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lotas · Post by **lotas** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 1:42 pm

I love my KX 1200.1, cost me $450 from Cardomain, brand new, not refurbished, with warranty and everything. I thought that was extremely cheap. As far as Kicker's subs and speakers I'm not sure (Aside from the CompVR) as I don't have experience with those but so far their amps are solid.

By the way, nice to see some good info gonz.

Robert Wollenberg · Post by **Robert Wollenberg** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:10 pm

My Jeep is a cherokee. And it could be a decent SPL vehicle but from what I've read about building SPL vehicles, I'm just not willing to give up the space. In order to propery build an SPL enclosure, I'd have to eliminate my back seat and I'm not going to do that. Here's a good article I found on building an SPL enclosure.

http://www.caraudiomag.com/technical/0203cae_box2/

I don't doubt I can still be loud if I want, but I wouldn't consider myself being a serious SPL competitior. I'm guessing I'm going to end up with 2x 12" and about 1k in power. Maybe 2x 10" rather than 12". I always seem to end up with 10". I keep telling myself I'm going to try something different, but I never have. 10" is all I've ever used.

_gonz_ · Post by **_gonz_** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:03 am

_gonz_ wrote:If you have a Cherokee, you're underestimating it's potential... as I watched a guy take one all the way to world finals with alot of nothing special in it. Cherokee's are ideal SQ vehicles... in some really strange way.

SPL is just stupid.
Actually SQ competition is stupid too.

All competition is rather stupid, because of what you have to accomplish in order to win. Either you have a vehicle jam packed with concrete and MDF with subs that fart off 17vdc high current amps, and no musical capability whatsoever... or you have an SQ system uncapable of playing 98% of the CDs manufactured, enjoyably .

Both games result in huge compromise, and huge investment, which if your lucky, and a real good politician too, might net you a few $3 trophies.

Then comes this thing somebody made up called SQL.
It really encompasses the goal which the majority of us desire. Loud, clear, enjoyable audio. Sure, we all want some boom, who does'nt love bass, or the ability to shut down the moron with rattling liscense plates at the intersection? But most of us don't do it for that purpose, we do it to enjoy music and well... we tend to like it loud. But loud and distorted with car rattling and people laughing at you... thats not it.

So we take things to an almost competition level... dampner, heavy cables, good equipment, custom enclosures, and create what should be award winning vehicles...

If only competition wasn't so screwed up.

Anyhow, the Cherokee is a natural for SQ / SQL.
You've got No Idea what you've got there.

And exactly what, is wrong with two 10" subs?

Bwcad1 · Post by **Bwcad1** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:11 am

u make valid points but some of us do it for the love of it. i love competing and hanging out with my teammates its a hobby and a sport for us. its just like someone who likes to golf or likes to play football. they spend tons of money on equipment when 98% wont make it big. its all about the competion meeting great people and having a good time.

Robert Wollenberg · Post by **Robert Wollenberg** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:24 am

I don't doubt I can install an awesome sounding stereo in my Jeep. But, given how small the inerior is, narrowness of the vehicle, no kickpanels to speak of ... I don't see me winning any SQ events with it. And it's just noisy anyway. The fact that I've lifted it 8" and run 35" TSL Thornbirds on it doesn't help it any. My staging/imaging isn't going to be up to competition level. But then again, I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination. As for SPL, I might be able to pull that off if I was willing to give up the space, which I'm not. So I'm stuck in between. So, I'm fairly confident I'm going to end up in the middle. An awesome sounding sound system that won't win trophies. lol. I'll still be happy with it either way.

There's nothing wrong with 10" subs. My first sub was an Atomic 10". I've had kicker comp 10" way back in the day (1995 or so), I've used a single PG Xmax when the had 'em, a single 10" Elclipse which was very awesome until it exploded, and I've had others. Right now I'm still using two L710"s I got when they first came out. They're ok but I've never been very happy with them. My one Eclipse sounded a hell of a lot better. Iv'e always been partial to 10" subs though. I think the Eclipse has been my favorite sub so far.

_gonz_ · Post by **_gonz_** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:35 am

Bwcad1 wrote:u make valid points but some of us do it for the love of it. i love competing and hanging out with my teammates its a hobby and a sport for us. its just like someone who likes to golf or likes to play football. they spend tons of money on equipment when 98% wont make it big. its all about the competion meeting great people and having a good time.

Sure, no problem with looking at 150+ decibels of BuuuuuuRP! as sport. I don't have any problems with that, but I would'nt enjoy trying to listen to music on your typical SPL system... thats just my opinion.

The majority of car audio enthusiasts move from street pounders into/towards what most would consider SQ... because they want more listenable music, for enjoyment, rather than just booming at red lights.

And my point being, thats not the sanctioning bodies' idea of SQ neither... which leaves most of us someplace in the middle. Thats SQL.

There should be an organization that judges SQL... it would be ALOT more welcoming and be a huge push for the industry, in terms of gaining many new people from the ranks of your everyday street-beaters... and educate them on sound quality - without the whole dime sized center voice dead center of the dash nonsense... which that there does'nt fly in my world.

I'm far from being alone with my opinions. You'd be amazed how many ex-competitors there are, who now... just enjoy the widely accepted SQL theory.

Robert Wollenberg · Post by **Robert Wollenberg** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:39 am

But SQL is totally subjective. How could you possibly objectively rate the systems?

Bwcad1 · Post by **Bwcad1** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:45 am

i belive meca has sql comps. and i agree i wouldnt listen to music with many spl systems but mine is designed with change able ports i can go from 48hz to 30hz with 4 screws and 2 amp settings.

_gonz_ · Post by **_gonz_** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:30 am

Airforceyooper wrote:But SQL is totally subjective. How could you possibly objectively rate the systems?

There is no objective judging, in terms of sound quality, period.

Your ears are different from my ears are different from Bill's ears. Theres the problem. One of us may drool over a silk tweeter while the other drools all over a metal domed tweeter. And worse, in IASCA, tonality isn't even taken into consideration. If a horn doesn't truly sound like a horn, and a piano like a piano, just what kinda system you got there?

With SPL you've got a meter...
unfortunately, even thats screwed up. But at least (!!!) you go into it knowing the only thing you have to impress, is the sensor on your windshield.

Taking into consideration that meters are impartial, and this termlab isn't a moron as compared to the other termlab... SPL has the advantage of a somewhat equal playing field, at least on a per-show basis.

OnYrMrk · Post by **OnYrMrk** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:50 am

I have always been sq oriented with my systems. But I try to accurately reproduce music by the way it was recorded. The key word here is TRY. No car can sound exactly like the studio the music was recorded in, nor can they truly sound like a live concert. I tend to go and watch local musicians when they are doing an acoustic set. No mikes, just music. Sit out in the audience and shut my eyes. Take in the ambiance, and pick out what instrument is where. Listen for the lead instrument. When the show is over, see if they have a cd released. Most do so I will buy their cd and listen to it in my car. If I can't actually feel the placement of the instruments in the soundstage, then I have some tweaking to do.

SQ is a state of mind. I have tons of bass, that I chose not to use on a daily basis. I tend to let my Focal K3P's handle the majority of the music, with the Focal KX bringing up the lower frequencies. I utilize my sub kinda like rear fill. Not to overpower the front stage, but to accent it.