what is wrong with my new system. i just got my system installed the other day and the componenst sound amazing. but teh subs just sound empty or as someone that helped put it, hollow, the subs are Kicker SoloBaric L5's 12" and a 1200.1 amp. it just doesnt sound right. its in a sealed box also. could it be that the box is too big? any ideas are welcome. the subs move ALOT but just not as loud as they should be.

 

what amp is it?

 

Kicker KX1200.1

 

are you sure everything is hooked up properly? and how many cubic feet is the box

 

sounds like they could be out of phase. Check the phase adjustment on the amp (if there is one) and trace the wiring back to the VCs

 

like switch the - and the + around and see if it helps. they move ALOT just not alot of sound. there is no phase adjustment on the amp tho.

 

try checking the box for a leak or a small hole or rattling

 

nope no rattle or holes in the box. just sounds hollow. granted it sounds better now than it did when i finished the install but it still is no where near as loud as it should be. i dunno maybe it just needs more break in time

 

im not sure how many cubic feet the box is. it fills the entire well and then from the front of the whell it angles up to the hatch latch area so how many cubic feet aprox. would that be?

 

The well area from the bottom to level with the package shelf is 2 cubic feet or so. Your box is probably around 2.5 cubic feet or so if it goes up higher than that with an angle. The box is probably to small for the subs would be my guess. I am having a hard time making a box big enough for my Kicker Comps in the well.

 

well 2.5/2 is what 1.25 and the subs only call for a .88 cubic foot box so it might be too big.

 

here is a pic of the system installed. wires could have been hid better prolly but it is done and the mids and highs are better than what i expected but the subs are still lacking but they do seem to be getting better. still thinking the box is too big. have also been playing around with my crossover. prolly doesnt help that my HU only puts out 2V pre amps.

 

I dunno who you got your info from but acording to Kicker .88 cubic feet is the smallest recomended sealed box size each. 2 cubic feet each is the maximum recomended. So at 1.25 cubic feet your are right in the middle, if not a little on the small side for these subs. Your problem isn't the box size being to big for sure. What size wires are you using for your amps? You should be running at least a 4guage if not a 2 guage from the front of the car to the back. From your distribution box a 4 or 8 guage should work as long as it is a short distance. Ground you should do the same size as the power wire.

 

Your amp also seems to be the right power so I would say you messed up your wiring somewhere. Check over how you did your positives and negatives and make sure it is wired right...

 

0 gauge from the batter to the well where it is then distro'd into 2 4 gauge runs to the amps. same for the ground. 2 4 guage runs to the distro and then a 0 gauge run to the ground. speaker wire for the subs is 12 guage i believe.

 

it also has been getting better but is still lacking. i dunno does it just need more break in time? its a hell of alot better than it was when i started out. also the subs are in phase with each other so that is good. maybe the + and the - need to be switched at the amp?

p.s. anyone know how to get a KX1200.1 and KX800.4 mounted back there with the shrouds on?

 

It's gotta be wiring then, or it isn't tuned right. Check your positives and negatives and make sure it is right. Did you run them in parallel or series..are these DVC subs and what impedance?

 

they are 2 ohm Dual Voice coils. wired up for a 2 ohm load.


the correct wiring to do that would be connect the + of one coil to the - of the other coil and then the last + to the amp and the last - to the amp right? so i know im not gonna be getting the full 1200 watts but thats ok as i originally planned on getting a 600.1 but decided if i want to upgrade the 1200.1 leaves me that option. what should my crossover be set to? for the subs and the front and rear componets?

 

also thing is its just the subs. the mids and highs running off of the KX800.4 sound amazing. so im starting to think its just that the subs need to break in as it has been getting better as ive used it more. now to fix my damn broke exhaust that is rattling like a ****

 

didn't think it would sound hollow if they're moving, I suggest air leak. if they're moving, you have to hear something, unless you have the crossover level lower than you think and only playing 40 or lower hertz, meaning you cant hear it. making shure its upto about 80-100. play with your gains, make shure your wired properly. dual voice coils, so from the positive of left channel you run to positive of sub 1 voicecoil 1 positive, and then from voice coil1 negative to voice coil 2 positive on sub 1, and then from voicecoil 2 negative back to amplifier left channel negative. making a 4ohm load with your dual 2ohm voice coils I think u said? and do that for the other channel. check your deck to see if you have proper bass adjustments, maybe there is a sub control you didn't know about that coudl be turned down? let me know fi that helps

but seriously if they're moving quite a bit and doesn't sound good. it should almost garanteed be a leak, because my friend had that problem, had a pin sized hole, actually a few. he was playing it, then I just put my hand over them and it right away had bass notes rather than the sound of air being moved. yes even the SMALLEST holes make the difference.


cheers

blake

 

well like i have said they have been getting better so im starting to think its just a break in period thing. the crossover was too low so i turned it up an is now right at about 90 hz

 

This is probably alot of your problem that leaves 300 watts or so per sub in a box that needs a little more power than that.

 

got it working now! the drivers side sub was wired up backwards from the passenger side. wired it up right and now it hits like a bat out of hell. makes the damn cd player skip tho. maybe its because there is only one bracket on it? anyways to make this stop?

 

That was what i was going to sugest, i have done the samething when i reinstalled my system, its amazing how well they can cancel them selves out

 

yes, yes it is. it sounds so much better now. i need to get a radio mounting bracket now tho as the passenger side one is gone and it makes the cd player skip.

 

if only i could figure out why my L7's dont hit "like a bat out of hell" now . Maybe its cuz i only have 500 watts going into each. Who knows :lala:.

 

hell i only have about 300 watts going into each of my L5's and its loud as hell.

 

would you be interested in helping me go through my system from head to toe to find the problem?

 

sure give me a list of what you have.