10" L7 Sealed or 12" L5 Ported?

[Blood1]

I'm trying to decide whats a better sub box to go with? I already purchased a 10" L7 Kicker speaker in a sealed box.

I also have the option to buy a fairly brand new 12" L5 in the official Kicker box that has a port on the side.This one: Kicker 06VS12L52 ( VS12L5 2 ohms )http://www.sonicelectronix.com....html

I'm going to be hooking up a Kicker 750.1 to the one I choose. The amp has been rated for max, 930Watts.

Based on others out there, what box should I go with? I know the Altima is pretty huge trunk. I like the size of the 10" L7 and the 12" is bigger, weights 60lbs. The 10"L7 is fairly small and I can easily if I have to pick it up and move it if I need the trunk space.What I didn't like about the 10"L7 I got was it was an 04 Series. The person bought it early 05 so it's pretty old.

Anyone with experience know the sound difference in a 10" vs 12". I'm not going to SPL but SQ really. I like just a deep boomy bass while listening to my music. Would the ported be a better choice over the sealed box?

Any ideas or suggestions? TIA!!

[DiamondWVU]

Ported is definitely better and 12" is definitely better. i used to have two 10" jl w3v2's in the trunk of my coupe in a sealed box but my amp was so powerful that i blew those out. so yesterday i went out and got one 12" rockfordfosgate T1 in a ported box and it sounds great. the size really does make a big difference. it moves so much more air. and the ported box just makes it sound so much cleaner in my opinion. just my .02 hope it helps.

[rjdmmfl1]

ok, I'm guessing you've never owned solobarics before Blood... its hard to compare square woofers to circular woofers... they don't sound the same...

the 10" square solobaric has the same cone space as a 12" round woofer, thus the air displacement of a 10" kicker is similar to that of a 12" round woofer... the 12" solobariq sounds more like a 15" woofer than a 12" woofer... i.e. you get deeper bass than you'd expect...

if SQ is your goal, then personally I would go with the 10" in a sealed box...

you say you want SQ, but then you say you like deep boomy bass... a ported box will give you boomier bass, but SQ will suffer! A sealed box may be a better option for reproducing bass from a wider range of music types (pop,rock,rap,jazz, etc) ported boxes are good for rap, but not so good for the rest! hope this helps a bit

[Ricko]

ok, I'm guessing you've never owned solobarics before Blood... its hard to compare square woofers to circular woofers... they don't sound the same...

the 10" square solobaric has the same cone space as a 12" round woofer, thus the air displacement of a 10" kicker is similar to that of a 12" round woofer... the 12" solobariq sounds more like a 15" woofer than a 12" woofer... i.e. you get deeper bass than you'd expect...

if SQ is your goal, then personally I would go with the 10" in a sealed box...

you say you want SQ, but then you say you like deep boomy bass... a ported box will give you boomier bass, but SQ will suffer! A sealed box may be a better option for reproducing bass from a wider range of music types (pop,rock,rap,jazz, etc) ported boxes are good for rap, but not so good for the rest! hope this helps a bit

So glad we are meeting up Dr.

[Blood1]

Okay. Back in the day (high school) I had 2 10" Kenwoods in a Bandpass box and loved it.

Yeah I've never owned Solobarics before. Only round subs. I know the area of the Solo 10" ~sorta same as 12" round by viewing that Kicker informative video.

But I just read a review last night that put a grinding halt on the AMP I was going to get. I was set on getting a Kicker 750.1http://www.sonicelectronix.com....html but just read a few review that the low pass freq starts off at 50hz - 200hz. The reviews said that 50hz is way to high so you loose allot of the very low end 30-40hz bass signals.

I was thinking ok then just turn off the x-over function but on that amp there is no turn off. It just starts at 50 and goes to 200. So no to this amp now.

So now I'm looking for a different AMP with roughly same power specs as the 750.1. I know I'll either be powering a 10" L7 or 12" L5 so they both require @ same watts rms 600~700.

But I need to get a different amp that has it's low end freq starting off @ 30hz.

Doc, I know your going to suggest Rocksford and maybe this one:Rockford Fosgate Power T500-1bdhttp://www.sonicelectronix.com....htmlorRockford Fosgate Punch P1000-1bdhttp://www.sonicelectronix.com....html

Any other suggestions? It will just be powering the sub so something powerful enough, low starting freq x-cover and decent priced. < $300 but could be found on ebay @ low $200 range..

[BrianAdams03]

I've owned a Solobaric L& 12" for 4 years now and I have to say it's one of the best low end sounding subs I've heard for a single sub. I've had 3 other friends switch over from Memphis Audio, Kenwood, and JVC subs and buy the same one I have and have loved them ever since. This is the amp I'm using with mine http://www.crutchfield.com/p_0...specs I also have a later version of the sub, so the specs on it are a little bit different from the ones you are looking at(I was debating upgrading mine after I got my coupe )

You have to remember that if you are putting this in a coupe, you aren't going to have very much space(if any) to put a ported box. But like Diamond said, if you want massive bass, go with the L5 ported, but if you don't have the room, go with a 12" L7 sealed if you can and if not a 12" of course the 10".I have mine in a truck style box but had to modify the box since they don't make the same style subs anymore. And I still have enough room to have my amp laying on the trunk floor and I'm able to put a golf club bag in there too.

Good luck with the buy and let us know what you decide/can fit in there.

Edit: Sorry should have clicked on your link before posting. I HIGHLY doubt that box will fit in the trunk unless you take all the stuff under the trunk mat out. I made a custom box for my sub when it was in my extended cab toyota truck, and it was just 1" around taller on each side(so 2"'s in total than the sub itself) and it would not fit in my trunk pushed all the way back touching the seats. But if you can manage to get it in there, than I'm sure you'd be happy with the sound.

[Blood1]

Thanks Brian. I think I should update my signature. I don't have the coupe. I have the 2.5 SL Sedan so the trunk is huge and can fit loads of bodies as well as the 12" sub. ;p

I was also considering getting the truck style box since all the VS style boxes I saw, had the port tube plastic either cracked or the cardboard tube inside the box was broken off.

The truck style box I don't think would have this issue since from the pics, the port hole is constructed by the actual MDF boards and not a plastic/cardboard insert.

[Blood1]

Well I got the amp installed and things sounded sorta ok. I was kinda not liking what I was getting from the box.I bought the box off craigslist and the guy didn't know what specs or how it was wired etc...

So the specs on the amp are 1Ohm 1200W, 2Ohm 900W and 4Ohm 450W.

When I cracked open the sub box, to my joy I saw it was a dual 2 ohm sub and it was previously wired in series so it was only drawing 4 ohms.

So I then re-wired it to parallel so it's drawing 1ohm and there is a huge difference now.

Anyway it does sound good depending on what track is being played.

Grabbed the black eyed peas track "Imma be..." has tons of bass which really shows of the power of this box.

I set the cut off on the sub to 35hz < 100hz. With the rear seats up, I'm kinda missing the whole encompassing yourself with the deep bass feel which I was looking for. With the seats down I notice more bass feel and more thing rattling around me.

I really don't want to take out the real 6x9's even though I know folks are going to say you'll get more bass in the cabin.I'm thinking of maybe going to the 12" L7 Sub box: 08VS12L72

But I'll hold off on that and see what some tweaking I can do before making the jump to the larger sub/box. I like the small 10" box I have. Really good quality box made in Canada 1" MDF.

[rjdmmfl1]

Well I got the amp installed and things sounded sorta ok. I was kinda not liking what I was getting from the box.I bought the box off craigslist and the guy didn't know what specs or how it was wired etc...

So the specs on the amp are 1Ohm 1200W, 2Ohm 900W and 4Ohm 450W.

When I cracked open the sub box, to my joy I saw it was a dual 2 ohm sub and it was previously wired in series so it was only drawing 4 ohms.

So I then re-wired it to parallel so it's drawing 1ohm and there is a huge difference now.

Anyway it does sound good depending on what track is being played.

Grabbed the black eyed peas track "Imma be..." has tons of bass which really shows of the power of this box.

I set the cut off on the sub to 35hz < 100hz. With the rear seats up, I'm kinda missing the whole encompassing yourself with the deep bass feel which I was looking for. With the seats down I notice more bass feel and more thing rattling around me.

I really don't want to take out the real 6x9's even though I know folks are going to say you'll get more bass in the cabin.I'm thinking of maybe going to the 12" L7 Sub box: 08VS12L72

But I'll hold off on that and see what some tweaking I can do before making the jump to the larger sub/box. I like the small 10" box I have. Really good quality box made in Canada 1" MDF.

I'm confused.. so what EXCATLY are you runnig now, and with what amp? If you have your subs wired down to a 1ohm load, and your amp is 1200 watts RMS @ 1ohm, and you are running an L5... YOU WILL BLOW THAT SUB!

also, do not underestimate the power of a perfectly built, and tuned box... take that sub, and build a box around both the sub and the type of bass you want, and it could be a night and day difference!

[Blood1]

Hi Doc. I have the following:

Kenwood KDC-X792UInfinity Kappas 6.5" & 6x9's Front & Rear10" Kicker L7 wired @ 1ohmKicker 350.4 (90W @ 2ohms)HiFonics 1210D (1200W @ 1 Ohm)

The box is a sealed box. So instead of getting a bigger 12" ported box, you suggest just get a different box that is ported for the 10" Square L7.

This is the sub in the box:http://www.sonicelectronix.com....html

Oh yeah I thought about this more. I do like my mids, highs crystal clear in terms of SQ, but I realized now I like my bass, low boomy and sloppy as you would say.

It just fills the music more. Like when I was listening to say Metallica and when the bass drum hits, I felt nothing from the sub. It was all mid/highs. I remember with my old system with the band pass, when the bass drum hit, you got a quick boom feeling around you but it was short/quick.


Modified by Blood1 at 3:46 PM 7/23/2009

[rjdmmfl1]

Hi Doc. I have the following:

Kenwood KDC-X792UInfinity Kappas 6.5" & 6x9's Front & Rear10" Kicker L7 wired @ 1ohmKicker 350.4 (90W @ 2ohms)HiFonics 1210D (1200W @ 1 Ohm)

The box is a sealed box. So instead of getting a bigger 12" ported box, you suggest just get a different box that is ported for the 10" Square L7.

This is the sub in the box:http://www.sonicelectronix.com....html

Oh yeah I thought about this more. I do like my mids, highs crystal clear in terms of SQ, but I realized now I like my bass, low boomy and sloppy as you would say.

It just fills the music more. Like when I was listening to say Metallica and when the bass drum hits, I felt nothing from the sub. It was all mid/highs. I remember with my old system with the band pass, when the bass drum hit, you got a quick boom feeling around you but it was short/quick.

Modified by Blood1 at 3:46 PM 7/23/2009

ok, as long as you like your highs and mids, that's fine.... from a sealed box, you should be getting pretty good bass response from the L7... if it sounds like there is a gap in your music, then this may be a tuning issue...

ideally, your sub should reproduce sound from 35HZ -- 150HZ pretty accurately... however, I just checked the solobaric website, and the 10" L7 has a frequency response from 24HZ to 100Hz, and you limited that even further to 35-->100Hz.

Question, where do you have your highpass crossover set on your 4 channel amp? SOme folks set that high so as to limit the amount of bass being reproduced by the 6.5. In a passive crossover system, if too much power is applied at high volumes, the midbass can bottom out, causing that nasty "blaahh" sound. If indeed your high pass is set to 120 or 125Hz, then you may hear what sounds like dead spots in your music.

however, your case may be as simple as your sub box. IMO, kicker L7's, Rockford T2's, and JL audio W7's should NOT be in sealed boxes. It limits the potential of the sub. And as Imentioned, if you're going for SQ, then you probably shouldn't have chosen the L7.

In any case, is there any way you could put your sub in a sealed box, see if that fixes things regarding the way you want it to sound. In the end, you may jus tend up going with the 12" L7 in a ported box... sound to me like that's the sound you're looking for...

oh, one last thing, that 10"L7 only wants about 600 watts RMS.. you have it wired down to 1ohm, so that amp is giving ti 1200watts RMS.. that's WAAAYYY too much power, and you will eventually blow the sub overpowering it like that!

At least the 12" L7 can take 750 watts RMS.. but in your current situation, I give you 6 months tops if you listen to your music at high volumes!

[Blood1]

Thx Doc.

I have the x-o on the amp turned off completely. Basically controlling what I'm sending the the Kicker AMP via the HU. I have the Front cut off @ 120hz+ and the Rear set but off @ 100hz+

"In any case, is there any way you could put your sub in a sealed box"-Did you mean a ported box? At the moment no. I don't have a spare ported laying around. My friend in construction says he can build a box in < hour if I have design specs. BTW do you or does anyone have blue-prints for a ported box?

"oh, one last thing, that 10"L7 only wants about 600 watts RMS.. you have it wired down to 1ohm, so that amp is giving ti 1200watts RMS.. that's WAAAYYY too much power, and you will eventually blow the sub overpowering it like that! "

-I'll take that into consideration. I don't have the gain on the amp turned up all the way so I'll lower it even more.

BTW I was thinking, how do you wire a Dual 2ohm voice coil sub so it runs/pulls only 2 ohms? Is it possible? I would re-wire it down to 2 ohms so that it's only drawing 900W rated @ 2ohms to be on the safe side.

I'm starting to like what I'm hearing now with this sub/box. I moved the sub towards the back of the car more in the truck instead of right next to the rear of the seats and the bass is much more filling.

I won't be getting a larger box as all I need is just more tweaking.

[rjdmmfl1]

Thx Doc.

I have the x-o on the amp turned off completely. Basically controlling what I'm sending the the Kicker AMP via the HU. I have the Front cut off @ 120hz+ and the Rear set but off @ 100hz+

"In any case, is there any way you could put your sub in a sealed box"-Did you mean a ported box? At the moment no. I don't have a spare ported laying around. My friend in construction says he can build a box in < hour if I have design specs. BTW do you or does anyone have blue-prints for a ported box?

"oh, one last thing, that 10"L7 only wants about 600 watts RMS.. you have it wired down to 1ohm, so that amp is giving ti 1200watts RMS.. that's WAAAYYY too much power, and you will eventually blow the sub overpowering it like that! "

-I'll take that into consideration. I don't have the gain on the amp turned up all the way so I'll lower it even more.

BTW I was thinking, how do you wire a Dual 2ohm voice coil sub so it runs/pulls only 2 ohms? Is it possible? I would re-wire it down to 2 ohms so that it's only drawing 900W rated @ 2ohms to be on the safe side.

I'm starting to like what I'm hearing now with this sub/box. I moved the sub towards the back of the car more in the truck instead of right next to the rear of the seats and the bass is much more filling.

I won't be getting a larger box as all I need is just more tweaking.

yeah, sorry, I meant ported...

regarding the subs, sorry, but there' no way to wire a dual 2 ohm sub to 2 ohms.. only 1 ohm or 4 ohms.... the gain is not a bass control... there's info in the FAQ on how to properly set the gain... but yeah, in your case, it could be a cheap and dirty way to keep your sub from blowing... and as you said, you didn't like the way it sounded when wired at 4 ohms, but that was probably done like that because the last owner didn't want to wire it at 1 ohm!

good luck with everything and keep us informed