Ok it sounds like you have done a good bit of searching so far, have you got a modelling program to simulate woofers in boxers to aid you in your decision?

You seem to have an advantage over some people on the forum as you have actually heard the subs you are interested in, which is way better than buying one and hoping for the best!

With 1000w on tap, I'd be leaning you towards a sub from Exodus Audio, either a 12" Shiva X2 or a 15" Tempest. I haven't heard either but I have heard other XBL^2 enabled woofers and they are capable of high excursion and low distortion and are just great performers, as far as I've heard..

While you were auditioning those subs, with regards to the muddiness of the sound etc, did you listen to them in their optimum enclosures?? This can make a LARGE difference to how a sub (or any speaker) can sound.

 

thanks for the reply, as far as the enclosure, yes im sure they are for the ones ive listened were cars that join comps... the sundown even on an full active 4way SQ competition car... that the midbass was crossed very low, then the sub to really cover all bottom octaves it think to about 15hz or below, forgot the reading they had before on it. hahaha...

i dont have any modeling program though but my friends have it...

so for you personally, the shivas would be a better option? prob that i have with it is i wont have the support i need for im out of the US...

 

Well personally (seeing as speaker selection is quite a personal preference thing) I am going to buy a Shiva for my car sub soon. They have the XBL^2 motor which I have heard in a 8" midbass/sub and enjoyed a lot, although I know that not everyone loves that kind of motor design.

My brother has an IDMAX and while it is a solid hard hitting, loud sub that can get pretty low for an out of the box sealed setup, it left a little to be desired for me, with a lack of any shorting rings and I think when modelled actually need a huge box for a QTC of 0.707, but are recommended for a much smaller one as per the instructions.
The IDMAX seems to have a bit of trouble blending as much compared to some other subs, but that could easily be my brothers' install more than anything, not sure..

Out of your choices, I would probably go with the Fi Q, having never heard it though is a disadvantage, but it seems like a great SQ choice with good output.

I can't vouch for the Sundown as I've never really had anything to do with them, although I'm sure someone else would be able to give you an idea of how that would compare to the others you have listed.

 

I dunno if anybody is going to be able to tell you anything you don't already know.

Sounds like you have a good idea of what you want, but haven't quite heard it for yourself yet. Given your comments so far and the amp you have to run it, maybe a 12" FiQ instead of a 15" would be the right choice for you, but you're probably better off to keep auditioning whatever options you can listen to until you hear the right thing.

 

Thanks guys...

@ tornaido_3927 - yup thats the thing im a little concerned about, maybe due to the dryness the ID's have, it may be accurate but not as fun as the others, it may left me wanting something more still...

@ Chaos - thanks, well this is more of a question of which tuning would be more applicable as stated above rather than which sub is better... thats where im really confused... hehehe... and yup, i might go with 12"s rather 15"s... unless i check out the 15" GTi... hahaha....

 

Ric,

What type of processing do you have at your disposal & what are you using for midbass?

 

ill be getting the pio p99rs for the HU and processing, Mb might be a brand not avail in the US, its Dominations...

 

ID, Fi, Sundown all make generic subwoofers with parabolic BL curves that produce nonlinear distortion. While some people like it, I cannot recommend these brands for SQ.

If you want SQ, you should look at stuff more like Exodus Audio, Acoustic Elegance, Creative Sound Solutions, TC Sounds LMS, Stereo Integrity, Dayton Reference Series, etc. These are all low distortion subwoofers with excellent sound quality.

I do not know much about Ascendant Audio these days but I know that in the past, when Chad ran it, they had their own technology that competed with XBL^2 to linearize the BL curve. If they still use that technology (or if they use XBL^2), then they are probably also good for sound quality.

 

so with my options above, you would go for an SQ sub and tune it to have the weight the other subs have rather that getting a loud and cable sub and tune it to be like a real SQ sub?

 

I would go with one of the options that I listed, personally. Actually, that's what I intend to do, myself - an Exodus Audio Shiva-X2. It has better SQ than most subwoofers, and will sound good, but it may not quite be up to some of the expensive Focal/ScanSpeak/etc. subwoofers - though it'll displace as much as 3-4 of those...

 

thanks for the inputs guys, im just abit hesitant on the brands you mentioned for im not in the US, it might be high for me as for the tax duties ill be paying to have it shipped hit, plus, CS would not be at par as compared to somebody in the US...

as much as i can, i would like to get something available here...

BTW: would a JBL GTImkII be part of your list of " low distortion subwoofers with excellent sound quality."?

 

A lot of people do say it has good sound quality, but from the tests on here, I'd call it nothing special. It should be a decent but not great subwoofer. I would take it over many, but not over what I listed. If it's much more available to you then it's not a bad sub to run.

 

thanks dragonrage, BTW: if you were to focus on my 2 options above (regarding tuning-first post), which route would you take?