old style elite 12d setup

[quickrip]

So I just recently bought an Elite sub from ebay and I can use a little help. I've been searching around and there are a lot of differing opinions on the amount of rms watts to feed this sub. I've read anywhere from 1200 to 3000 watts. I'd like some opinions from you guys with real world experience.
I've never had a sub before this one that is built for over 600 rms watts. I've always based my systems on more of a sound quality style rather than spl. I'm hoping to get a little more boom out of this setup. I have two diamond audio d5 1200.1 amps that are 1200w rms @ 1 ohm.
They are not strappable amps so I don't think I can use these to run this sub. ( at least not to its full potential) I have a few more amps arround but most are older a/b lower power amps. Diamond audio D7152 600w rms @ 4 ohm, diamond audio D5600.2 600w rms @ 4 ohm, and a phoenix gold m100 which needs no explanation here I'm sure.
I'd like to run it off an old school amp like ms2125 or similar but I don't think that will be enough for it. (But hey, If I knew I wouldn't be here asking now would I?) I'm open to recommendations and any info that may help me here. It would obviously be great to use my currently owned amplifiers but I don't want to slack off on needed power to make this sub slam.
Thanks fellas,
Ben

P.S. My new sub is missing the rubber that covers the mounting screw holes. If anyone has one lying around I'd love to work something out to make my elite 12d complete. Thanks

[quickrip]

Heres the sub: should've shipped today. I'm excited!!! Baddest sub that I've owned. sorry for the crappy ebay pics. i'll post my own soon

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[vwdude]

The rating I see is 4 ohms 1200 watts. There are a few a/b amps that can do that. The ppi pc2350 or the later vision PC21400.2 will give you that. If you want Pg, the ZPa0.5 is close to that at 4 ohms.

Most old school amps that gave you over 100 rms were "cheater amps" that required you to go down to 1 or 1/2 ohm loads. I would suggest orion but I'm not familiar with their amps and don't know which ones offer that much power at 4 ohms.

[quickrip]

Hey VW,
Yeah the factory recommended rms is 1200 but it seems widely accepted that it takes more than that to get this sub moving. Have you used the elite 12d? I'd like to hear from guys who have some different setups with it and what their best results were achieved with wattage wise.
There is a zpa .5 available in the buy sell forum right now I might have to snag up. This sub I believe is dual 4 so if I run the zpa at 2 ohm bridged supposedly there is a mod that can be done to keep the amp in high voltage rather than switching itself to high current. Maybe someone here can elaborate on that for me please. I'm hoping that might get me around the 1400-1500 watts needed for this beast. (Also still up for debate )
Thanks
Ben

[dvnt88]

Put at least 1400 - 1500wrms to it and you'll be surprised ..have ran several old-skool Elite12D set ups and running it at 2ohm load bridged of an old-skool TI1200.1 will net you around 1400wrms (just make sure ur electrical is beefed up ) and any other amp brand that puts out a "TRUE" rms rating ...not the hyped up ratings a lot of manufacturers use. I preferred running the sub sealed in a 1.6^3 enclosure and will rattle the hell outta ur teeth and sound like pure sex doin' it.

[quickrip]

Thanks dvnt,
That's exactly the kind of info I'm lookin for. I've always preferred sealed vs ported for my taste. The volume you gave will definitely help out when building the box later. I'm trying to buy the zpa 0.5 in the buy sell which should do near the same rms you are talking at 2 ohm with the mod.
I do still need a little info on how to perform that mod if someone familiar can give info on this.
Thanks again,
Ben

[dvnt88]

Glad I could help out bro ...anything ya need to know, just ask as I've been an old-skool TI Whore since the early 90's (Damn ...getting ' old sux ass ). Here's the manual from the PG Phorum site and should answer any questions you might have in the technical department.
As a side note on the box ...I would highly recommend using 1" mdf along with making the baffle at least 1.5" ...box needs to be bullet proof as I've seen these subs reduce enclosures to dust from the amount of air inside the box all cooped up using a shitty enclosure or sub standard box material ...just sayin'.

http://download.phoenixphorum.com/Manua ... ev8.02.pdf

[zeropoint0.5]

Hey VW,
Yeah the factory recommended rms is 1200 but it seems widely accepted that it takes more than that to get this sub moving. Have you used the elite 12d? I'd like to hear from guys who have some different setups with it and what their best results were achieved with wattage wise.
There is a zpa .5 available in the buy sell forum right now I might have to snag up. This sub I believe is dual 4 so if I run the zpa at 2 ohm bridged supposedly there is a mod that can be done to keep the amp in high voltage rather than switching itself to high current. Maybe someone here can elaborate on that for me please. I'm hoping that might get me around the 1400-1500 watts needed for this beast. (Also still up for debate )
Thanks
Ben

if you have a zpa0.5 in the future, just use it for speakers.....no amp sounds like this one do, especially in the mid and high frequencies.....

yes you can do the mod to lock this amp in the HV mode, but probably the ps fets (irfz44) will fail with the first voltage drop that comes.....

those fet's are good for 1000w rms, but 1500w rms will be to much for them...so you have to upgrade those fet's also.....

probably to pound hard on a sub, there are better choices then this amp........

in a timezone where class d didn't exist yet, a modded zpa0.5 was a beast.....but it needed a stout electrical sytem to give the currents it

needs......

today plenty of class D amps will be a better choice, even at a 2ohm load.....

[quickrip]

if you have a zpa0.5 in the future, just use it for speakers.....no amp sounds like this one do, especially in the mid and high frequencies.....

yes you can do the mod to lock this amp in the HV mode, but probably the ps fets (irfz44) will fail with the first voltage drop that comes.....

those fet's are good for 1000w rms, but 1500w rms will be to much for them...so you have to upgrade those fet's also.....

probably to pound hard on a sub, there are better choices then this amp........

in a timezone where class d didn't exist yet, a modded zpa0.5 was a beast.....but it needed a stout electrical sytem to give the currents it

needs......

today plenty of class D amps will be a better choice, even at a 2ohm load.....

To be totally honest half of what I loved about the idea of the zpa running it was the amp displayed so everyone could see it. I'm going to ditch my bench seat for two buckets and put the enclosure between the seats in my 86 gmc crew cab. I was thinking facing forward would be the amp and facing the rear would be the sub.
However I don't want to:
1) waste money
2) abuse my equipment
3) build this setup around the wrong amp and have it not work well

So is upgrading the fets out of the question? What's the part # of the fets used as an upgrade that will handle 1500 watts?
I can always go get a class d powerhouse. It just doesn't excite me like the cool old school setups.
Maybe the titanium 1200.1 is the right answer for me like dvnt88 suggested.
Thanks
Ben

[zeropoint0.5]

if you have a zpa0.5 in the future, just use it for speakers.....no amp sounds like this one do, especially in the mid and high frequencies.....

yes you can do the mod to lock this amp in the HV mode, but probably the ps fets (irfz44) will fail with the first voltage drop that comes.....

those fet's are good for 1000w rms, but 1500w rms will be to much for them...so you have to upgrade those fet's also.....

probably to pound hard on a sub, there are better choices then this amp........

in a timezone where class d didn't exist yet, a modded zpa0.5 was a beast.....but it needed a stout electrical sytem to give the currents it

needs......

today plenty of class D amps will be a better choice, even at a 2ohm load.....

To be totally honest half of what I loved about the idea of the zpa running it was the amp displayed so everyone could see it. I'm going to ditch my bench seat for two buckets and put the enclosure between the seats in my 86 gmc crew cab. I was thinking facing forward would be the amp and facing the rear would be the sub.
However I don't want to:
1) waste money
2) abuse my equipment
3) build this setup around the wrong amp and have it not work well

So is upgrading the fets out of the question? What's the part # of the fets used as an upgrade that will handle 1500 watts?
I can always go get a class d powerhouse. It just doesn't excite me like the cool old school setups.
Maybe the titanium 1200.1 is the right answer for me like dvnt88 suggested.
Thanks
Ben

if you can get you're hands on a good 1200.1 i would not hesitate.... it will give you 1400W rms at 2ohms also.....

you can upgrade the 16 irfz44 easily to a irfz48 to be safer on the ps supply of the zpa0.5....

for sure you can show off the zpa0.5, but use this amp for all the speakers.....

a combo of these 2 amps will do the trick............... but they will already pull current enough.....

[quickrip]

Well I received my "bad ass" new sub today

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Just my luck it's useless!!!
I guess I don't need an amp to run it. hahaha
Good thing cause oldschoolpgfan1 hasn't been responding to the buy/sell thread anyway.
I guess some thing are just not meant to be.
You know what sucks the worst is that supposedly it's never been used and just sat uninstalled since new.
DAMN IT!

[kg1961]

That sucks hope you get your money back

[trickyricky]

Must have been poorly packaged as well as dropped over a 10 foot fence. If i was to ship a heavy ass subwoofer am going to add a baffle to hold it in place as well as the magnet...and lots of cushion...

[quickrip]

The seller has already agreed to a refund. It was very poorly packaged, which is terrible because it looks as though it had little to no play time by the look of the voice coils. He also is leaving me with the sub. I pulled it apart tonight. I might try to weld the basket. If it doesn't work I've lost nothing. Plus Ill have an elite 12d motor and replacement cone.

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[dwnrodeo]

It's probably cast aluminum which makes welding it difficult to impossible. Not saying you shouldn't try it, but just giving you a heads up.

[knightrider358]

Yea i agree w dwnrodeo, cast is a pia to weld, best bet is to try brazing. Be careful if u do get it welded, a sub w that much capabilities may break it self on the weld or next to it once its put to its capabilities. May wanna check w a really good local machine shop to see what they can do. If u spend $100 w them to fix it ur still way ahead of what u got in it.

[dvnt88]

WTF ...What kind of ass-clown packs a sub like that poorly and expect it to arrive in the same condition it left in? Soooo sorry about the sub bud ...had the same thing happen to me a year or so back ...bought an Elite12D from a seller and the sub had been dropped before it was packed as the box showed no damage what-so-ever ...WTF is wrong with people.

[quickrip]

Yeah, you guys are probably right. It would be quite hard to get this thing going again. Not only is the basket broken, it's also slightly bent. If I don't feel that it's good after attempting to weld it I won't put it back together. I'll probably buy another and have spare parts.
Ass clown is a great description of this guy. What a waste of some good gear.

[ByBlaZeD]

Wow I am sorry to hear that he packed it so poorly... I was bidding on that sub too. I knew I had to be going against someone on here lol. Kinda glad I didn't win but if I had I'd be in your boat with some free spare parts! At least you didn't have to jump through hoops to get your $ back!

[quickrip]

Wow I am sorry to hear that he packed it so poorly... I was bidding on that sub too. I knew I had to be going against someone on here lol. Kinda glad I didn't win but if I had I'd be in your boat with some free spare parts! At least you didn't have to jump through hoops to get your $ back!

Man that is too funny. I was stoked to get it for such a deal, $202 shipped was great but look what it got me....jack shit. I haven't got the money in my paypal yet but he says he'll refund. We'll see.

[str8cyko]

sorry to see that woofer in that state. i have bought 2 of them of the 'bay and got lucky to receive them in working condition. one was in the original pg box, which i think states, it had to be returned in that particular box in order for pg to service it or they would refuse the woofer.
i, too had that woofer in my ebay watch list because the seller was about a 2 hrs. drove from me and i was thinking about getting a spare one. i'm glad i didn't up the bid but wish i could of saved it.
if you decide to sell the cone assembly and remaining good parts, i would be interested because one of mines has an ugly oopsie on it. i would sell you it, but my elite.1 would probably kill the single 1.
i hope you get the refund and are able to find another 1. if you do fine one, i would look into a pg rsd 1200.1 which puts out about 1200-1400wrms at 2ohms. gl.

[ByBlaZeD]

Wow I am sorry to hear that he packed it so poorly... I was bidding on that sub too. I knew I had to be going against someone on here lol. Kinda glad I didn't win but if I had I'd be in your boat with some free spare parts! At least you didn't have to jump through hoops to get your $ back!

Man that is too funny. I was stoked to get it for such a deal, $202 shipped was great but look what it got me....jack shit. I haven't got the money in my paypal yet but he says he'll refund. We'll see.

Oh you will get your $ back. If he gives you crap just file a claim with eBay. I've had to do it twice and never had an issue. My claims have always been warranted, as would yours. I wouldn't sweat it. I hope you can find the parts needed to get her up and running again! Good luck!

[Phoenixcolt]

That's rough man, sorry to hear how this panned out.

If you get another one or make this one happen, I have been impressed both times that I powered an elite with a mere 1200 watts. I have never had the structure in a car to dare run greater, or the money, haha, these things pound.

Earlier this year, I fabricated a pretty bulletproof box for an elite that was 1.8 I believe, so about 1.5 with the sub installed. I gave it 1200 watts with a JL HD1200/1, and it pounded, but it also rattled the hell out of my car. The box was too big so I took it out after a couple weeks, but I stored it for future use in a wagon or suv some day .

If the box is sized right, and 1200 watts is easier to come by, I would say try it first...but the gurus on the forum definitely know more than me, i just wanted to give another opinion.

[quickrip]

That's rough man, sorry to hear how this panned out.

If you get another one or make this one happen, I have been impressed both times that I powered an elite with a mere 1200 watts. I have never had the structure in a car to dare run greater, or the money, haha, these things pound.

Earlier this year, I fabricated a pretty bulletproof box for an elite that was 1.8 I believe, so about 1.5 with the sub installed. I gave it 1200 watts with a JL HD1200/1, and it pounded, but it also rattled the hell out of my car. The box was too big so I took it out after a couple weeks, but I stored it for future use in a wagon or suv some day .

If the box is sized right, and 1200 watts is easier to come by, I would say try it first...but the gurus on the forum definitely know more than me, i just wanted to give another opinion.

How was the sound with the box at 1.5 cu ft?
I have since got my hands on an elite to install. Also bought a b2 zero.5 class D (rumored to do over 2k at 2 ohm)
I should have plenty of power to push this beast.