Comparing cheap subs

[Hayden]

I was wondering which sub was the best out of these for sound and build quality.
I was going to get the Clarion Pa12-s the X v-net sub; is that a good idea?
I’m not going to slam it all the time just run it about 80% of the subs potential.
What do you guys think "in order"?
Thanks


Sony XSL1220
Jenson XS1212
Boss audio BA124
Clarion SRW1283
Clarion Pa12-s
Kenwood KFC-W3005

[minitruck_freq]

get an Image Dynamics ID or IDQ.

www.imagedynamicsusa.com

www.cardomain.com is an authourized dealer.

[Hayden]

I was after a cheap sub like the ones I stated. I can get the pa12-s cheaper than the others and I like the fat surround for some reason. What about jaycar’s venom subs I know there crap but are they better than the ones in the list. Which is the best one to get.
The id subs are awesome but the only ones I can get is the ones I listed, I live in Australia.
Thanks

[Hayden]

I have an 8” venom sub and it goes all right, it doesn’t have as much excursion than it looks to have.

[Hayden]

ok I have orderd the clarion pa12-s, well I'll soon see how she bangs

[Paradise_Ice]

From your list the Clarions are the best, thats honest.

There is nothing wrong with any of them but the clarions have a good gauge voice coil and wont burn up to soon.

[Hayden]

Yes I ended up getting the pa12-s and it’s very nice, when you think about it if the sub has a high excursion rate the surround has to be bigger but the cone area gets smaller, which will sound louder the long throw or short?
Man you have to watch the distortion I hade 28hz going through it at 100w rms and I could just smell it burning but you could not here this distortion at that frequency. I was just lucky that I had the lid off the sealed box otherwise it would have died, there is no way of smelling it in a sealed box.

[Paradise_Ice]

Originally posted by Hayden
Yes I ended up getting the pa12-s and it’s very nice, when you think about it if the sub has a high excursion rate the surround has to be bigger but the cone area gets smaller, which will sound louder the long throw or short?
Man you have to watch the distortion I hade 28hz going through it at 100w rms and I could just smell it burning but you could not here this distortion at that frequency. I was just lucky that I had the lid off the sealed box otherwise it would have died, there is no way of smelling it in a sealed box.

Very Hayden, its true large surrounds reduce cone area so even with larger unlinear excursion the benefit is not as great as some claim, am not a fan of ultra excursion woofers as they sound soft and mono toned in comparison to subwoofers with large say 50mm excursion, the only way you can smell a coil is if the dust cap is vented like Dynaudios are, when every you go below a subwoofers Fs it heats up very quickly, its a nice drive unit you have there but they do not re cone them, so you know what am saying.

[SupraGuy]

It's really hard to compare subs.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. The enclosure makes ALL the difference. You can make a $10 liquidation outlet sub sound really good in a well-built enclosure that's matched to it. I've done it just to prove that I could. Of course the sub blew up as soon as we put some juice to it. A mere 40wpc pretty much vaporised the voice coil (500W max each, I don't think so!) but at low volumes it sounded very good, played low, without any nasty artefacts. (Of course it sounded terrible in the seconds before the dust cap caught fire...)

Once you get to a reasonably price range, though you ought to be able to work with what you get. You may not have as much leeway as you would with a better unit, but a well designed and built enclosure will make a world of difference to the sound.

Nothing (in car audio) makes me shake my head like seeing some poor slob with a set of very expensive subwoofers stuffed into some pre-fab Circuit City special box. Yet I see it all the time...

[Paradise_Ice]

Originally posted by SupraGuy


I've said it before, I'll say it again. The enclosure makes ALL the difference. You can make a $10 liquidation outlet sub sound really good in a well-built enclosure that's matched to it. I've done it just to prove that I could.

, but a well designed and built enclosure will make a world of difference to the sound.

Nothing (in car audio) makes me shake my head like seeing some poor slob with a set of very expensive subwoofers stuffed into some pre-fab Circuit City special box. Yet I see it all the time...

Your 100% correct, the enclosure and the construction makes a world of difference to a subwoofer.