3 subs

[bumpinkicker04]

I want to put 3 12" subs in my suv. But i can't figure out for the life of me how to wire them up. Series, parallel, or a mix of both? I have not decided whether to go with dual or single voice coil so any recommendations as far as what subs to use or anything else would be appreciated. thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Mannyb18b]

why 3? why 12"?

[pimprolla112]

Get 2 15's or a big ass 18"
check these sites
www.reaudio.com, www.adireaudio.com, www.ascendantaudio.com, www.soundsplinter.com

[bumpinkicker04]

My first system consisted of a 10 Jl and it did not put out enough bass. So next I went with a 15" kicker SB which out out great bass but it was not responsive enough. I want to go with 4 10" subs but the space I have to work with is a little limited because I would still like to have some storage capabilities in my suv. So i figured 3 12" subs would be the answer. I have seen them in other vehicles but I have never been able to pull them out and see how they were wired. I feel 12" would be the best compromise between bass output and responsiveness.

[bumpinstang77]

By responsness I think you mean quickness, and contrary to popular belief the size of the sub has nothing to do with it. So I say go with 2 15's or an 18 or hell even 2 18's.

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by bumpinstang77

By responsness I think you mean quickness, and contrary to popular belief the size of the sub has nothing to do with it.

yea, definitely a popular misconception. It may be you had the 15" crossed over too high. A 15" speaker doesn't make a very good midbass driver.

[bumpinkicker04]

Originally Posted by PaulD

yea, definitely a popular misconception. It may be you had the 15" crossed over too high. A 15" speaker doesn't make a very good midbass driver.

no by responsiveness i mean it takes a 15" longer to reset itself to prepare for the next hit than it does a 12" or 10" sub. I listen to wide range of music from rock to rap, jay-z to twista. On songs that have long deep bass notes a 15 sounds fine but on a song with a littlr bit faster beat like say jay-z's 99 problems the 15" just can't keep up.

[bumpinstang77]

No it doesn't. It's the same coil in the same motor. Just a bigger cone.

[CBFryman]

haha, that was the bigest load of bull ive ever heard...the suspnesion will snap the cone right back to resting position as soon as power is removed...it doesnt "set up" to a beat, it simply takes the given input power fluctuations and turns them into linear movements causing sound... how accuratly it does it has nothing to do with cone size and, is forsure, not going to be behind the beat...

[bumpinkicker04]

So what you guys are telling me is that you think a 12" sub and a 15" that are basically identical, in the exact same conditions, are going to sound the same with the same music going through them? Yeah I did't think so

[bumpinkicker04]

Sorry I should rephrase that each one would be as accurate in their production of bass.

[bumpinkicker04]

either way I am done with the convo about responsiveness. Does anyone know th opotimal way to wire 3 subs? that is the only thing I need to know. I might after a little more thoughts about designing the box go with 4 10" subs but I just wanted to explore options. Thanks in advance for all advice and I appreciate all input thusfar.

[sportin83]

Originally Posted by bumpinkicker04

either way I am done with the convo about responsiveness. Does anyone know th opotimal way to wire 3 subs? that is the only thing I need to know. I might after a little more thoughts about designing the box go with 4 10" subs but I just wanted to explore options. Thanks in advance for all advice and I appreciate all input thusfar.

it depends on if they are dual VC or single VC. and what type of amp you will be using. 3 4 ohm subs run in parallel will be 1.3 ohm load which only some amps can handle. and it they are DVC will be a 2.66 load.

check out this link
http://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/wo...igurations.asp
this website is very helpful and has several calculators to help builb boxes and figure out wiring.

[CBFryman]

yes, actually i do. would you like to hear my 18? your gas money to prove yourself wrong...

and the optimal way to wire 3 subs depends on three things.
-Nominal Impeadance of Drivers Coils
-Number Of Coils in Each Driver
-What Minimum Load The Amp Is Stable at

give us thoes and we can tell you... but 2 12's have aproxamitly the same output as a single 15 except for the 15 has twice the motor efficency.

The misconseption that 15's and larger cant produce sound as accuratly as a number of smaller drivers has come about because 15's have always been conceaved as SPL drivers, coils with a lot of windings and layres for more power handleing have high inductance, making the motor incapeable of producing higher ''bass'' frequincies as loudly because of impeadance rise due to inductance.
Also, the greater slightly mms does have an effect on the drivers ability to acurately produce higher frequincies but this point generally doesnt come untill 200Hz or more. far above what a sub SHOULD be asked to produce.
a high cross over point (80-100Hz or higher) with a smaller slope (if you are going to cross over that high 12 db/octave should be theminimum, 18 or 24 would be optimal) can cause sound to become muddy and inacurate an even cause cancelation.

Now the idea that several smaller drivers are more accurate when produceing bass frequincies is not only innacurate, if not correctly wired it can cause MORE distortion. this is due to subs being slightly out of phase causing cancelation which makes everything a muddy ass sounding mess. it also cuts back on posisble loudness... a good example has just come up on SIN. a guy had 32 8's in a hatch, he could only hit 152dB because of cancelation... a single 15 has hit 151 by our very own noah (ngsm13)...and he has it as his daily set up too, i beleive.
now if you still want 3 subs that is fine, 3 12's has more wow factor than a single 15 to your uneducated onlooker...but we are simply trying to dispell common misonceptions and give you best bang for buck.

[PaulD]

actually, I answered this question .... what most people think of as tight bass is caused by the midbass driver. the typical range of a sub 20Hz to like 60-80Hz does not require a driver with lots of speed. Sloppiness in bass can be caused by lots of things ..... "heavy" cones, underpowered amps, poorly tuned boxes, playing them outside their intended freq range ...... too many variables to attribute sloppiness to just the driver.