Looking For Some Advice

[lunari]

Here's the deal. I live in a small eastern Montana town where the most exotic subs you see are the one or two people with a few Eclipses. Everyone here is running either Pioneer or Kicker (with almost no exception). I will give you a small rundown of what I have used most recently (and currently), along with what I am trying to achieve.

My favorite setup I have ran recently was a pair of 12" Cerwin Vega "Vega Series" in a large prefab ported box powered by a Rockford 250a2. It hit hard and I got it for pennies.

The current setup I am running is just a simple pair of the very low end Pioneers powered by an older Mobile Authority 400w in a large sealed box, in my 96 Talon I managed a 135.8 at a local comp (good enough for 3rd in my class).

Unfortunately my Talon has become a project car, thus I am picking up a 95 4-door Blazer as my daily driver. I want to put together a budget system for it (money is tight as the moment as I have a 3 month old baby girl now, and am starting my own computer repair business). I listen to everything from jazz and metal, to trance and rap. It all just depends on what I'm in the mood for.

My goals are a decent sounding system (on a budget) that plays low and loud. One of my good friends has an extended cab Ranger with two 12" CVRs in a slot ported box (prefab I believe), powered by a Kicker 600.1. At that same comp where I hit the 135.8 he was right around 147-150 (not sure what meter was in use). I would like to have the ability to be about that loud but when the mood takes me I want to be able to play much lower. For example, in his truck if I pop in Late Night Tip his subs completely unload and you get almost no sound at all on the low notes (just rushing air/port noise).

I am hoping to be able to achieve this with an 18" SSD with the dual 2 ohm coils and the copper coil option (for a bit higher power handling). Powering that would be a HiFonics BXi1608D ($215 at ikesound). I figure it should be fine since the HiFonics amps supposedly overrate their amps a bit. I would be putting the SSD into a custom designed enclosure that I plan to build myself, I have the space in the Blazer for it so size is not an issue (no wall though).

Even with this lower priced equipment I would buy the amp first and temporarily build a new enclosure for the Pioneers and run them with it at 4 ohms putting out ~400 rms to them to be safe. Then in the next few months I would pick up the 18" SSD and build the enclosure for it, run it at 1 ohm. From what I've seen from the one bench tested BXI1608 I should end up with right around 1200 rms at 14.4v. I will also be doing the "big 3" to the Blazer and would eventually add a second battery if needed. Also, later down the road (when I can afford it) I plan to replace the stock speakers and run them active. Shortly after that I could pick up a second SSD and 1608D, bigger alternator, etc..

With this setup would I be able to accomplish the goals stated above? Or would their be a better way to go about it. Unfortunately saving up for a btl and a $400+ amp is out of the question here. I apologize for the long post but I figure I can get some good advice here, and am looking forward to the input from the very knowledgeable people here. I also posted this over on the Fi forums.

Thanks again :hairtrick: ,

Lunari

[pstone11]

Wow, it seems like you have it down pretty well, nice and thought out.

I like your plan, except for that hifonics amp.... I have had some rotten bxi line amps. I'd look into maybe a used t1000bd if you can scrape up a little extra cash.

Other than that, you sound like you have a good grasp of what you need.

Welcome!

[lunari]

Wow, it seems like you have it down pretty well, nice and thought out.

I like your plan, except for that hifonics amp.... I have had some rotten bxi line amps. I'd look into maybe a used t1000bd if you can scrape up a little extra cash.

Other than that, you sound like you have a good grasp of what you need.

Welcome!

Thanks, although a t1000bd is a bit out of my price range (only one on ebay has a buy it now for nearly $400)

[jonathancullen89]

bass14 is selling one for like 280 in the for sale thread, it puts out really good power, like 1590rms i think.

[Applejack]

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/ind...showtopic=29782 yep and they're good amps, ive been running one for awhile now no problems at all

[BASS14]

thanks the for help guys!!

great amp....served me well..just need to sell so i can upgrade... if ya interested shoot me a PM and well talk:)

thanks!

Edited October 3, 2008 by BASS14

[lunari]

Thanks everyone, I shot a PM to BASS14 about the amp. I would rather have a quality amp over HiFonics, just didn't know there were any even close to my price range.

Also, how does the rest of the setup look? Think it will be loud and low?

Thanks :hairtrick: ,

Lunari

[lunari]

Well, I am officially going with the t1000bd instead of the Hifonics now. My wallet is a bit lighter than it would have been with the Hifonics but I am ending up with a better product so it's all good! Now onto building a new box for the Pioneers until I get a chance to order the 18" SSD. It will be a little bit before I start the build in the Blazer anyways, so for now the stuff is going in my wife's Corsica while the Talon sits.

The only bad thing is that there are no T/S params for the Pioneers I have, and I don't have the original boxes anymore (or manual) so I will just have to guesstimate with the box unless I can find a manual online. Either way they are just temporary for now so it's good.

Any comments/advice? Feel free to post them!

Thanks :hairtrick: ,

Lunari

[Mosin]

Well, I am officially going with the t1000bd instead of the Hifonics now. My wallet is a bit lighter than it would have been with the Hifonics but I am ending up with a better product so it's all good! Now onto building a new box for the Pioneers until I get a chance to order the 18" SSD. It will be a little bit before I start the build in the Blazer anyways, so for now the stuff is going in my wife's Corsica while the Talon sits.

The only bad thing is that there are no T/S params for the Pioneers I have, and I don't have the original boxes anymore (or manual) so I will just have to guesstimate with the box unless I can find a manual online. Either way they are just temporary for now so it's good.

Any comments/advice? Feel free to post them!

Thanks :hairtrick: ,

Lunari

Do you know what model the Pioneers are?

[lunari]

Do you know what model the Pioneers are?

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure. I will look at the discontinued models on Pioneer's site and try to find it. If nothing else I will go pull them out in the morning and find out.

Lunari :hairtrick: