clean sounding system

[rikig]

hey...i had a 12" premiere sub powered by a JBL 300 watt sub-amp. This sounded really nice and clean. It sounded really nice from outside the car. So i figured 2 subs would be even better. I bought another 12" premiere sub and got a crunch 400 watt amp. The amp puts 200 watts to each sub. Now the bass is definitely louder inside the car. But from outside the car the sound is definitely not as clean as it used to be. Does anyone know why this is? Or how i can fix it? I have the stock head unit and stock speakers. I keep the bass at -5, the mid at 5, and the treble at 5. I keep the gain on the amp at 50%, the bass boost at +12db, and the crossover at 80 Hz. Is there a way i can adjust the settings to make it sound better? Also, does the location of the box in the trunk make a difference (like is it better to have the box all the way back or upto the front or in the middle)? Thanks.

[00GTS]

For one thing, it sounds like you are now underpowering your subs. If you used to put 300W into one, why did you drop it to 200? What do the speakers actually want, what is the RMS wattage for the speakers?

Also, regarding the gain setting, why did you set it to 50%? What I mean is, did you measure it that way or are you just guessing?

-Josh

[Impulse]

Sounds like you might have wired the subs out of phase. Since if your dropping 200 watts across each sub they'd have to be in series. If they are wired in series the negative from the amp goes to the negative on one sub then the positive on that same sub goes to the negative on the second sub. Then the positive on the second sub goes to the positive on the amp.

[rikig]

the subs arent in series because each sub is directly wired to the amp. Theyre wired at 2 ohms. The ratings on the subs are 200 W RMS (I think...they might be like 250), and 800 watts max. The reason i dropped to 200 watts/ sub, is because the guy at the store lied and said that it would be 400 watts/sub. But the bass is still alot louder inside the car. It just doesnt sound as good from outside. About the gain, it adjusts from .2 V to 4 volts, and i put it at 1 volt which is in the middle. The reason i put it there is because thats the level at which there is good bass inside the car.

[00GTS]

Ok well, that's not how you set a gain :)

http://www.mobileaudio.com/rac-faq/rac-faq_toc.html#TOC90

-Josh

[rikig]

Well which do yall think should sound better. The JBL amp pushing 300 watts to one 12. Or the Crunch amp pushing 200 watts to 2 12s? the 12s are 200 watts RMS, 800 watts max. Also which do yall think is the better amp?

[xav3x]

rikig.. how much was ur 12" primere and 300watt JBL?

no dynomatting?

looking into buying single 12" sub as well and amp running off stock head. thanks!

[rikig]

I had the the 12" premiere and JBL amp installed for $400.

[rikig]

well another thing that might have made the 2 12s not sound as good as the one 12 is that i now have my stock head unit back in there. With the one 12 i had a Kenwood DPX-600 in there. That pushed 22 watts RMS X 4, and had 2 or 4 volt preouts. It broke on me, and i didnt have any sound while they were trying to fix it. WHen they couldnt fix it, i just used the extra money from not getting it fixed to getting another sub, and the new amp. Do yall think when i put a new head unit in, the whole system will sound better including the subs???