Hey folks,
I'm new to this forum and was wondering if I could get some advice. I have a 1987 T/A GTA and I am attempting to build a sound system for it. I have come into possession of 2 Cadence XBP121 12 inch subs that run at 300w RMS and 600w Peak. I don't really know what amp I should run them with. I'm fine with figuring out speaker stuff, but the fine details on subs elude me to say the very least. Any help would be sincerely appreciated.

Just in case you were wondering, so far the build has a JVC KD-X230 head unit, Polk DB461P 4x6 for the front and the 2 cadence subs for the rear with a custom trunk box I bought off of amazon. My friend is also going to give me his old capacitor to hook up to the subs. I intend to buy Kenwood KFC-6965S 6x9 speakers for the rear, a Pioneer GM-A6704 4 channel amp to power the speakers and whatever amp you guys can point me to for the subs.

Thanks!

 

And if you recommend any tweaks to my rear speaker/amp set up I'm all ears! I'm considering the Kenwood 6x9s because the rms(45) matches up pretty well with the polks(50) in front[which I got for a cool $20 ] and the Pioneer amp offers 60rms per channel.

This is a budget build to say the least, so I'm working with whatever I can get. I listen to mostly rock so I kind of wish I had some 10" subs as opposed to the 12s, but free is free after all and I'm sure that it will sound 50x better than stock.

 

If you choose the proper power level for your subs, and have the proper power/ground/speaker cables and wires, hook it all up right, then what brand you choose won't really matter too much. Stay away from the cheap Wal-Brand stuff of course, but unless you're looking for the top of the top Ferrari brands of audio equipment, the vast majority of the stuff out there will suit you just fine. It's normally shoddy installation that sinks a system -or poor speaker location, whether than be custom stuff installed by the owner, or just production 80s era audio systems.

I've had countless different things from Sony, Pioneer, Rockford Fosgate, Kenwood, Clarion, etc. etc over the years. ...and of course everyone has their favorites and there's no shortage of different brands.

I almost always go through SonicElectronix or Crutchfield. There's always tons of reviews and I would recommend reading through the reviews. I've always loved Rockford Fosgate amps, but I was looking at a mid level, 5 channel amp, and the reviews had several people state they had over heating issues. None of the other size amps in the line of Rockford amps had issues, just that one 5 channel. -so I stayed away.

For amps, I'd also recommend looking at the size, and keep in mind how you mount them. Depending on where you're mounting, size can be an issue, especially in our cars. I always take some cardboard and make up a box the same dimensions as any amp I wanna buy.

 

I understand your "free is free" and "it'll sound 50x better" logic for sure. -BUT! Are you able to sell the subs? For me, two12's would be a no-go for space reasons alone. For rock, you could easily get away only running a one 10". -Or even just running one 12". Just make sure you don't underpower

 

I have the chance to buy a used Kenwood KAC 9104D for cheap. It's from a friend and they say it still works fine and I trust them. It is rated for 900W x 1 at 2 ohms (rms). Am I able to split this and power both my subs? The 2 subs run 300w rms@2ohms. Like have 450w to each sub? I concede my noobery once more.

 

The space isn't too much of a concern. I never really use the trunk anyway, and after the box is installed I should have plenty of room for amps/capacitors etc. Unfortunately I feel a little too invested in the box to re sell it. Paid $88 for it a couple days ago. Pic attached if it helps gauge the space it'll take. It really only takes up the deep part of the trunk

 

I'm no expert when it comes to ohms, and the different ways to wire, and when they work and when they do not.

My first question is whether or not you amp is 1 ohm stable. Google the part number and download the manual. 2nd is whether or not your subs are dual voice coil. You can search how the work and affect your music, but for wiring purposes, DVC subs will have DUAL inputs. Sooooo 2 positive terminals, 2 negative.

I'm sure someone here just KNOWS this stuff, but we can certainly figure it out if now, lol.

 

The manual lists the amp as 1 ohm stable, and the subs are single voice coil.

I really do appreciate all the help.

 

https://images.crutchfieldonline.com...no-low-imp.jpg

I think this should work

 

Excellent! Thank you very much