with electricity that cannot be seen, we rely on math equations to determine power needs. In this case, a typical car and light duty truck can deliver on average, about 75-110 amperes of current. (Depends on the vehicle design and electrical components used) The vehicle needs about 40-60 amperes of current to operate all primary devices. A 1000 watt Class D amplifier will draw upwards of 75 amperes of current at full power. If the stock electrical system is not up to that job, we often have to compensate by using high output ALTernators and perhaps a secondary BATtery to run larger amplifiers. See the "Big Picture" a bit more clearer now? Think that over a bit as you plan your new bass system. The main question to ponder, "Is an extra +3dB more bass really worth all the extra work and expense?" For some folks, it is worth doing. To the average listener, it may not be. Consider this carefully now as it will be a factor later. Comments/Questions? Swez jamesp on 10/5/2007 10:11:48 What model sub did you get? Benharal on 10/5/2007 10:45:09 hmm I'd thought about adding a second battery. Guess it was a question I was saving for later in the back of my head or something. Hadn't considered the alternator... I'm buying a 1000W amp (Ultra Linear ULZ1001) stable at 2 ohms to power the sub. If I want to add more later on, It'll be after saving the $$ for a while and I'll look into alternators and what not. For a measly +3dB, though, I doubt it's worth the hassle and expense. But for now, do you think it'll all be alright as-is ... I'll probably add the second battery anyway...? As for the sub itself, I got a "Visonik 101D4" ... not a brand I'm familiar with, but it cost me $10.50 on Ebay, so I wasn't going to be choosy SMILE Wiring - 4 gauge will be sufficient for the power to the amp, right? What do people recommend for speaker wiring? I listen to everything from Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban to Hayley Westenra to POD. Pretty much all I won't listen to is gangsa' rap. My car's stock system has 6 speakers and 2 tweeters. It handles it all really well and I'm surprised I haven't blown something yet. I want to hear the low notes from a string bass, bass guitar, drums, etc., without risking damage to my fairly old (1998) factory speakers (which, yes, I will replace sooner or later). oi... thanks again! -Ben swez on 10/5/2007 17:44:10 Hey Ben, Tried a google search on that sub and the details are very limited about this model. It looks solid, but not sure what the RMS rating on this sub actually is. Did you get a manual with specs on this woofer? It looks like it more like 250 Wrms and 500 peak here. http://www.amazon.com/Visonik-V10D4-High-Performance-10-Inch-Subwoofer/dp/B000EPYRNM/ref=sr_1_3/105-8967523-4898005?ie=UTF8&m=A32SUFTZATM6BW&s=generic&qid=1191615795&sr=1-3 Having the same luck on that Ultra Linear ULZ1001 amp too. The price is very modest and the power specs say 500 RMS @ 4 ohms, 1000 RMS. That's hard to believe so much RMS power at under $100.00. When it comes in, look at the fuse values. If this amp is really 1000 watts @ 2 ohms, it will have a pair of 40A fuses. (80A's total) You'll be using far less of that amps' potential to power this sub. In fact, you may indeed wish to buy a 2nd matching sub and wire them for a net 4 ohms. In a sealed enclosure, a pair of these 10's will give some solid low bass. (500 watts RMS amping power is ideal here) A #4 wire is rated for 80-100A's of current draw. (Depends on wire length used) That should be adequate for the amp noted earlier. As for the sub wiring, #12 gage is plenty for this sub. (22.5 volts AC @ 2 ohms is just over 250 watts power) When the amp comes in, grab the manual and look at the specs page. That will help us determine the best way to do this project. Have you any plans on the enclosure you will be using or making for the sub(s) yet? If not, I would suggest a small sealed box that nets about 0.75 ft^3/sub. (The specs say 0.50 - 1.0 ft^3 sealed) The middle of this range, (0.75 ft^3) is often the best balance of deep bass and clear, punchy bass performance. VISONIK V10D4 D4 Series High Performance Subwoofers Manufacturer: VISONIK Mfg Part#: V10D4 Features/Specs: Manufacturer: Visonik Output Power: 250W (RMS) Manufacturer Part Number: V10D4 Additional Information: * 10" SubwooferChrome Steel BasketChrome Hex Connections * 2" Aluminum Voice CoilStructured Strontium MagnetRubber Sealant * GasketVented Magnet StructureDual 4 Ohm Voice Coils * 48oz Double Stacked MagnetTreated Foam Surround * Sensitivity: 83.8dB @ 1w/1m * Mounting Depth: 4.75" * Vented Box: 1.75 Cu. Ft. * Sealed Box: 0.5 - 1.0 Cu. Ft. That covers the details on this sub as best I can find. Swez Benharal on 10/10/2007 12:17:29 AMP: 1000W Mono-Block High Performance Amplifier 50Hz - 250Hz Low Pass Filter 1 x 500W Rms @ 4 Ohm Mono 1 x 1000W Rms @ 2 Ohm Mono Max Power Output: 1000W T.H.D. into 4-Ohm Load: 0.05% T.H.D. into 2-Ohm Load: 0.1% Signal to Noise Ratio: 102 Db Frequency Response: (Hz - kHz) 20-20 Crossover Frequency: 40-250 Hz Sensitivity: 200-4000 Mv Input Impedance: (Ohms) 10-10K SUB: 10" High Performance Subwoofer Dual 4 Ohm 250W RMS 500W MAX 48oz Double Stacked Magnet Treated Foam Surround Sensitivity: 83.8dB @ 1w/1m Mounting Depth: 4.75" Vented Box: 1.75 Cu. Ft. Round Port Diameter: 4" Port Length: 9.25" Sealed Box: 0.65 - 0.85 Cu. Ft. Ok, so now I'm worried that the amp it too powerful for the sub...grr... Benharal on 10/10/2007 12:21:42 I noticed the "sealed Box" specs are different between what I just posted and what Swez posted before. What I put is from the visonikcaraudio.com website, but the manual for the sub says the same thing as Swez Victor on 10/10/2007 16:31:10 You know what... keep it simple here... buy an amp that puts out 500wrms@4 ohms and 1000wrms @ 2 ohms.. buy the 2 ohm DV version of subs...500wrms each sub..... when u got a single one wire it in series for a net load of 4 ohms and get 500wrms from the amp.... when u got 2, wire each in series and then both the subs in parallel for a net load of 2 ohms for the amp to give 1000wrms which gets split into 2 subs... =========================================== wonder why i say this..??THINK cause u will have a wider choice in such a combo... and 1 ohm stable amp are a bit costlier and fewer choices in the market... most reputed sub manufacturing companies now make 2 ohm version subs ..... that is if u can get your 4 ohm dvc replaced by the 2 ohm version... ask if the dealer u bought it from can do that for u.. let me tell u .. you going the wrong way.. with choice of equipment and combos.... if you got a decent budget say around $500 and smart buying sense on websites...you can get such a combo easily... of reputed manufacturers.. better performing for the price ... and something you can value for long... and if you dont have the money, then better go at it step by step, be patient and build yourself a good system.. sorry for this piece of unwanted advice.. but if u go this way, u'll always end up gathering a low grade system and not actually build ur self a satisfactory system... U NEED TO RE-THINK at this stage before you lament putting together such a system and then u can do nothing about it.... comments....?? Victor.... With that sub keep the sealed encl. internal volume 0.85 cu.ft and you'd be happy... Benharal on 10/10/2007 23:21:18 ok, well... The amp came in today the specs in the manual are those I listed above. -same for the sub. However -swez- the two fuses on the amp are only 25A each...THINK I know I'm definitely not putting together a super high quality system here. I've spent very little to get what I've got now, and I'm ok with that. I won't really know until I get it all put together though, I'm petty confident it'll give me what I'm looking for. I'm also buying a new receiver (JVC KD-HDR1) this weekend. HAPPY I'm doing measurements and sketches for an enclosure. Mostly, I'm just going to be playing around with ideas for a little while of where and how to put everything in. I'm one of those over creative people that takes forever to do anything... kindof a perfectionist too, unfortunately. I'm considering just buying an enclosure to save time and trouble, but I'm not having the best of luck finding any that are small enough (most are well over the 0.75 or 0.85 cu. ft. I'm looking for). The IDEA flashed through my head of cutting through the middle of my back seat and literally mounting the sub in the seat-back, magnet-end sticking into the trunk, then just basically building an enclosure onto the back of the seat. That's cutting through my leather and the springs... it would look awesome, but how would it sound FROWN ... and would it be worth the effort? -Nobody has to answer that; it's what I'm asking myself. I'll see about exchanging the sub for a 2-Ohm one, but Visonik doesn't make 'em, so I'm looking around. Thoughts on "ROCKFORD FOSGATE P210D2" ??? Maybe I can resell (or God forbid - Pawn) the Visonik sub, then buy the Rockford. Thanks again y'all Ben So Kittle... "for anyone that wants to donate, let's say $150-$200 I will build them a custom box for free. It will have to be a removeable type box, as I obviously can't do a false wall or custom fit without the vehicle." ...where exactly are you located? GRIN cplkittle on 10/11/2007 00:19:09 wow! where did you find that interesting quote? I am close to Rome Georgia. I've been a little busy lately, but I'll keep my word. Benharal on 10/11/2007 08:51:14 SUPPORT THE SITE... Donations??? Posted by: Swez 05/01/2003 haha don't worry ... I couldn't do it for a couple months yet. I'm planning a road trip, hopefully to happen in January, so I'll let you know. swez on 10/13/2007 09:55:12 This amp is very over-rated in power. Best I can see here, is more like 600 watts at 2 ohms. The best way to test it is with a Multimeter and a sub of your choice. Knowing what level of AC voltage it puts out to a given sub, will tell us the real world power it can handle. (1000 watts peak maybe... but not RMS or Continous power) Is that enough power? Probably yes with a high efficiency sub or two and a well designed ported box. Here, a single quality 12" (4+4 DVC) sub is plenty. The 10" Visonik sub you have now will not cut it. It's rated at 250 watts RMS, 2 or 8 ohm options and not efficient at all. Another option here, a pair of 4 ohm SVC subs with some decent efficiency. A pair of Infinity Reference 1050w subs would be a nice match if you wish to use 2 x10's. With that much cone area, solid low bass is assured in a well designed enclosure: Note the efficiency level on the Infinity subs? They say 91dB @ 2 watts power, but in real world terms, it's more like 87dB, but much better than 83dB !!! http://www.crutchfield.com/S-f7rwPF0bi7h/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=520&i=1081050W&tp=111 If you did some careful shopping, these subs can ve had for about $60.00/each. The box required is 0.75 ft^3/sub. If that's a bit larger than you have space for, use a single 4+4 DVC 12" sub instead. Comments? Swez Benharal on 10/14/2007 00:21:28 Yeah, I might try to sell the amp. It doesn't really surprise me though, considering how little I paid for the thing. Same for the sub, only I'm a little more likely to sell it than I am the amp. maybe I should sell both an start over* -haha My total cost for both was $130... perhaps I should try my luck at one of the five pawn shops I pass on my way to work. The infinity seems like a pretty sweet thing. I'll see what I can find in pricing, for sure. Know anything about Blaupunkt?? http://www.crutchfield.com/S-UvQJqYwMKPq/App/Product/Group/ProductMenu.aspx?g=520&tp=111&nvpair=FFBrand%7cBlaupunkt That seems like a heck of a lot of power there. If I'm going to be buying different subs, should I look for 2 ohms per coil? I'm kinda curious ... I was looking at a 15" (don't remember the brand; it looked something German and had a red metal cone) ... I'm just not sure I'd want something that big, but then I can always just turn it down if it's too much, right. *If I am to start over from scratch, what would you recommend for a starting budget under $250 ((possibly as high as $300, depending on how much I can get for the junk I bought)). I'm really starting to feel my ignorance, now that I've been reading up all these things. swez on 10/14/2007 12:37:00 For now, try that amp and a 2 ohm sub load of your choice. It could be Infinity, Blau, JBL or another well known brand in your budget. That 15" sub you mentioned is a Volfenhagen brand. Frankly, they are low budget, low reliability subs. (Cheap for a reason) A few guys here have tried and fried them, vowing not to repeat that mistake. BTW, a 2 x10" sub configuration has about the same cone area as a single 15" sub. The Blau's are nice, but like lots of power too. To get them up to peak performance, a larger amp is in the cards. (2+2 DVC version is what you'll want. Another sub pairing to consider would be the Polk MOMO's. They are excellent SQL subs, 300 RMS/each, 4 ohm SVC's and do very well in a compact sealed box. (0.66 ft^3/sub) http://www.crutchfield.com/S-qABdJyYUIn5/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=520&i=107MM2104&tp=111&tab=detailed_info Swez PS It would be wise to ask for help before buying gear and then regretting the results later. This site has a lot of skilled techs that have helped hundreds of guys build a great system the first time out. The "hit or miss" approach is usually more expensive as one winds up buying things that don't past muster and then end up buying the good stuff later. We know the ropes well and most newbies are "unkowingly walking blindly" down a narrow path with steep dropoffs. Avoid the painful pitfalls and use knowledge base that others here have worked years on to perfect. Smile trunkisloud on 10/14/2007 14:22:27 oohh dude yea swez i used to wonder about the polk subs.....i had a polk momo mm120 and it was nice...havnt heard the newer stuff,,,.heres a link to the polk for a decent price....they also have the svc of these subs http://sonicelectronix.com/item_7099_Polk+Audio+MOMO+MM2154DVC.html http://sonicelectronix.com/item_6854_Polk+Audio+MOMO+MM2124DVC.html http://sonicelectronix.com/item_7098_Polk+Audio+MOMO+MM2104DVC.html Copyright ClubKnowledge 2009 * All Rights Reserved |