# Random thoughts on the Stereo Integrity RM-12 Subwoofer.



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

This won't be so much of a review as it will just be my thoughts about the sub after owning it for a couple months. Spoiler alert, i love it more and more everyday. Can a subwoofer actually break in and sound better?

So after going thru some subwoofer selection paralysis, like should i get another AF GB10, or the GB12, or should i compromise and get the AF GS series because i just don't think you need to spend $1000 on subs, i ended up reading some positive reviews about the RM-12. A few emails back and forth with Nick (the other Nick)...i ordered a single RM-12 D4. Nick said he would build it and let me know when it shipped. I am a bit of a pessimist so i figured great, it will be 2-3 weeks to build and a week to ship.:mean:

WRONG...it was less than a week to build and 2 days to ship, i don't recall the exact number of days, but i think i had it in 7 or 8 days from when i ordered it. Not amazon prime...but much faster than i expected.

it arrived in possibly the BEST shipping box i have ever received, and i buy a lot of things. I am picky and critical, and there was not a single thing i would change in how it was packed. If anything it was overpacked. Doubled boxed using super heavy cardboard and custom expanding foam inserts to hold what is a very heavy subwoofer in place. I WISH i did an unboxing video, but if anyone want pictures of the box send me a pm.

So while i waited for delivery i modified a box i had to the ported specs Nick gave me so when it arrived it was ready to drop in and play awesome music.

Que the disappointment music, it sounded bad out of the box....i was honestly disappointed, and thought i made a huge mistake. Can i get my AF sub back?

Ok...no worries...Nick said it was a sealed box woofer and a small sealed box woofer, so i had some BB laying around and i fabricated a 1.4 cuft gross box, meaning with bracing and the driver it was about 1.2 cuft net.

I fired that one up and was much happier with the sound

But still to be honest i was not super in love with it, but i was happy. I could tell from a few songs i was playing that there was something special in the driver. Certain notes sounded better than anything i had ever heard in a car. So i thought ok, this is something i can work with.

As the weeks went by i just listened to it, and started loving it a little more each day. I'm not saying it was breaking in, because i do NOT believe that subs can do that, but it was, it was breaking in. Or something...i can't explain it.

This weekend i did a little tuning because it is finally warming up in Vermont, and i changed a couple of things in the Helix software...and today driving home i was finally blown away enough to write something about this sub in this forum. I can't produce charts or graphs of measurements, i can only say that today i decided this was in fact the best subwoofer i have ever owned, and i can't wait for even warmer weather to maybe go out and put a mic on my system and do some actual tuning.

So if you are considering a new sub, please give this one some thought. You wont be disappointed, and if you are...give it some time, it gets better after a couple months.


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## Grinder (Dec 18, 2016)

I've never before noticed any effects of "break-in," and it doesn't seem plausible to me that any sort of prolonged "break-in" would somehow tend to improve (rather than degrade) performance. So, I wasn't terribly optimistic that the low-end extension of my pair of Dayton HF 15s (for home system) would improve over time. However, LFE really did seem to improve during the first couple/few months. It certainly could be all in my head though.

In any case, I am very happy with my HF 15s (in 3 cubes sealed ea.) ...though I can't help wondering how much more I'd like them ported.


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## GreatLaBroski (Jan 20, 2018)

Sure, subs do break in. I've seen this on the Dayton Audio DATS and data doesn't lie. QTS will drop a good bit and so does FS. Your suspension is stiffer out of the box and loosens up. But part of it is also you getting used to it as well.

Either way I'm happy you're happy


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

miniSQ said:


> Can a subwoofer actually break in and sound better?
> 
> As the weeks went by i just listened to it, and started loving it a little more each day. I'm not saying it was breaking in, because i do NOT believe that subs can do that, but it was, it was breaking in. Or something...i can't explain it.


they 100% do. any driver that will be playing at, or very close to its resonant frequency does.

side note, i was up in killington this weekend. passed your brothers shop. thought about shooting you a text to do some tuning but i was only there for a short time


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## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

SkizeR said:


> they 100% do. any driver that will be playing at, or very close to its resonant frequency does.
> 
> side note, i was up in killington this weekend. passed your brothers shop. thought about shooting you a text to do some tuning but i was only there for a short time


How was it? Windy? Hard to believe its almost the end of march and we are still 100% open


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

miniSQ said:


> How was it? Windy? Hard to believe its almost the end of march and we are still 100% open


Didnt even make it on hill. Was there for a bachelor party and the morning I was supposed to ride I was beyond hung over lmao

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## SPAZ (Jan 7, 2009)

I posted my thoughts on the RM-12 sub in a different thread but I dropped one in a 1 cu ft sealed box and was immediately impressed with it. I did not find many reviews on it before trying it out so I was a little nervous about trying it. But for a basshead/SQ guy like me one RM-12 sub can get loud and sound so clean doing it. They mix well with the midbass in the car. I'm set for a very long time with it and fully expect to use it on my next build when I have to trade in the lease soon.


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## ToNasty (Jan 23, 2013)

miniSQ said:


> This won't be so much of a review as it will just be my thoughts about the sub after owning it for a couple months. Spoiler alert, i love it more and more everyday. Can a subwoofer actually break in and sound better?
> 
> So after going thru some subwoofer selection paralysis, like should i get another AF GB10, or the GB12, or should i compromise and get the AF GS series because i just don't think you need to spend $1000 on subs, i ended up reading some positive reviews about the RM-12. A few emails back and forth with Nick (the other Nick)...i ordered a single RM-12 D4. Nick said he would build it and let me know when it shipped. I am a bit of a pessimist so i figured great, it will be 2-3 weeks to build and a week to ship.<img src="http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/images/smilies/mean.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Mean" class="inlineimg" />
> 
> ...


What power are you giving it?


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## Grinder (Dec 18, 2016)

GreatLaBroski said:


> Sure, subs do break in. I've seen this on the Dayton Audio DATS and data doesn't lie. QTS will drop a good bit and so does FS. Your suspension is stiffer out of the box and loosens up. But part of it is also you getting used to it as well.
> 
> Either way I'm happy you're happy


How long did/does/should/might it take? I understand that a spider is likely to be comparatively stiff out of the box. What I don't understand is how a spider might gradually loosen up in the course of weeks or months of day-to-day use ...yet I'm at a loss as to what else might account for the seemingly improved LFE of my HF 15s (on Crown XLS 1502). While I accept that it could be nothing more than psychoacoustics, it sure as heck doesn't seem like that is the case.


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## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

ToNasty said:


> What power are you giving it?


Zapco 2kd at 2ohms...so i think around 1200 watts.


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## Iamsecond (Jan 3, 2017)

I concur with your assessment. I just remade my box because I measured wrong when I built it a few months ago and this weekend I had a few hours to myself so I built another box. I then realized I had a small air leak in the box. I made sure and sealed this one up tight and I have been looking for excuses to drive my 4Runner just to enjoy the rm-12. Agreed, it’s that good. It is the best sub I have ever owned or used in a vehicle. This sub is a keeper. I have a bad habit of buying, installing, selling and starting the process over but this sub has ended the cycle for me as well as the si 3 way up front.


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## dgage (Oct 1, 2013)

I just got mine this past week and it is a damn heavy beast. Looking forward to getting it installed in the next few weeks. Glad you’re enjoying yours, makes me excited for mine.


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## Iamsecond (Jan 3, 2017)

So after a while of listening I love my rm12 as well. But, I have about 750 watts to it in a sealed box and I find I need more output. I love the way it performs but I just need it to be a bit louder. Mini, What changes did you make in your software to change it to your liking? How much power are you running? What crossover points are you using?


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## Jaegearman (May 30, 2016)

Did you end up getting more power for your RM-12? 


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## Jaegearman (May 30, 2016)

dgage said:


> I just got mine this past week and it is a damn heavy beast. Looking forward to getting it installed in the next few weeks. Glad you’re enjoying yours, makes me excited for mine.


Dgage did you get your RM-12 finally installed? Is so what are your thoughts about it 


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## dgage (Oct 1, 2013)

Jaegearman said:


> Dgage did you get your RM-12 finally installed? Is so what are your thoughts about it


No. The trans in my car went out so I bought a newer car and will be putting a system in it early next year. I have the RM-12 but may look at going with a couple SI SQL-15 IB instead. I’ve heard both in Nick’s car (SI) and think they are really good subs. Can’t go wrong there.


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## Jaegearman (May 30, 2016)

If you sell your RM-12 let me know. SQL box requirements are a little high. Need some around 1 -1.2 cult or less in a sealed box will be using a Boston Acoustics GT-28 to drive it 


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## Iamsecond (Jan 3, 2017)

I bought a 2k mono amp but I have not had the chance to get it put in yet. I also realized my current amp is only putting about 500 and some change on the rm12 so I am severely under powering it. It sounds awesome as it is but it should really come alive with more power.

I’m a 70s rock child and it’s been tough to find a sub that is clean yet hit hard with music that does not typically have heavy bass. I don’t need a sub that rumbles and plays loud with rap/dance type music.

I will also say though, the past few weeks I have found myself REALLY enjoying some of my long lost 80’s/90’s country music. Artists like Vince Gill/Alan Jackson/Clint black and others have some serious kick both vocally and low end drums and bass guitar.

Hoping to get amp in and report back this weekend or next week.


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## Jaegearman (May 30, 2016)

Report back I would love to hear what u think if it. I tend to like 80’s and 90’s rock grunge. Tool recordings just suck though. The latest album is much better though especially through Tidal. 


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## Iamsecond (Jan 3, 2017)

Yep. I was considering the sql but after talking with nick the rm will suit my music better with the higher bass snap. That being said, I still love this rm. tight, snappy, and clean. And it should be even better with proper power


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## Iamsecond (Jan 3, 2017)

I finally installed my new amp. It is a tezla tz2kd. I must say I am very impressed with this amp. More on that later. 
I will say I was super impressed with this sub prior to this experiment and loved the way it produced the sub sections of music but....... With 2k on tap it is better in every way. I was choking this baby using only 500-600 watts. with that power I just could not get the impact and volume I was wanting and thus I was about to get an sql, butNick assured me this was the better sub for the music I listen to and he was spot on. The upper impact I was missing just showed up when I installed this amp. 
Now, when I get a few moments, I’m going to bridge one amp to send 500 to each tm65 and retune everything. But I am happier and even more impressed with the rm12 than was.


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