# 6x9 Subwoofers



## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

Before anyone says it, I'm not talking about 6x9 2 or 3 way speakers, but actual subwoofers.

I'm helping my sister get a car, and I'm not sure I can resist replacing the stock audio. I have a pair of Hertz components I might let her use for the front, or might get a pair of coaxes for her, so I'm not worried about the front.

However - there's a sub and amp she could use, but space is a much more important thing in her mind, so she really doesn't want the sub (dual 10 inch).

I did a little searching online, and happened to come across a few companies that offer 6x9 subs, and I'm pretty sure I could pull her rear speakers, and modify the panels to fit those.

With that in mind, for those with experience with them, what do I need to know about 6x9 subs?

I don't expect the kind of power you would get from a 10, or 12, or 15, but do they do a fair bit more for filling in that low end than you would get from standard full ranges?

How power hungry are they? Can they run fine off the head unit's internal amp (easier sell for my sister, because the amp takes up space, even if it's just a little), or do they need the kind of power that only an external amp provides?

Most of the ones that I've seen have really low efficiencies compared to what I'm used to seeing, ie 84 or 86 dB as opposed to 90 or 93. Anyone know of decent sounding ones that are perhaps more efficient, but don't cost a bundle? This is supposed to be a "better than OEM, but on a budget" type of setup.

Anything else I should know? Thanks!


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

little bit larger than typical 6x9s and price is per driver

http://www.parts-express.com/tang-band-w69-1042j-6x9-subwoofer--264-837


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

tyroneshoes said:


> little bit larger than typical 6x9s and price is per driver
> 
> Tang Band W69-1042J 6"x9" Subwoofer


Thanks for the post. I noticed that those are an 8 ohm driver, so with 2 of them, it would be a 4 ohm load. The amp I've got available is rated at 200 watts at 4 ohms, but to be honest, I don't believe it for a second, I think it's over rated. Between that and the 87 dB efficiency, is she going to have a hard time running those?


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## Hillbilly SQ (Jan 26, 2007)

tyroneshoes said:


> little bit larger than typical 6x9s and price is per driver
> 
> Tang Band W69-1042J 6"x9" Subwoofer


That's not a bad woofer at all as long as you don't expect too much. And expect to do some cutting to the existing oval hole to get them in there. I ran a pair in the back doors of my 09 Ram for a short time and they really sounded good for what they are. They did fall off a cliff at 40hz just like the plot in winisd said they would. When I put the stock radio back in I left them in the back doors for trade-in (wasn't worth messing with) and they flat out slammed on the factory deck.


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

I'll definitely be doing some cutting. There's no factory hole per se... it's a hatchback, and the plastic deck covers on the sides just have little plastic holes molded into them to act as a "grill", with the speaker screwed right into the cover - I'm just going to cut a hole right out of the covers, and mount speakers right into them.

I know that company has some 4 ohm 6x9 subs, do you think it would be worth going for those instead? (the amp is rated at 500w at 2 ohms - I still don't believe it, but it at least puts out substantially more power than at 4 ohms).

Edit: just to be clear, I'm not looking to shake the car - I just don't think the amplifier does anywhere near its rated power.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

Just cdt but theyre not really true sub woofers

ES-0690 GOLD - CDT Audio 6"x9" Extended Mid-Bass 2-Way Coaxial Speakers

tang band used to make neo 6x9 subs which would fit better but PE doesnt carry them. They pop up on ebay though

http://www.tb-speaker.com/detail/1230_04/w69-1436.htm


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

cadence too

Amazon.com : PAIR OF BRAND NEW CADENCE CVLW69 6x9" COMPETITION MID-BASS DRIVER SPEAKERS WITH 300 WATTS TOTAL RMS AND 600 WATTS PEAK, 2" VOICE COILS, DOUBLE STACKED 70 OZ MAGNETS, AND THE BEST SOUND QUALITY : Component Vehicle Speakers : Car Electroni


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## rxonmymind (Sep 7, 2010)

6x9's are pretty good actually. Prior to putting in the JL Audio 10TW3 shallow sub I had my 6x9's doing the heavy lifting for lower frequencies. Truth be told I could have been happy with just that. Only reason I got the JL was more out if curiosity & to fill in the 20-50hz frequency. Otherwise it's a GREAT option.


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

rxonmymind said:


> 6x9's are pretty good actually. Prior to putting in the JL Audio 10TW3 shallow sub I had my 6x9's doing the heavy lifting for lower frequencies. Truth be told I could have been happy with just that. Only reason I got the JL was more out if curiosity & to fill in the 20-50hz frequency. Otherwise it's a GREAT option.


When you say 6x9's, do you mean standard 6x9's, or a 6x9 subwoofer? I see some do claim to have a range down to 40 Hz - do they handle it well? Or would a 6x9 sub help fill that low end more so than a full range is going to?


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## XSIV SPL (Jun 24, 2014)

You know... There's always room for better audio...

I've never run a 6x9 woofer unless you count the Cerwin Vegas with the tipsy tweeter breaker back when I was 17 yrs or so of age.. 

There is a better answer, I'm sure.

In reality, there really is no such thing as a 6x9 subwoofer.


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## XSIV SPL (Jun 24, 2014)

rxonmymind said:


> 6x9's are pretty good actually. Prior to putting in the JL Audio 10TW3 shallow sub I had my 6x9's doing the heavy lifting for lower frequencies. Truth be told I could have been happy with just that. Only reason I got the JL was more out if curiosity & to fill in the 20-50hz frequency. Otherwise it's a GREAT option.


Exactly...

A 6x9 has a field of radiation which looks kinda like an "X"... If one were to graph it...

For some odd reason though, the 6x9 is more efficient in some areas...

However, I've never heard anyone claim that a 6x9 sounds superior to round components serving in the same capacity...


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## rxonmymind (Sep 7, 2010)

Maplicito said:


> When you say 6x9's, do you mean standard 6x9's, or a 6x9 subwoofer? I see some do claim to have a range down to 40 Hz - do they handle it well? Or would a 6x9 sub help fill that low end more so than a full range is going to?



I have a threw way stock Pioneer. Tweets in the pillar, mids in the dash and 6x9's down low in the doors that handled as "subs". Prior to fine tuning it this system was a solid C grade sound. The KEY to pulling it all together and having all the speakers work in concert was a dedicated Helix DSP. That alone bumped up the grade another notch to a solid B by "moving" the bass up on the dash. Remarkable how they did that. So while it wasn't a true bass sub more of a mid bass it displayed fantastic sound(music dependent of course). 
So while your hunting for a 6x9 sub DO consider a DSP that can be had on this forum for less than retail. It'll make a HUGE difference in tour install. 
As for 6x9's handling down to 40hz, man that's asking a lot so depends on the install. Sealed well or ported perfectly, your preference, and serious clean power to each. It can be done.Get a DSP it'll ultimately give you more flexibility to tune it. No they can't run on head unit power alone unless you want anaemic sound. Get creative with the install. Can the amp fit under the seat?


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## XSIV SPL (Jun 24, 2014)

rxonmymind said:


> I have a threw way stock Pioneer. Tweets in the pillar, mids in the dash and 6x9's down low in the doors that handled as "subs". Prior to fine tuning it this system was a solid C grade sound. The KEY to pulling it all together and having all the speakers work in concert was a dedicated Helix DSP. That alone bumped up the grade another notch to a solid B by "moving" the bass up on the dash. Remarkable how they did that. So while it wasn't a true bass sub more of a mid bass it displayed fantastic sound(music dependent of course).
> So while your hunting for a 6x9 sub DO consider a DSP that can be had on this forum for less than retail. It'll make a HUGE difference in tour install.
> As for 6x9's handling down to 40hz, man that's asking a lot so depends on the install. Sealed well or ported perfectly, your preference, and serious clean power to each. It can be done.Get a DSP it'll ultimately give you more flexibility to tune it. No they can't run on head unit power alone unless you want anaemic sound. Get creative with the install. Can the amp fit under the seat?


I'm still trying to absorb all of this... I'm sure it's good advice to someone, hopefully, but to whom, I'm still undecided...


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## DLO13 (Oct 24, 2010)

XSIV SPL said:


> I'm still trying to absorb all of this... I'm sure it's good advice to some, but to whom, I'm still undecided...


LOL. all of his posts need translation. makes me giggle.... and then scratch my head.


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## XSIV SPL (Jun 24, 2014)

DLO,

I was attempting to be politically correct here... 

You're just trying to stir the pot, aren't you?


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## DLO13 (Oct 24, 2010)

XSIV SPL said:


> DLO,
> 
> I was attempting to be politically correct here...
> 
> You're just trying to stir the pot, aren't you?


this...
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/2256462-post12.html


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## XSIV SPL (Jun 24, 2014)

DLO13 said:


> this...
> http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/2256462-post12.html


Sorry Daniel, I tried that link something like 10 times, but it still made no sense at all to me... I finally concluded that my browser is working OK, and that the content of the forum was at issue...

I guess we all have a few drunk posts, don't we?

But, I can't figure this one for the life of me...


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

XSIV SPL said:


> You know... There's always room for better audio...
> 
> I've never run a 6x9 woofer unless you count the Cerwin Vegas with the tipsy tweeter breaker back when I was 17 yrs or so of age..
> 
> ...


I'm looking at a 6x9 right now that has a frequency response of 35 to 350 Hz. The 10 inch subwoofer I put in my dad's car has a range of 30 to 500 Hz.

Wouldn't that 6x9 indeed be a subwoofer? Am I missing something?


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## XSIV SPL (Jun 24, 2014)

Maplicito said:


> I'm looking at a 6x9 right now that has a frequency response of 35 to 350 Hz. The 10 inch subwoofer I put in my dad's car has a range of 30 to 500 Hz.
> 
> Wouldn't that 6x9 indeed be a subwoofer? Am I missing something?


Yes, you are missing not only "something", but a great many things... It's midnight here though, and I could write until 3AM about this... Maybe another time...


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

XSIV SPL said:


> Yes, you are missing not only "something", but a great many things... It's midnight here though, and I could write until 3AM about this... Maybe another time...


Whatever. That's the range I'm looking to fill, and I don't really care what you choose to call it. Have a good night.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

one of the problems with the 6X9 form factor is it's ubiquitous nature, you find it in factory mounting locations and these places are almost always used to carry midrange frequencies as well, so developing a 6X9 format, true subwoofer option is not too high on the list of profitable items for manufacturers...

but I believe that if one were to produce a long-throw, high output oval, it would usually take the motor of a big 8" sub, like imagine the TC Sounds Epic 10" motor bolted to a 6X9" chassis. Now hang those off of the rear decks of most trunks, and without bracing, you may have an issue there since most cars have a weight limit to put on the rear deck.

If you take the time to brace and support the deck you'd have the effort and time involved to put in an adapter plate and fire 10" subs into the 6X9 openings.

If you haven't installed a pair of common 6X9's into a rear deck IB situation yet, you wouldn't know that with cabin gain you will get some really nice filled out sound that does drop below 40 hz, even with middle-tier equipment.

It won't wang and you won't impress the people down the street but if you are just concerned that you need special, "subwoofer status" ovals to cover all the bass frequencies, don't be too concerned. And don't pay much attention to sensitivity specs, as the test frequencies for those are different from sub to full range, and a high sensitivity coax will not necessarily play louder than a sub with lower rated sensitivity, in the bass range.


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## captainscarlett (Mar 15, 2011)

http://www.addictive-audio.com/products/nfw69/









But i would suggest; there are plenty of good 6.5" subs!


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

cajunner said:


> one of the problems with the 6X9 form factor is it's ubiquitous nature, you find it in factory mounting locations and these places are almost always used to carry midrange frequencies as well, so developing a 6X9 format, true subwoofer option is not too high on the list of profitable items for manufacturers...
> 
> but I believe that if one were to produce a long-throw, high output oval, it would usually take the motor of a big 8" sub, like imagine the TC Sounds Epic 10" motor bolted to a 6X9" chassis. Now hang those off of the rear decks of most trunks, and without bracing, you may have an issue there since most cars have a weight limit to put on the rear deck.
> 
> ...


Thanks for taking the time to explain that. The area I'm looking to install in actually uses a 5" speaker, so I'll definitely be doing some modifying. It's mostly a question of what I can make fit - I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, other than to say that it's a hatchback, so it's not a true deck all the way across the back, there is a light piece in the middle that lifts with the hatch, and 2 sections of deck, one on either side of the hatch. I'll have to take a look, but I'm pretty sure that I couldn't squeeze 10's in there.

I'll try not to worry too much about sensitivity ratings - I'm just a little leery after having had to use this amplifier in the past. I've had to turn the gain up all the way to get anything respectable out of it (no clipping) - that's been the case in 2 different cars, each of which have had other amps in that do not require full gain - and figured a higher sensitivity speaker would ease that.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

gain is usually a range of acceptable input voltage levels, and should not affect final amplifier output totals. Where the gain is set, will change from amp to amp and the speaker sensitivity is something else to consider. As long as the gain *can* be set to achieve maximum output from the amp it doesn't matter where it's relative position is from min to max settings.

if you don't have nearly complete isolation from the speaker cone's front and back waves, it will affect your bass response, in a negative way since any interaction effectively "cancels out" the energy.

if you have 5 inch speaker openings in a hatchback I would suggest using those for midrange and surround duty and putting a real sub enclosure in place if you want to hear some of the lower tones in your music.


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

cajunner said:


> gain is usually a range of acceptable input voltage levels, and should not affect final amplifier output totals. Where the gain is set, will change from amp to amp and the speaker sensitivity is something else to consider. As long as the gain *can* be set to achieve maximum output from the amp it doesn't matter where it's relative position is from min to max settings.
> 
> if you don't have nearly complete isolation from the speaker cone's front and back waves, it will affect your bass response, in a negative way since any interaction effectively "cancels out" the energy.
> 
> if you have 5 inch speaker openings in a hatchback I would suggest using those for midrange and surround duty and putting a real sub enclosure in place if you want to hear some of the lower tones in your music.


Yeah, the amp... isn't great, but it's there to use for free, so I'll make due with it.

If it were my car, I'd absolutely use a real enclosure - I've already got a pair of JBL 12's in my car. For my sister however, the space in the hatch is far too important for her, so this is more of a compromise project.

The factory space for speakers is for 5's, but I'm pretty sure I can make a 6x9 fit, and it will have proper isolation between speaker's front and back waves. The two sides are in effect, two separate, isolated enclosures, with no free air moving between them and the actual hatch area itself.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

Maplicito said:


> Thanks for taking the time to explain that. The area I'm looking to install in actually uses a 5" speaker, so I'll definitely be doing some modifying. It's mostly a question of what I can make fit - I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, other than to say that it's a hatchback, so it's not a true deck all the way across the back, there is a light piece in the middle that lifts with the hatch, and 2 sections of deck, one on either side of the hatch. I'll have to take a look, but I'm pretty sure that I couldn't squeeze 10's in there.
> 
> I'll try not to worry too much about sensitivity ratings - I'm just a little leery after having had to use this amplifier in the past. I've had to turn the gain up all the way to get anything respectable out of it (no clipping) - that's been the case in 2 different cars, each of which have had other amps in that do not require full gain - and figured a higher sensitivity speaker would ease that.


consider these

Tang Band W5-1138SM 5-1/4" Neodymium Subwoofer

or 6.5 subs. Many more options that are true subwoofers.


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

tyroneshoes said:


> consider these
> 
> Tang Band W5-1138SM 5-1/4" Neodymium Subwoofer
> 
> or 6.5 subs. Many more options that are true subwoofers.


I take it then that a 5 or 6.5" sub is preferable to a 6x9? If that's the case, I can definitely start looking that direction instead.


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## Jroo (May 24, 2006)

Ive never heard them, but I know several people swear by the Image Dynamics 6 x 9 midbass. Ive heard that it is listed as a midbass but plays like a sub. By memory, I thought they were pricey.


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

Maplicito said:


> I take it then that a 5 or 6.5" sub is preferable to a 6x9? If that's the case, I can definitely start looking that direction instead.


no, not preferable.

a 6X9 will have swept volume displacement closer to an 8" woofer, which is what is important in getting bass.

if you aren't looking to bang and just want to fill out the lows while maintaining your stock look, or compromised on space, you absolutely can put in some 5" long-throw woofers that will produce sub 40 hz in-car, at low levels.

but you would get a lot further if you decided to do a small custom enclosure in a corner, using a 10" driver.

also, don't forget to treat the 5" factory holes well, damping resonances in the metal panels with CLD, or constrained layer damping, (dynamat)


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

also, what car is this?


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

The IDs cant play below 60 hz. Theyre similar to pro midrange/midbass drivers.

Best bet is the tang bands in a 6x9. Basically you want to look for a low fs and good xmax and not a full range driver like 40-2500k. Should be looking for something like 30-350hz

More cone area te better and 6x9 is close to an 8" so no issues with oval subs. The TB's are KEF replacements and KEF's sub bass is excellent.

You have numerous 6.5" and 8" sub, and a few 6x9s to choose from. If its a rear deck install, there a pics of those installed on PE's reviews for the 6x9 subs.


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

Thanks for all the info guys. To answer Cajunner, the car is a 2005 Hyundai Accent. I'm definitely going to be doing some cutting unless I put a 5" in, but the cutting shouldn't be a problem.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

Youll be cutting and vibrating a whole lot if you install subs in stock speaker locations. Make sure you go heavy on the deadening and baffles

In the Accent, Id just mount a IB sub to the rear deck. a 10 or 12 will give you what you want and no trunk space.

But its your choice


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

If I am not mistaken, this is what the hatch area looks like...









And this is what you are wanting to do, except with subwoofers, rather than coaxials?









As tyroneshoes mentioned, you'll definitely want to beef up the panel you are mounting to. An MDF baffle, CLD, etc. could go a long way. 

Judging by those images, I would guess that you do need wither a 6x9 subwoofer, or a 6.5"-7" round subwoofer. I'm not sure you could get 8s to work. Those Tang Bands as well as the Addictive Audio NFW69s (couldn't find specs) could work. 

You can also look at one of the following for the round options (most aren't actually subwoofers)...
Tangband W6-1139SI
SB Acoustics SB17___
Seas Prestige CA18RLY/RNX or ER18RNX


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

tyroneshoes said:


> Youll be cutting and vibrating a whole lot if you install subs in stock speaker locations. Make sure you go heavy on the deadening and baffles
> 
> In the Accent, Id just mount a IB sub to the rear deck. a 10 or 12 will give you what you want and no trunk space.
> 
> But its your choice


I was wondering about this. The rear deck isn't very heavy material - I'll have to look at it, and see if it's strong enough. If not, I could probably cut out some MDF, and modify it to make it work like the rear deck, and swing up with the hatch when it opens up. I'd have to run it by my sister of course, with it being her car. That would likely sound okay though?

Rton, yes, that's basically what I have to work with.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

Maplicito said:


> I was wondering about this. The rear deck isn't very heavy material - I'll have to look at it, and see if it's strong enough. If not, I could probably cut out some MDF, and modify it to make it work like the rear deck, and swing up with the hatch when it opens up. I'd have to run it by my sister of course, with it being her car. That would likely sound okay though?
> 
> Rton, yes, that's basically what I have to work with.


I have seen people turn VW GTO's into very nice sounding 12" IB setups by tracing the shape of the hatch lid, using mdf or birch and modifying the lid and reinforcing hooks/supports to work like the stock and was able to install hinges so it still opens like stock and maintain a nice seal. 

But that trunk looks like its dying to try the 6x9s or small subs first in those locations. Could hide a sealed enclosure in there even.

Two of these may be a nice choice

Tang Band W6-1139SI 6-1/2" Subwoofer

nice excursion, true subs. Two of those in the shown locations may be the way to go


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

I dont mean to post jack, But I have some rare NOS Macrom 6x9 woofers from an old comp set that would be perfect and look nice because of the snap in grill.


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

Thanks again for the responses. I think I've got enough of an idea now to present some options to my sister. Then I can research the cost of getting those options here (to Canada).

You guys have been a lot of help. And those are definitely some nice looking 6x9's.


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## jb4674 (Jan 29, 2015)

Before you start going down that path, go look at JL's 6.5" subs. It might be a lot easier to get a speaker adapter that allows you to mount a 6.5" sub instead of looking for a 6x9, which may not give you enough thump to begin with.

6W3v3-4 - Car Audio - Subwoofer Drivers - W3v3 - JL Audio


And here's the plate that will allow you to do this:

http://www.autotoys.com/x/product.php?productid=5529


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

I would go with the less expensive Tang Band that tyroneshoes and I recommended over the more expensive JL. Lower Fs + more Xmax at 2/3s the cost.


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

The Tang Bands are the ones I'm looking at right now. Fs is an indicator of how well a speaker will do at low frequencies, ie a lower Fs means that it will sound good to lower frequencies? And Xmax is how far the woofer can travel, and as a result, is directly related to how much sound it can produce?

Am I understanding correctly? I found a Dayton Audio sub that looks otherwise comparable to one of the Tang Bands, but has roughly half the Xmax, so I assume it can't put out the same kind of sound levels.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

Typically, yes. Fs gives you a general indication of how well a driver will perform on the bottom end. Other parameters need to be taken into account as well. 

In terms of output, a combination of Xmax and Sd (cone area) determine the potential output of a driver. The enclosure they are placed in can make a significant difference as well.


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

Thanks, that helps - that takes the Dayton Audio sub off my list. I just wish I had some good options here in Canada to save me some money, but I think I'll be encouraging my sister to go with the Tang Band option.

It's kind of fun having brands in the car that other people haven't heard of anyway, especially if they can still put out some respectable sound.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

I'm not sure if you'll be able to save money, but Solen has them in Canada. 

https://www.solen.ca/pub/index.php?catalog=description&nodiapo&id=2206&recherche=&numRows=&manufacturiers=47&niveau1=&niveau2=&niveau3=&s1=2&s2=&s3=&s4=


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

I don't know how you found those, I googled like crazy for stuff in Canada! I'll have to check and see what shipping from Parts Express is like to compare.

Off the wall question. I'm assuming that an amp rated at 2 and 4 ohms should be perfectly safe running an 8 ohm load, it will just do so with less power?

I'm wondering about the possibility of running one of those subs for awhile if they do end up costing in the $150 CDN range, and adding another later.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

Another option I would strongly consider is a pair of these Wavecores. They are available as 4 or 8 Ohm. You could run a pair of the 8 Ohms parallel on your 2 channel amp bridged to 4 Ohms. They're a bit more efficient than the TangBands, but the TangBands can handle more power and get louder. The Wavecore's would have the advantage with the limited power on your amp (They only need about 50w to hit Xmax in a 1/4 cf enclosure. 

https://www.solen.ca/pub/index.php?catalog=description&nodiapo&id=2525&recherche=&numRows=&manufacturiers=&niveau1=1&niveau2=1&niveau3=7&s1=2&s2=1&s3=2&s4=

Or, to save money, get a pair of the 4 Ohm Wavecores and run one off of each channel. It might be easier this way anyway due to the driver locations. 

https://www.solen.ca/pub/index.php?catalog=description&nodiapo&id=2524&recherche=&numRows=&manufacturiers=&niveau1=1&niveau2=1&niveau3=7&s1=2&s2=1&s3=2&s4=


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

The amp I have available is actually a single channel, and can go down to 2 ohms. In theory, it's plenty powerful, but I've had issues with it. It seems to be passable (but not as powerful as advertised) at 2 ohms (matched with a 5v deck), but has difficulties at 4 ohms at least when matched with a 1.5v deck.

I would think that it was the install, but the issues have been there in more than one car, each of which has done fine with other amps. I guess technically, it's probably not even that it's not powerful enough, but that the gain can't be set to be sensitive enough, regardless of what the claimed specs would indicate.

I think I'll do okay with it, it's just not ideal.


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## stills (Apr 13, 2008)

You'd mentioned having to cut.
I'd really think about 6.5 - 8" subs. A lot more options available.


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

Which amp do you have exactly? 

If it is mono, capable of a 2 Ohm load, then I would pick up two SVC 4 Ohm drivers and wire them parallel. Either the Wavecors or the TangBands, whichever could be had for less. I might give the nod to the Wavecors if it is close, only due to the higher efficiency. With more power on tap, I would go for the TangBands.


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## Maplicito (Nov 5, 2014)

rton20s said:


> Which amp do you have exactly?
> 
> If it is mono, capable of a 2 Ohm load, then I would pick up two SVC 4 Ohm drivers and wire them parallel. Either the Wavecors or the TangBands, whichever could be had for less. I might give the nod to the Wavecors if it is close, only due to the higher efficiency. With more power on tap, I would go for the TangBands.


I believe it's an MB Quart FX 1.500 - it got picked up for $98 a few months ago. It's supposed to be rated at 250w at 4 ohms (although I think the manual disagreed with online specs, and said 200), and 500w at 2 ohms.

I'm not worried about it if I can run a pair of speakers in parallel to get 2 ohms, even if it's got problems with the gain sensitivity being dialed up far enough, that's a lot of extra power. But if I had a pair of 8 ohm speakers and was trying to run them at 4 ohms, I would have my doubts about its output. I last had it connected to a Hertz Dieci loaded sub (89 dB sensitivity, 150w RMS sub) and had a lot of trouble getting anything out of it.

On the other hand, when hooked up to a JL 10WXv2 Bass Wedge (dual 10WXv2, wired in parallel to 2 ohms, each driver is a 200w RMS, 86 dB sensitivity driver), I still had to set the gain much higher than I feel I should have had to - virtually all the way - but it runs fine.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

that will power them fine


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

you could clamshell the two JL low-powers, into a silly small fiberglass enclosure on one side in the little pocket there.

would get deep, drive hard and fit your install with the amp you have without buying another driver.

of course, you'd have to make a blue tape mold and use up a good 50 bucks in fiberglass to shell it out but then you'd have something.

and push comes to shove, you take out the clamshell 10's and put in a single sealed 8" like a Sundown super stroke special.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

I think if hes going to do fiberglass, might as well fit a 10 or at least an 8


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## cajunner (Apr 13, 2007)

tyroneshoes said:


> I think if hes going to do fiberglass, might as well fit a 10 or at least an 8


well, he has the two JL 10WX subs, already in a big box.

if he takes those out and puts them in a clamshell, he can reduce his box volume by half of recommended, which will fit into a small cubby like those in the far corners of his intended vehicle.

The clamshell 10's, will fit into the same volume specs as a nice 8", like a Sundown SA or E or whatever.

about .4 cubes, sealed which would be just big enough to basically go around the 10" basket and a little wiggle room.

It would be a useful project, and if the space can't be given up, sold for the cost of materials to someone who needs a little cubby hole sub box.


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