# Sundown - 4 8's or 2 10's ?



## Bowfisher1 (Apr 6, 2013)

Which do y'all think would be louder two SD-2 10's or four 8's? Which would have more SQ?

The 10's will be in a two chamber sealed box and will have about 0.8 cubic feet per chamber and the 8's could be put in that box or under my seat in a seald box with one common chamber with about 1 cubic foot.


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

*Re: Sundown SD-2 8s Testers ?*



Bowfisher1 said:


> Which do y'all think would be louder two SD-2 10's or* four 8's? Which would have more SQ?*
> 
> The 10's will be in a two chamber sealed box and will have about 0.8 cubic feet per chamber and the 8's could be put in that box or under my seat in a seald box with one common chamber with about 1 cubic foot.


The more hands the lighter the load per hand 

Each driver will handle 1/4 of the total.


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## Bowfisher1 (Apr 6, 2013)

*Re: Sundown SD-2 8s Testers ?*



Oliver said:


> The more hands the lighter the load per hand
> 
> Each driver will handle 1/4 of the total.



Please explain that to me.  I've been working all day and can't think straight right now.


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## neo_styles (Oct 18, 2012)

Bowfisher1 said:


> Please explain that to me.  I've been working all day and can't think straight right now.


To elaborate on what he was saying, you end up with a more efficient system using 4 8s vs 2 10s since it's easier to distribute the same power amongst 4 drivers vs 2. The 8s will also have a greater combined cone area which results in the ability to move more air given the same amount of power. End result? Moar bass.


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## Bowfisher1 (Apr 6, 2013)

*Re: Sundown SD-2 8s Testers ?*



neo_styles said:


> Why would you be doing that if the 10s are rated for 500RMS and the 8s for 300? A pair of 10s at rating = 1k and four 8s at rating = 1.2k. A 200W difference is marginal (and dare I say inaudible). That's why I mentioned the differences on eqivalent power. Asking which one has better SQ shows little to no understanding of the actual sub's design. They both feature the same construction characteristics and the only difference you'll probably perceive is the ability for the 10s to dig into lower frequencies (due to the lower Fs).


I am VERY new to car audio and I do have very little understanding of te subs design. And I will be putting more power to them because every were I read says to put more watts then the RMS to the subs after they break in good.


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## neo_styles (Oct 18, 2012)

Bowfisher1 said:


> I am VERY new to car audio and I do have very little understanding of te subs design. And I will be putting more power to them because every were I read says to put more watts then the RMS to the subs after they break in good.


Seems like a gross generalization to me. Some subs will literally **** themselves if you end up giving them more than rated power, but it really comes down to how each manufacturer rates their equipment (subs especially). Luckily, Sundown is pretty conservative in their ratings and I wouldn't be surprised if the SD-2s took twice their rated power (if not more). That being said, it's still not wise to give your subs more than rated since it can end up shortening their life-span. Ask some of these guys who still have subs that were bought new in the 80s and still function today how much power they ran through them.

Short version: if you're going to give subs more power, find out what subs will take the power you intend to give them. In the meantime, spend some time here and on other forums what some key differences are between certain elements of sub construction. Start learning why a sub that's underhung is a desired feature in SQ subs, but not necessarily for SPL applications.


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## Bowfisher1 (Apr 6, 2013)

*Re: Sundown SD-2 8s Testers ?*



neo_styles said:


> Seems like a gross generalization to me. Some subs will literally **** themselves if you end up giving them more than rated power, but it really comes down to how each manufacturer rates their equipment (subs especially). Luckily, Sundown is pretty conservative in their ratings and I wouldn't be surprised if the SD-2s took twice their rated power (if not more). That being said, it's still not wise to give your subs more than rated since it can end up shortening their life-span. Ask some of these guys who still have subs that were bought new in the 80s and still function today how much power they ran through them.
> 
> Short version: if you're going to give subs more power, find out what subs will take the power you intend to give them. In the meantime, spend some time here and on other forums what some key differences are between certain elements of sub construction. Start learning why a sub that's underhung is a desired feature in SQ subs, but not necessarily for SPL applications.



With that being said and you had say 1200 or 1300 hundred watts to give them which set up would you choose if you were trying to get good sound quality? I AM NOT GOING FOR SPL I AM TRYING TO GET GOOD SOUND QUALITY.


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## neo_styles (Oct 18, 2012)

Bowfisher1 said:


> With that being said and you had say 1200 or 1300 hundred watts to give them which set up would you choose if you were trying to get good sound quality? I AM NOT GOING FOR SPL I AM TRYING TO GET GOOD SOUND QUALITY.


Let me ask you some other questions first. What music do you primarily listen to? What is your personal definition of "good SQ?" The reason I ask this is because I've had people say they want a killer SQ system and then get frustrated that their recommendations allowed the slow, rolling bass to excel, but that kick bass snap wasn't there or it didn't do a double-kick bass with the kind of ferocity they expect. If I were buying for myself, personally, I'd do the 4 8s and benefit from the cone area advantage at the sacrifice of MAYBE not having the same kind of low end extension.


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## Bowfisher1 (Apr 6, 2013)

*Re: Sundown SD-2 8s Testers ?*



neo_styles said:


> Let me ask you some other questions first. What music do you primarily listen to? What is your personal definition of "good SQ?" The reason I ask this is because I've had people say they want a killer SQ system and then get frustrated that their recommendations allowed the slow, rolling bass to excel, but that kick bass snap wasn't there or it didn't do a double-kick bass with the kind of ferocity they expect. If I were buying for myself, personally, I'd do the 4 8s and benefit from the cone area advantage at the sacrifice of MAYBE not having the same kind of low end extension.



I really don't have a primary type of music I listen to it depends on either who's riding in my truck or the mood I am in a listen to pretty much every kind of music. I have been leaning toward the 8's too but can't decide what box to put them in.


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## neo_styles (Oct 18, 2012)

Bowfisher1 said:


> I really don't have a primary type of music I listen to it depends on either who's riding in my truck or the mood I am in a listen to pretty much every kind of music. I have been leaning toward the 8's too but can't decide what box to put them in.


The SD-2 series was designed to be run sealed. If you're considering ported, you need to look at the SA series or a different line of sub. What the SD-2 series does exceptionally well is perform incredibly well in a small sealed enclosure. A single 8 only needs a 0.25 cubic foot enclosure and a sub-5" mounting depth.


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## Bowfisher1 (Apr 6, 2013)

*Re: Sundown SD-2 8s Testers ?*

I know that I am not getting them in a ported box. I am gettin the SD-2 series sub. I was talking about should I put them in a box under my seat which will have one chamber and will have about 1 cubic foot or behind my seat which will have two chambers with about 0.8 cubic feet per chamber.


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## edzyy (Aug 18, 2011)

*Re: Sundown SD-2 8s Testers ?*



Bowfisher1 said:


> I am VERY new to car audio and I do have very little understanding of te subs design. And I will be putting more power to them because every were I read says to put more watts then the RMS to the subs after they break in good.


yeah, those same guys are also making topics later on about "recones". 

The sd's will perform with rated power.


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## Bowfisher1 (Apr 6, 2013)

*Re: Sundown SD-2 8s Testers ?*



edzyy said:


> yeah, those same guys are also making topics later on about "recones".
> 
> The sd's will perform with rated power.


Hahaha you could be very right! I was only planing on putting a little bit more than the RMS and only if I though they didn't sound loud enough.


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## schmiddr2 (Aug 10, 2009)

I moved these posts to give you a place to discuss your questions without derailing the Sundown thread.


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## Bowfisher1 (Apr 6, 2013)

Thank you! I'm starting to think that the two tens will be plenty.


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## neo_styles (Oct 18, 2012)

schmiddr2 said:


> I moved these posts to give you a place to discuss your questions without derailing the Sundown thread.


Thanks, sir. Sorry for getting carried away.


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## SaturnSL1 (Jun 27, 2011)

neo_styles said:


> Luckily, Sundown is pretty conservative in their ratings and I wouldn't be surprised if the SD-2s took twice their rated power (if not more).


Sundown really doesn't mess around. I'm running their lowest class 400 watt rated woofers on a clean 650 RMS and the coils look brand spankin' new after a month of beating the crap out of them.


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