QuestionHi. I'm 16-I know I know young and inexperienced-but I was wondering if you could help me out. I just got an extended cab Chevy Silverado truck. What kind of subwoofer(s) and amp would sound/work the best in my truck? I have heard Pioneer makes pretty good subs for the $ and I have also heard Kenwood makes pretty good amps for the $ - agree disagree? I would be willing to spend up to around $300 or so.
Thanks a lot, Josh
AnswerHi Josh,
Sorry about the delay in answering!
I try not to make general statements either for or against various brand names. I think both of the companies you mentioned make good amplifiers and subwoofers; I don't think I'd give either brand an edge over the other in either category.
You'll definitely have to do some bargain-shopping to get an amplifier/subwoofer system in your price range. Don't forget to budget for a subwoofer enclosure, and a wiring kit for the amplifier. You don't want to skimp too much on either of these items. Lots of low-priced wiring kits online use under-sized wire that doesn't match the advertised gauge, and as for the enclosure, you might need to find one specifically designed for your pickup. If you search, you can find several 12" or 10" boxes made to fit under the rear seat in a full-sized truck, but they're likely to be more expensive than a typical pre-fab sub box.
Personally, I'd look for a 4-ohm, single-voice-coil subwoofer. If you can find a box that will fit your truck, try to get a 12" sub--all else being equal, a 12" sub can play louder than a 10" sub. I'd also look for a mono amplifier. With a 4-ohm sub, you can use either a 2-channel amp or a mono amp; but a mono amp would be more versatile if you decide to add a second sub later on. Look for amps that have CEA-2006 compliant power ratings, and make sure you're looking at the 4-ohm rating and matching it against the sub's power rating. The amp's power output should be 50-100% of the sub's rated power. Also, compare only the RMS power ratings--ignore "peak" or "max" power, as these numbers are only useful for marketing.
Here's a package I put together that I think would work out well for you, and comes pretty close to your target price:
Amplifier: Kenwood KAC-6104D. This is a mono sub amp that's rated for 200 watts RMS at 4 ohms.
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_17266_Kenwood+KAC-6104D.html
Subwoofer: Pioneer TS-SW301. This is one of Pioneer's new shallow-mount subwoofer series; it will fit in just about any box, and works well with small sealed enclosures.
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_11652_Pioneer+Shallow-Mount+TS-SW301.html
Enclosure: Atrend A151-12CP. You didn't mention the model year of your truck. This single 12" enclosure fits the 99-06 extended-cab GM pickups.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9026494&type=product&id=1218009777...
Wire kit: Knukonceptz 8-gauge. Knukonceptz is an online retailer of amplifier wiring kits and supplies. Their products are high quality and very reasonably priced.
http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KLM-K8
http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=GMBT
Of course, there are many other amp/sub/box combinations that will work just as well as what I've listed above. In your vehicle, the main limitation is the space required for the sub box. Because of that, I'd start by picking a box that fits the vehicle. Then, pick a sub that fits the box: both in mounting depth and volume requirements. Then pick the amplifier to match the sub.
Hope this helps!
Brian
