QuestionOk.. I just bought a Hifonics 3000 watt peak and 1500 watts rms amp. And I own a Pioneer dvd/cd Deck. And I own a 99 2dr Blazer and I was wondering wat you would suggest for subs for this setup. either 15 or 12? would 15 with more surface push more air? would they sound better? I was thinking about Alpine Type R 15. Would it be better to get either two 12 inch subs compared to one hard hitting 15?
AnswerFirst, let me correct you (and all the manufacturers out there who are listening: there is no such thing as rms power - it is a misuse of electrical terms and should not be used; I have converted many of the publishers and a few manufacturers to quit using rms power terms, but many of them still do).
For the Blazer you are blazing new ground - being so old. If you put a realy big power amp in it you should also upgrade the alternator and battery so the engine will not die out on you while you are tooling down the road! Many of the big sub systems require more juice than the alternator can produce!
Actually, low frequency energy output is complicated in that it depends so much on the way it is mounted in the vehicle. If the unit is loaded (acoustically speaking) just right an 8" can produce more than a 15" improperly loaded. How do you load them correctly? There is no mathematical formula - it is just experience and trial and error.
But, a 12" woofer properly mounted in the right cabinet can knock your socks off. Most show cars have big cones vibrating like a sex organ because the look good, but they are NOT acoustically matched at all. So, it depends on the show-off factor plus what you want for performance.
However, here is what I have found when mounting subs in an automobile vehicle: Make sure the woofer is properly designed for a cabinet. Do not install them "loose" in a vehicle as they never give good bass sounds. Keep the cabinet down low, even in the trunk (if you have one - the blazer doesn't have much of a trunk space at all) or back against the rear door lids so it can gain another 3 db from being close to a nother boundary.
The working of a sub in a car with the windows up and all doors closed is like a pressure chamber and it operates more on the volume/pressure basis than it does on the Q factors. So, if you are keeping the car sealed up you will get one performance scenerio and if you run around with the windows down and the doors open during show off time you will get another set of performances.
All said and done, you may get more flexibility and therefore better thunder out of two 12s than one 15" unit.
But, if I were doing it I would probably go with good 8s and play around with tuning. Since the blazer doesn't have much room, the 8s would yield a little more hauling space!
Just my opinion.
Cleggsan
PS: Pyle and Kicker have some really good 8s with good power handling and not too expensive but you must build your own enclosed space for them. Some of the tube systems are good, too, but they don't handle much power (but they sound good when burried into a trunk with the trunk acting as a doubler vent for the system). Just some comments for your consideration.... I know the blazer doesn't have a trunk, but you can always buy another vehicle!
