I just recently got all my stuff installed in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. I have a Panasonic HU, 2 12" Alpine Type-R's, and an Audiobahn A8000T 800rms watt mono amp. I put the subs in an Obcon ported box. I thought these things would be able to be heard outside the car, but their only really loud when your head is in the trunk...Im so dissapointed, but I know somthings wrong because my cusin has 2 Alpine Type-S (or whatever is right below the R's) and hes way louder(i can hear him coming from far away). I dont get it. Do I have to break them in, I mean, will breaking them in make that much of a difference? Is it the box? I dont know what to do. Also, I dont know how to set the gains and bass boost and stuff like that. This is my first system so maybe I dont know what im talkin about, but I know my cusin is way louder with cheaper subs. Mine just dont boom outside the car, and could somone give me an Idea of what to do with the amp adjustments and what to listen for. Please help.
well your cousin must be doing something right ask for his help irl. most likely you dont have it connected right its complicated. I cant help but I know someone will good luck
well for one you're jeep is probably pretty desently insulated, i know mine is....let them break in, also try facing your box in a different direction...setup and placement is key in car audio
I've heard that if you face them at the rear window in an SUV/hatchback that they can get loud. The box might not be right for your application either.
I put (1) 10" Alpine type R in my wife's Xterra (sealed box facing the rear window) and you can hear her coming from a few blocks away with only 300rms going to the sub.
Like Jeff & David said...placement can make a big difference.
your subs might be out of phase. if u accidentally revered a set of polarities on one of the subs they will cancel each other out. make sure the subs are in phase with the cars factory speakers(shouldnt matter that much tho) try firing the subs straight up, foward, and backwards. I fire mine up and they sound good. check the crossovers on the amp and make sure they are set right. To set gains, turn your HU to 85 - 90 % volume and turn the gain on the amp up until u hear distortion and then back it off a little. Hope that helps, good luck.
ok thx all, and how do I check/fix polarity problems? Also, (1) 10" alpine type R in a sealed box heard a block away? See, I want that with my 2 12" Type-R's, and im so sad about this right now. I know its not the subs...cuz they can get loud right? Ill do what you said with the gains. Also, my box is against the rear seat facing the rear window. When Im in the front of the car it sounds way softer and outside it sounds like crap. Could my Obcon ported box just not be compatible with my subs, or is their a simpler fix? I hope so, the box was $150 shipped. I just want them to sound good and work. Maybe ill take it to a shop and ask, but id like to fix it myself. Thx for the help, but what else should I know?
Im not a pro but in the Type R manual they should tell you all the Cubic feet it needs when ported and what to tune the box to, just take the manual to a local audio shop and pay emm to build you the box, it'll be worth it.
If you want to see if those subs are wired in phase w/o taking the box apart and checking the connections attach a flashlight battery to the inputs. If both cones move the same way then they're in phase.
As far as sounding loud outside the car....... who cares? but I'd think a big sealed enclosure might be louder especially if your ported enclosure is tuned fairly high. The lower the frequency the easier it is for sound to travel through objects and a large sealed enclosure(Qtc~.707) can provide more low end extension. Bass response rolls off pretty fast below tuning in vented designs.
ok, thats what im going to do. Im just ganna get them to check it out and then have them give me suggestions...hopefully its just somthing simple like the wiring.
k. I just dont get it. I want to hear it inside my house while the car is down the street. I know its not going to sound like a W7, but my cusin's got 2 type-s's and he's super loud compaired to me. I tried fading it to each side and neither really made a huge difference. Alpine, your system is loud right? What box did you use for your alpines? Whered you put the box?
was loud when i had my type rs, yes. i had it in 1.75 cu ft per sub sealed box powered by a jbl 600.1. it rattled the windows in my house from 50yds but i never had it metered probably 138-140 i would say. i had it in an extended cab ranger and it was in the extended cab part facing up. are your subs 2 ohm dvc or 4 ohm dvc and how do u have it wired? for 4 ohms or 2 ohms? also just take your subs out and retrace your wires make sure u have each sub wired the same
dual 2 ohm. It seems like the subs arent able to get louder or somthin...I dont know. When I turn the bass boost up it gets punchy and I have them wired like im supposed to. A wire from a + to a - on each, then on the others, I have them going to the box, then to the amp and I got the +'s twisted together in the amp and the - the same way. I know they can get louder and im really getting worried. They are almost against the back seat (6" away because of ground space) and facing the rear.
FIXED!! WOOOOO! One of the subs was wired wrong. I havent hooked it right yet, but the one that was working was sounding great! Cant wait till both are going! WOoOOOOO!
Yep, gotta wait till 8:00pm though...guy with tools to take sub out of box isnt home till then. (ga.y right?) But with just one it sound great, and I dont even have bass boost or gains set right...thx for the help all. The suggestion to unhook one and see if there was a difference is what did it, it was outa phase. WOOO!
