car audio problems

[razmatazz]

ok so i am a self taught car audio guru but i have a question about something that is bothering me. i have a 1400wat 15in boss sub woofer with a 1000wat volfenhag amp. but i just installed some 10in pioneer subs and a 500wat kicker amp in a friends car. for some reason i get the feeling that my sub and amp are nor firing with full potential cause the bass doesnt hit hard and my friends pioneer set up is sooo much louder than mine. so my question is, is there any way that a car stereo or amp wire could influence the sound of my subs. cause ive heard this sub befor and it thumps hard core. my stereo is kind of a cheap one and i got a 750wat amp wire set up so if u could get back to me or know of any thing i am missing that would be great.

[Ilovemybonnie]

yes your gunna need thicker wire the wire means alot. i also had 750watt wires for my two 12's and they where not hitting s hard as i herd them either i then hooked up just 1 speaker and it sounded like both of them hooked up and was not turned up so i got thicker wire. but 750 watts is not enuff to push what your trying to here.

[Bugsi]

I have a 1400 watt 15in Boss subwoofer with a 1000 watt Volfenhag amp. [...] the bass doesn't hit hard and my friend's Pioneer set up is so much louder than mine.

I spent a bit of time researching your brands of components, which I was not previously familiar with.

Both are made in China, and are generally inexpensive. Both prominently slap really big numbers on their products that don't mean anything.

Let me be blunt: Your subwoofer claiming 1400 watts would go up in flames if you put 1400 watts of electric power through it. Neither is it possible to get 1000 watts of electric power out of your amplifier.

If the numbers your components are spouting are anything like the other Boss and Volfenhag products I looked at, your amplifier is actually rated around 100 watts RMS into 4 ohms, and your sub is rated to handle around 350 watts. If either of these numbers is anywhere close to being accurate -which is, frankly, debatable, your amplifier is comparatively small, and woefully underpowered for driving your sub.

Could you possibly provide what model number sub and amp you have, as it isn't really clear exactly what products you have. Also, out of curiosity, what did you pay for these products? Price can often be an indicator of what a product is really made of, and there is at least some truth to the old saying "you get what you pay for". I suspect neither of your components was particularly expensive, and that the products you bought are pretty typical for products in their price range. I've seen it happen over and over again, where people buy a product at a good price because it has big numbers on it, but the reality is often that spending a little bit more for really good products with names you'd recognize would have been the better buy.

In a previous career I was a technician at a Pioneer master service center, and while Pioneer does produce some low-end junk, they also make some very decent performing products. To this day they are my preferred choice for aftermarket head unit. My guess is that your friend simply has better components that outperform yours. I don't intend to sound mean or rude to you, it just looks like both Boss Audio and Volfenhag wouldn't be components I'd look twice at.

Also, for the previous two posts, please TRY to spell words out, like "you are" instead of "u r" and try to begin sentences with a capital letter, and use proper punctuation. It is a policy on these forums that we ask everyone to make an effort to follow. Most of us are not living in the hood and don't stay current on the latest gangsta-rap. Thanks in advance, we really do appreciate it.

[razmatazz]

Well first and fore most. Iam not a ganster and i dont live in "da hood". I didnt realize abbreviating words for convince made me a poor gangster thanks.

But out of respect. I will thank you for your knowledge and you help.

[01bonneSC]

First off, its just proper grammar, etc, and helps us help you.

What kind of box is your sub in?

10in subs will hit harder/quicker than a big ol 15in, they need a lot of power to move. Do you have a capacitor in your set up as well?

What type of music do you listen to?

[Bugsi]

Full disclosure: My comments about the hood and gangsta rap were actually thinly-disguised sarcasm. I just as easily could have given you the official link to our static page requesting forum members to make an effort to use proper grammar, spelling, and so on, but in the spirit of levity I chose to make a lighthearted sarcastic joke instead.

Since that obviously didn't work, here you go:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14

[BFF_Larry]

Look up the specs of your sub and amp.
Find reviews from SMD or any other good audio website tht has info on ur setup.

Wire size does count for a lot but make sure u kno ur amps true rms rating. Not peak.

You could try a capacitor but I doubt you will really need one.

You could also, instead of spending a lot more on bigger wire like 0 gauge, make two runs of the same wire. And make sure you have a nice ground and pretty good size wire.

Ported or sealed enclosures do make a difference. And so does volume of box.

Oh and try to complete the "big 3".

[Bugsi]

make sure u kno ur amps true rms rating. [snip] Oh and try to complete the "big 3".

One more time (with feeling): viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14

In this particular case, I don't think upgrading "the big 3" is going to help.
(Definition: the "big three" upgrade means improving the current capacity of three cables: 1) alternator positive to battery positive, 2) battery negative to chassis, and 3) engine ground to chassis. Some people replace the factory wiring; others add additional cables to the factory wiring.)

If his amp is only pushing 100 watts to the load, it will only be pushing around 8 amps of current out, and allowing for gross inefficiency may draw perhaps twice that from the vehicle's electrical system. A 10-gauge cable would be suitable for carrying up to 20 amperes, and his OEM "big three" already vastly exceeds 10 gauge.

Intending no discredit to upgrading the current-carrying capacity in a vehicle when called for, this particular case is one that will never see the types of current that upgrading the "big three" is intended to support. In this case, better components will make a difference, upgrading the "big three" will not.

Since the OP has not provided any of the information I asked for, I have this advice for "what to do now", if the goal is to improve the sound of this system on a budget:

For the least expensive improvement, I'd say replace the amplifier with something better. Look for something in the 300 to 500 watt RMS range into whatever the actual load rating is of the sub (which remains unknown at this time). From the description of the components, the present amplifier is rated for around one-third the probable rating of the sub. A better amplifier that can provide more voltage gain and current-pushing capability will be able to extract the most of whatever the sub has to offer. On the other hand, I don't know how this sub performs compared to anything else. Researching reviews of products before buying can be worthwhile. Products and brands that consistently have no reviews is a warning sign to stay away. If amplification alone does not provide reasonable improvement, I'd recommend replacing both amp and sub, and auditioning amp+sub combos before buying, to eliminate later disappointment.

[BonneMe]

It's comes down to poor equipment, not wiring or setup.

Comparing 2 10's to a 15 doesn't mean anything. Different models behave differently, etc. The trick to car audio is getting a system that is designed to work a certain way. You need complimentary components, get the sub/enclosure you want, then match an amp to it, and then get wiring that your amp needs.

[BFF_Larry]

A good enclosure plays a big part too

[redzmonte]

1: If your power/ground is too small it will not push as hard as its supposed to.. 4gauge min. (mine got noticably louder when i went from 8g to 4g.... not so much when i went to 2g. the 8g was starving the amps for power)
2: EQ and Gain settings on AMP and or Deck need adjusted properly
3: Sub box is too small or big or needs to be sealed or ported (each sub is different, check manuf. specks) (my friends 1 12" dominates my 2 12's because he has a HUGE vented box)
4: the sub is just not as loud... Some subs just hit harder then others....

Hope this helps