1500-6000 watts! Really?

[brodzowski]

I have a question for my fellow phoenixers. I've been outta the car audio game for some time and just jumped back in with both feet about 2 months ago or so after deciding I could give up some real estate in my Tahoe. At first glance I thought I didn't want anything as big or bad as what I used to have, but after having a taste it's kind of like a sports car. FASTer!
Anyway, after doing hours of research I'm looking at some of the offerings from other manufacturers and just shaking my head. The BIG subs IE the xxx or Ti Elite or DD 9500 series etc are all requiring SILLY numbers in order to even power them. 1500 rms? Really? I guess my question becomes are our PG old school amps that dated that they wont power this new equipment? Has anyone successfully run these type of high watt subs with a 2250 or 2150 2500, etc? What was the outcome?
I was originally going to do an all PG build, but I had my heart set on getting some RSDCs and they are pretty few and far between these days and I can still get them, the thing that's bothering me is that not only are they discontinued, but I can get similar offerings from other manufacturers at the same price. ie; RE Audio SE x are the same price and appear to have similar performance as the Comps. Anyone have any real world experience they can give me some advice with? I'm looking to put 4 10s or 12s in about 4 to 5 sealed cubes (unless directed otherwise) and spend less than a thousand max, but performance vs. price is really what I was looking for. I can have 4 REs at right at 600 NIB. 10s or 12s.

What I want is actually the best of both worlds. I hate to call myself a basshead, but I am a little bit so I want to turn on Bass I Love You and have a butt massage while my hair wiggles, but what I reeeeally want is the ability to put in a rock or pop song and have the bass drum kick me in the chest so hard that it bounces off my seat, ya know? That is a much secksier thing than having your body panels go HZ surfing.

So what's your opinion? I have a 2500 a 2125 a 275 and would consider a 2250 if I needed it. 10s? 12s? Brand? Experience? Ported? Sealed? lol I know it's one of "those" questions from one of "those" guys like "which one's best/louder?" but I figure the Phoenix guys are the guys to ask when it comes to this.
And I'm VERY interested to hear any real world stories of anyone using the MS/MPS series on any of the flagship subs.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

[ttocs]

rsdc were well made so I had no qualms about buying 3 10s last year, hell $100 bucks. Alot of the good stuff(best stuff) has been discontinued but the good thing about all of that is that with maybe a cap replacement, it still sounds as good now as it did then and will still compete with the new stuff. I am not saying that the modern amps do not sound good and that there have not been improvements made(so no flaming) nor that the olds stuff is hands down #1, but they can still sound really really nice.

As for powering the high powered subs just step up to the bar like a big boy, take a 2nd mortgage on the house and order a PG ONE. Then you will only need to upgrade your electrical system, find some way to hide that beast of an amp and the new loan payment from the wife and all your problems are solved!

[brodzowski]

That thing is so crazy that it's not even worth mentioning. While it IS my style vs my friends' to go over the top, that is even over the top for me. I decided the same thing about my MC4000M McIntosh that I had many years ago as well. I held it in my hands. That's all I can say. Never even powered it up. But I digress.
Any idea what kind of numbers you were pushin with the 3 tens? I've wondered about the spl difference between 10 and 12s given the power was the same. Close enough to not care? More punch with the tens? More responsive? What did you have push your tens at what ohms?

[Stryker]

There is some better stuff out there than the old skool gear.... of course your taste in equipment trumps most everything, plus they seem to have impeccable SQ.
If you want big power $1k could do it if you do all the install and find some deals on equipment and wire. if you load up on 2250's/2125's, you will undoubtedly need alot of alternator, as you would need to drop the ohms down to extract the real powa, then the heat and ....ya, so that would really be stretching your budget. plus i do not think a 2250 would move my 3512DD like it needs to be moved, heck a 1200.1 barely does it.
my suggestion would be a super efficent sub(s) and a class d amp of say 1k watts, plus a little 4 channel amp and some good components up front and maaaybe a set of coax's for rear fill if you must. If it's not PG so be it, there is lots of choice out there ATM. I have not had any problem with my RSD's but I have not seen any F/s in a while. o o o o actually there is a member who has a 500.4 for cheap BNIB and I'm sure you could dig up a matching 1200.1. The looks are not for everyone, but I don't mind them.
The ONE is great and all, but I would rather have others in the same range(there are lots) at a lower price that are actually proven in the DB lanes.
I have not heard of any real serious DB competitor using the ONE.
Also to me 10'"do not really compare to 12's to 15's to 18's yada yada.
I will have confirmed #'s on my 2 12's this summer and I know it's in the mid to high 140's

[ttocs]

they are actually still in the box, the install has been stalled due to health problems and hospital stays(just got out this morning). I am only going to use two, and have them powered by my sub section in my roadster 66 which should be 600-650 at 2 ohms if IRC.

[brodzowski]

Well this time 'round I actually was starting from the ground up instead of bass ackwards as people usually do. I wanted to do it right this time. So I have 0/1 gauge going to an optima battery. 0/1 gauge to the body ground and a four gauge power lead from the stinger terminals to a 200 amp alt. that I just installed. (original was 105) That all leads back to a 10 farad power grid that I purchased here from a forum member (as I needed a distribution block anyway, so why not?) and I have 4 gauge leads coming from that to the amps. All in all I'm not scared of my power situation for the moment. If it turns out I end up needing a second battery I will install one in the rear, but for now we're gonna see how she fares.
I'm in the mid process of installing deadener. I have the front doors and the rear section up to the back seats done, so I have back doors, rear doors and front floor/firewall left to do.

This time I really did plan out my build and I'm step by stepping it, but I'm looking for buying advice now. I wasn't looking to spend 1k on the WHOLE system. I've already surpassed that I'm sure. Hell, I've got 300 plus in wire and an alt easily, plus the grid so.... regardless I was looking to spend under that on my subs. I think you gave me some direction in regards to my subs though with that DD35 statement though. If a 2250 will barely push those, then these really must be real world numbers. So I'm leaning towards the REs as they sit at 600 rms and I think that's about right. Probably similar to the RSDCs, but I sure wish I could find someone that has some carnal knowledge of both.

In regards to your 10-12-15 statement, I was kind of on the same track as far as bigger/better avenue, however I have little experience with 10s and the one time I did hear 4 of them, MAN were they punchy. I liked it alot, but I didn't get enough time to spend exploring different music genres either so...

Thanks for any additional advice you can give me!

[ttocs]

I am fairly sure there are some XXX fans here that will chime in, give it time. as for your need to sometimes go surfing my best recomendation is a bass cube. It is really made to help make up for if your box/sub combination has a dip where it can use a boost but I made many many bass-heads happy with that little toy. I use them in both of my installs and really for the reason you explain. I generally have them set up to be used as recomended just to help get a flatter signal from the sub but it doesn't take long to adj the little knob to the kick drum freq and make that old INXS album you love kick you the way you like. when yer done with your fix turn it off or re-adjust it......