Bass question for conquests

[StrongTyer]

I recently installed a system in my car. An infinity reference 12" 1250w powered by a Blaupunkt THA 125. Thats a 400 watt MAX POWER amp 350 watts RMS (which is what matters from what I know). The sub has 300 Watts RMS power handling and 1200 watts MAX or PEAK power handling. It is in a small truck/hatch box.

 

You can very faintly hear the bass from outside the car (Sounds fine inside but you can't hear it outside until I crack a window or open a door).

 

Anyone know why this is?

 

Are conquests insulated real well or are newer cars made of thinner lighter materials that transmit bass better? I have a friend with a celica and 2 JL 10's and a JL amp running like 125w to each sub RMS in a vented/ported box and they hit harder and you can hear em from a block away. My friend other friend with an S10 had two crappy 10's in a small small truck box powed by like 50 watts and you can hear them better from outside than mine. I am not the kind of person who likes to be heard or that cranks the bass at the stop light but was just curious why this is. Is it my power, my sub, my box, or my car or all of these things? Just curious.

[89PalermoSHP]

I am not the kind of person who likes to be heard or that cranks the bass at the stop light but was just curious why this is.

 

Are you sure??

 

I bet it has to do with your sub enclosure design. I assume you purchased the enclosure and didnt design it according to the subs internal volume needs and the space you have available??

 

If your happy with the way it sounds, forget about everyone else being able to hear it. It makes you look like a fool and the chances your car is going to get broken into and having your stuff stolen increases.

[Turborusty]

Do everyone a favor and throw that stuff in the trash or give it away until you grow up and learn to be responsible with your life.

 

 

A stereo system is made to listen to inside your car, if you're blasting it so everyone else outside can hear it, you're a nuisance.

 

 

When I build systems in cars, I do what I can to keep the sound inside......not outside.

 

Turborusty

[kartman74]

well said rusty

[MainstreaM]

Bass you say,

They're fun as hell to catch, really strong fighters. I don't see what this has to do with cars.

 

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/2534465/2/istockphoto_2534465_large_mouth_bass.jpg

 

Kane

[starion1991]

same thing with my starion, can hear the bass inside, cant hear it outside, unless the windows are down,

 

trust me you dont want to be hurd!, it makes your car a target for theves, i keep my system undercover, and i turn it down when i get clost to my neiborhood so i dont get any unwanted attention form thieves/car jackers...

[questnation]

I am not the kind of person who likes to be heard or that cranks the bass at the stop light but was just curious why this is.

 

Are you sure??

 

I bet it has to do with your sub enclosure design. I assume you purchased the enclosure and didnt design it according to the subs internal volume needs and the space you have available??

i agree i have been around stereos longer than cars it all depends on enclosure and the setup. but usually with hatchbacks it is normally louder, i wander if strong is a kid, thats the way it usually starts out though. imo

[MikeMeyerhoff]

One obvious thing to check the the level/gain setting on your amplifier. If its not properly set, the system won't perform like it should.

 

mm

[StrongTyer]

I am not the kind of person who likes to be heard or that cranks the bass at the stop light but was just curious why this is.

 

Are you sure??

 

I bet it has to do with your sub enclosure design. I assume you purchased the enclosure and didnt design it according to the subs internal volume needs and the space you have available??

i agree i have been around stereos longer than cars it all depends on enclosure and the setup. but usually with hatchbacks it is normally louder' date=' i wander if strong is a kid, thats the way it usually starts out though. imo[/quote']

 

Yes, I am sure.

 

But I do admit that I have friends (namely the one with the celica I mentioned who likes everyone to hear his music.) I personally turn my stereo down when I come to a stop light even though I am pretty sure no one can hear it anyways. I'm 19 soooo I guess that makes me a kid if thats what you wanna call it. :roll: Give me 4 more months...

 

And no, I don't like to drive around blasting my speakers with my hat backwards looking for a race at every red light. I don't think I fit that stereo type. I just like car audio and want more knowledge. I wouldn't ask here if I didn't think some of you knew more than I do.

 

I live in NW Arkansas and my home is in a more "rural" area compared to where more of you guys probably live. I am not too worried about theft around here but I have family that got robbed on Christmas eve. Stole a $3000 dollar shotgun airloom. But thats another story and beside the point.

 

This was my first sub/amp/box purchase. First experience. I was going for sounds quality, not volume and otolaryngologist bills. I do like good clear, clean accurate bass. My system sounds moderate and my friend who helped me install it was wondering why someone can have the crappiest speakers and an old amp and a beater car and you can hear it from a ways away (with a rattly bumper to go along with it:roll: ).

 

I was not sure if sound quality and having a sub set up the right way had anything to do with being able to hear it outside the car. I mean, if the sub is set up with the right box you'll probably be able to hear it outside the car. Or if it was the conquest being insulated right or my small sealed hatchback box. That being said, I was pretty happy with my bass being pretty clear and clean and inside.

 

I didn't know anythings about the subs internal volume needs when I bought the modest hatch box. I was hoping to save space and have a clean look (I do.....I also wanted to keep the shelf in the hatch. Makes it so people can't see my stuff and want to steal). Now I am THINKING about upgrading. But please, once again, I am not a stopplight bass banger nor do I want to be. Thanks.

[StrongTyer]

One obvious thing to check the the level/gain setting on your amplifier. If its not properly set, the system won't perform like it should.

 

mm

 

This I did. My amp is 400w so I have it turned down a bit. But I don't know were 350w is for sure on the dial. Its hard to tell the difference between 400w and what I think is 350w. The clip light on the amp has come on before though and I think it was on 400w.

[StrongTyer]

Do everyone a favor and throw that stuff in the trash or give it away until you grow up and learn to be responsible with your life.

 

 

A stereo system is made to listen to inside your car, if you're blasting it so everyone else outside can hear it, you're a nuisance.

 

 

When I build systems in cars, I do what I can to keep the sound inside......not outside.

 

Turborusty

 

I think you judged to quickly on this one. I'm 19, about to leave on a 2 year mission for my church to Monterrey, Mexico, I have 2 semesters of college done and plan to finish all 4 years, and I am trying to restore and fix up a conquest. Blasting a stereo IS as you said a nuisance especially if everyone else does not want to hear it.

 

......well, looking back on what I am asking I can see how it would be easy to stereotype (mind the pun).

[questnation]

there is a difference between quality and all out bass. what is the setting on the amp and radio. if it was clipping like you said you have to turn it down, i would go about a quarter way up. try that and see what it sounds like. is the box premade or custom?

[89PalermoSHP]

It all boils down to a properly designed box(providing your amp is enough to push em). You first choose your subs then look at the specs they require for internal volume. You then take those numbers and try to design a box that fulfills the space and fits in your hatch.

 

I made many a sub box in my earlier years, some sounded great, some not so great.

[JustPaus_88TSi]

Where to start, where to start...

 

 

The gain knob on the amp is not a volume technically(although it does get quieter/louder when you turn it). The gain knob is there so you can match or find a happy medium to the output voltage from your deck's RCA outputs to the amp. When done correctly, you will never be in danger of "clipping" the amp. "Clipping" the amp is when frequencies turn into square waves.

 

You're not dealing with crazy levels yet, so don't worry about gain matching and all that crap.. I honestly doubt more than one person here does it correctly anyways with test tones and an oscilloscope. It's just not needed unless you have serious equipment and multiple amps.

That infinity reference 12" will take at least 900 actual rms(after impedence rise) and be fine, even in a big(for it's parameters) low tuned ported enclosure.

 

You want a large "swing or sweep" to your headunit's volume. Say your volume goes from 1-50 and the preout's are 8v's. Setting the amp's gain high(or 3/4+ to full) will make the sub way too loud in the low ranges of the volume travel. What's the point of being the loudest at 10 on a range to 50? Flip it around. If your preamp outputs are 2v and you set the amp gain to 1/4 turn, you could max out the deck's volume and still not have max power from the amp. It's all about the happy medium, and what sounds good to you.

 

Dial it in by ear, and set a nice point where you want it to be loudest at while still keeping some travel or headroom.. So, your sweep is 1-50.. Theoretically, you want it to be loudest around 40 or. What happens when you have a CD that's recorded lower than all the others? You'll want the headroom to turn it up so you can still enjoy it.

 

Turn the amp's gain all the way down. Play a song you like, and turn it up to where it sounds good, just before the point that the mids choke/distort and the tweets screech.. LOL Make it sound like crap, then turn it down two clicks or so until it's loud, but clear. Now, while the volume is still as high as you just set it(where it sounds good), roll the gain up slowly until you overpower your mids, then turn it down just a tad...

 

 

As for not being loud and such. As mentioned already, box design plays a huge role in low frequency output.

Another thing to check is if you have the sub wired the right way so that you do get the amp's full rated rms power. What ohm does the amp make the most power at? How about the sub's voicecoil?

You should also have a frequency knob on the amp and/or a EQ knob.. Once you get the gain set to your desired level, play with the other two knobs if you have them.

 

I personally prefer ported boxes over sealed, but the music I listen to kinda dictates that.

 

 

When I build systems in cars, I do what I can to keep the sound inside......not outside.

 

Turborusty

 

I try, but it's absolutely impossible.. LOL I can't even keep the mirrors straight or the doors/roof from flexing. 2000wrms on that 65lb RE XXX 15" tuned to 27hz might just do that. You know about my setup though. I'm just a nut.. Wait for my home theater setup.. Two 70lb 18's with 30mm one way xmas, each in a 650L(23cu.ft.) sonotube(made for pouring concrete pillars.. LOL 30" diameter sonotube, 8" port tuned to 14hz.. Each powered by a Behringer EP2500(2400wrms).. I hope my drywall doesn't crack.. Gotta run some dedicated 20a circuit breakers though.. I'm slowly getting the parts for my towers, center channel and surrounds.. Gotta make the crossovers too, that's gonna suck.

[StrongTyer]

Where to start, where to start...

 

You want a large "swing or sweep" to your headunit's volume. Say your volume goes from 1-50 and the preout's are 8v's. Setting the amp's gain high(or 3/4+ to full) will make the sub way too loud in the low ranges of the volume travel. What's the point of being the loudest at 10 on a range to 50? Flip it around. If your preamp outputs are 2v and you set the amp gain to 1/4 turn, you could max out the deck's volume and still not have max power from the amp. It's all about the happy medium, and what sounds good to you.

 

Dial it in by ear, and set a nice point where you want it to be loudest at while still keeping some travel or headroom.. So, your sweep is 1-50.. Theoretically, you want it to be loudest around 40 or. What happens when you have a CD that's recorded lower than all the others? You'll want the headroom to turn it up so you can still enjoy it.

 

Turn the amp's gain all the way down. Play a song you like, and turn it up to where it sounds good, just before the point that the mids choke/distort and the tweets screech.. LOL Make it sound like crap, then turn it down two clicks or so until it's loud, but clear. Now, while the volume is still as high as you just set it(where it sounds good), roll the gain up slowly until you overpower your mids, then turn it down just a tad...

 

As for not being loud and such. As mentioned already, box design plays a huge role in low frequency output.

Another thing to check is if you have the sub wired the right way so that you do get the amp's full rated rms power. What ohm does the amp make the most power at? How about the sub's voicecoil?

You should also have a frequency knob on the amp and/or a EQ knob.. Once you get the gain set to your desired level, play with the other two knobs if you have them.

 

I personally prefer ported boxes over sealed, but the music I listen to kinda dictates that.

 

Thats pretty interesting. Makes sense to me. Now that I think about it I have already done part of what you said. About tuning the gain to what I listen to. My door speakers are awful. I wish I never would have settled for them. I would have payed a lot extra for some better quality. Rear speakers are just.....ok

 

So my amps max output according to set gain comes at about 35-40 (my deck goes to 66. Never turn it up that high. Speakers distort pretty bad. Got plenty of headroom.

 

What about bandpass boxes vs. ported?

 

Sounds like you have some cash invested in audio.

[89PalermoSHP]

ported= boomier, deeper

sealed= tighter, not as deeper

[RF600]

I am not an expert so I say this from my experience. I have built a couple of sub boxes. I used the same sub in both to see what they sound like. The first one was a small ported box with a 10" sub. The sub says the box should be approx .68 to 1.5. The second box was about the 1.5 ported. I really like the larger box. Try this site reaudio.com

[eck_007]

justpaus_88tsi................I try, but it's absolutely impossible.. LOL I can't even keep the mirrors straight or the doors/roof from flexing. 2000wrms on that 65lb RE XXX 15" tuned to 27hz might just do that. You know about my setup though. I'm just a nut.. what kind of dbs are ya layin down with that set up?