Car Stereos: Subs, alpine headunits, alpine subs

Question
QUESTION: I want to buy a good 12' quality bass subs under a reasonable price.What are good subs? i also don't know what kind amp i need to get along with it.

ANSWER: I would choose JL Audio or MTX.  hope this helps, Scott

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QUESTION: what do you know about alpine r series. and i get two 12's what kind/power of an amp would i need for it?
thanks

ANSWER: Alpine R series are decent subs, but they will not cover as deep of lows as the JL Audios.  Also, the JL Audios and the MTXs are pretty flexible on box size.  The Alpine subs may require an enclosure that is a specific size to perform properly.  As for amps, most namebrands should work good enough.  The power of the amp directly coinsides with the size of the amp.  Always go by RMS watts and not Peak watts.  Class D amps are clearer and last longer.  Top performers are Phoenix Gold, Hifonics, and Audiobahn.  As for power, to sound audiophilicly correct, the amp rms power should be about twice the stereo speakers rms power (most stereos are less than 20 watts rms).  So, a 50 watt rms amp is plenty, but if you only want to hear bass, you can go all the way up to 1000 watts.  However, you cannot sit in the car over 300 watts rms.  Hope this helps, Scott

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QUESTION: thanks man, i appreciate the help. i always used to be set on alpine subs but i guess your the professional. so if i wanted to have a custom box so i could put them under the back seats of a truck mtx or JL is best bet?

Answer
No problem. I am a big Alpine fan myself.  I have Alpine headunits and Alpine amplifiers.  I have had some Alpine component speakers that weren't too bad before, but not the "best", and I have had Alpine subs.  The subs were really not comparable to high end subs.  The JL Audio subs have always been really good for me, and the MTX subs are good dependable subs, as well.  If you are looking for good quality subs, they fit the bill.  Infinity sells a sub that is superior in sound quality, but it is much more expensive and the difference is very slight.  The only thing you need to watch out for is rear clearance, because you won't have much with under-the-seat setup.  Good Luck, Scott