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am I better off with SD vs SA series?


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So, I decided I'll modify the box a bit (very easy to do since the front's perfectly flat) to get a little more airspace (.5 after woofer displacement). My amp is 2 ohm stable but I have read it can do 1 ohm but it can be unstable. It does put out 600w @ 1 ohm so I'm wondering if it's worth seeing if mine will do it? If I were to get the D4 and wire it to 2 ohms, would it be the same volume if my amp turns out to not be 1 ohm stable and I only run 1 of the 2 ohm coils (if I were to get the D2 instead)? If there's no downside to running just 1 of the 2 ohm coils if my amp isn't stable at 1 ohm (how do I even tell if it's stable or not?) is that a good idea? I don't quite understand all of this stuff, I know just enough to get myself in trouble. I don't really care if there's a chance that I blow the amp, I bought it used a couple years ago for $150 so it isn't like I'd be devastated. If it'd pretty much be a for sure thing that I'll blow the amp I won't do it but if just a slight chance I'm willing to risk it. If anything, it'll force me to upgrade to one of the Rockford 5 channel amps or the old Polk (sure I can find a used one) that are stable at 1 ohm.

So, basically I'm asking if I should get the D2 or D4. thanks!

Edited by CorNut
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I got some 3/4" mdf today, I'll be cutting 2 pieces out the shape of the front of my box to add a extra 1.5" air space which will put me right at .50 cu ft after woofer displacement. I'm still unsure if I should get the D4 or D2, is there a downside to only running 1 voice coil on the D2 vs running the D4 and wiring it for 2 ohm? Is it worth trying to see if my amp can squeeze out the 600w @ 1ohm it's theoretically capable of to help power the sa-8 v2?

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i would just get the d4 man. no sense in overdoing it on the amp. that way if later down the road you decide to upgrade to 2 8's you can always decide to run it at 1 ohm then. and its best to always build or have built a custom enclosure. will make your sub sound so much better if built properly. youll honestly probably never get the bass output you want out of a box that tiny. as far as running a dvc sub on only one vc u can do it but it will limit the amount of sound you get. plus you have to remember that if you only run one side you have to cut the speakers rms in half. so 300 would change to 150. but ive seen people run those sundown 8's on like 500 rms each with no problem. just make sure your signal is clean.

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no VS threads

you do realize by saying no vs threads you're rentamodding? so you're breaking the rules too, besides this isn't a vs thread, it's not x brand against y brand, it's 2 sundown subs, he's asking which would suit his application better. To the OP, i'd run the SA-8v2 over the SD any day.

deleted for fear of the more warning points

Edited by _paralyzed_
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i would just get the d4 man. no sense in overdoing it on the amp. that way if later down the road you decide to upgrade to 2 8's you can always decide to run it at 1 ohm then. and its best to always build or have built a custom enclosure. will make your sub sound so much better if built properly. youll honestly probably never get the bass output you want out of a box that tiny. as far as running a dvc sub on only one vc u can do it but it will limit the amount of sound you get. plus you have to remember that if you only run one side you have to cut the speakers rms in half. so 300 would change to 150. but ive seen people run those sundown 8's on like 500 rms each with no problem. just make sure your signal is clean.

Makes sense, I appreciate your reply. About the sub not having the output I'm after in that small of a box, I'm actually not after a whole lot. My car came with clarion mids and an 8" Rockford. I wanted more treble so I got some coax's and components (had factory tweeter so required no mounting or anything, just replaced) and it didn't give me the improvement I was after. I read about how the factory amp is mediocre so I replaced it with the Kappa-FIVE and it made an amazing difference. The sub had way more kick to it too which was a bonus, I was completely happy until it stopped sounding good, that's when I realized I blew out the surround around the sub so the box no longer had a seal. I'm in no way looking for something to break records with, I'm just after the best option I have that utilizes the factory box so I can retain my trunk space.

That long story is basically it, I'm really just trying to get my bass back and in the process get as much SPL as I can while utilizing the factory box. This car isn't my primary vehicle, I use it for autocross and the occasional night out and building a box will just add more weight and I like that the factory box is already secure. Sorry about the long post, I just wanted to make sure you understood what I was after. I also appreciate the info on how the DVC subs work. It makes total sense once you point that stuff out, I'm going to order up the D4 version today. I am better off porting in .50 vs sealed @ .40 right? If I leave my box unmodified I'll have .4 after woofer displacement so that's an option. The factory box is plastic, it's definitely sturdy (has to be at least 1/4", maybe 3/8"), I hope that isn't a problem.

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If you take a look on sundown's site, They recommend a .28 cu ft box for sealed and .5-75 cu ft ported & 35 hz. Sub displacement is also .08 cu ft. If you haven't cut the factory box yet, I would just try it and see how it sounds without modifying. If you're unhappy with it, then you can begin experimenting.

Remember that one box size/tuning isn't perfect for every car so it might require some playing with. If you do go with a ported enclosure that is a bit on the smaller side, you can stuff the box with polyfil to give it the effect of a box that is a tad larger. My opinion though is keep it sealed with original factory box or build a new enclosure with proper airspace for ported. A too small ported enclosure may end up disappointing you after a lot of work.

Edited by csshakka
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i would just get the d4 man. no sense in overdoing it on the amp. that way if later down the road you decide to upgrade to 2 8's you can always decide to run it at 1 ohm then. and its best to always build or have built a custom enclosure. will make your sub sound so much better if built properly. youll honestly probably never get the bass output you want out of a box that tiny. as far as running a dvc sub on only one vc u can do it but it will limit the amount of sound you get. plus you have to remember that if you only run one side you have to cut the speakers rms in half. so 300 would change to 150. but ive seen people run those sundown 8's on like 500 rms each with no problem. just make sure your signal is clean.

Makes sense, I appreciate your reply. About the sub not having the output I'm after in that small of a box, I'm actually not after a whole lot. My car came with clarion mids and an 8" Rockford. I wanted more treble so I got some coax's and components (had factory tweeter so required no mounting or anything, just replaced) and it didn't give me the improvement I was after. I read about how the factory amp is mediocre so I replaced it with the Kappa-FIVE and it made an amazing difference. The sub had way more kick to it too which was a bonus, I was completely happy until it stopped sounding good, that's when I realized I blew out the surround around the sub so the box no longer had a seal. I'm in no way looking for something to break records with, I'm just after the best option I have that utilizes the factory box so I can retain my trunk space.

That long story is basically it, I'm really just trying to get my bass back and in the process get as much SPL as I can while utilizing the factory box. This car isn't my primary vehicle, I use it for autocross and the occasional night out and building a box will just add more weight and I like that the factory box is already secure. Sorry about the long post, I just wanted to make sure you understood what I was after. I also appreciate the info on how the DVC subs work. It makes total sense once you point that stuff out, I'm going to order up the D4 version today. I am better off porting in .50 vs sealed @ .40 right? If I leave my box unmodified I'll have .4 after woofer displacement so that's an option. The factory box is plastic, it's definitely sturdy (has to be at least 1/4", maybe 3/8"), I hope that isn't a problem.

hey man its all about what you want. i would say to go ahead and just try it sealed first before you try it with a port. a good sealed enclosure can get plenty loud and seeing how that one fits the sundown 8 on airspace id say give it a try. that way you dont cut and port it for nothing. the plastic box shouldnt be a problen as long as its thick enough but you may find that the sundown gives it a little to much of a beating wich may cause it to vibrate alot wich will lead to a loss in output and make it sound crappy in a hatchback or with the trunk open. that sundown should definately blow the rockford out the water no matter wich box you decide to go with. and no need to apologize for the long post. id rather have all the info to help than hardly any.

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I ordered the sub today, If I end up porting it, 2" PVC port will only have to be ~12.5" long for 35hz. This will be in a trunk so I shouldn't have to worry about any vent noise using that small of port right? It seems if I go wider than that, my port will be too long to be practical. I can "maybe" do 2.5 but that calls for nearly 20" long. I'll be using elbows and have it tucked along the side of the box. Is there much of a downside to doing 2"? is using 2.5 going to make a noticeable difference? Thanks for all your help. The sub is shipping from NY (I'm in OR) so it'll probably be a bit but I'll post pics as soon as I have them

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no VS threads

vs. threads within the same product brand are ok.

it's not an asshurtable post if you think about it. :D

continue.

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