I'm a former dB Drag Racing Regional Champion that just got back into car audio (for personal enjoyment), and I'm here to share my knowledge along my journey of building my ultimate SQ-L system.
I also share short videos of my Bichon Poodle Mix (Bich-Poo or Poochon) Penny, who is The Best Dog EVER!!
Yoooo...Chris! What's up bro! LONG TIME Man!! Yeah man...I used to work for Big Richard in Orange County. I had that Jeep with Vega Vega's, then Strokers!! Small world!!
Learn your crossovers on your headunit, get one with a 4v rca out put, and level out your gains on sub levels etc. Good rcas plus get your voltage right, dont charge higher then recommended for your particular equipment and never clip. I personally dont like pro audio bullet tweets, too much for me, my mids have the tweet combined. I feel everything you saying. Even my channels take 1/0 gage.
@@ShowStartersNM still one of my dream subs... never shoulda sold em.... but here we are! Now that I think about it, I've never blown or saw anyone blow one. Legendary subs!
Yoooo...that is INSANE, and I believe Every Word!! Those subs were way overbuilt! I used to try to blow mine...NOTHING!! Fed them way more power than rated....NOTHING!! I miss the Real Cerwin Vega!
@Ahm-Creative heck yeah sounded hard and good on all music. No extra battery, alt and all that like these days. I used to go to the kenwood db drag wars.
Now I'm in the 160's with 4 15 nsv6's, waiting on my sddn's to be finished any day now on a salt 8k to each with 2 90ah cmax walled off in a ford escape. Ty for the video
@@Mastermindyoung14 my boy had RE subs for his SQ build, and it was clean! I was THIS CLOSE to getting a XXX, but the Stereo Integrity SQL-12 met my needs exact.
My favorite subs I ever had, were a pair of Eclipse 12's. The aluminum cones. gave it a particularly percussive trait. DO you remember those? I feel we're both on the edge, are we old school. or just old?!
@@brianvarnes4803 lol a little bit of both. At 49, I feel a little old for the game, but then I go to SQ shows and fit right in 😁. Us bass heads are now into the purity and accuracy of our music. But yes, those Eclipse aluminum subs were amazing! I liked everything Eclipse, and I'm still heartbroken that they left the aftermarket car audio game.
@@Ahm-CreativeI'm 48, so one of us is clearly substantially older!! Exactly!!! Pertaining to musical excellence. Pure SQ with the ability to command low-end frequencies at will , at an obnoxious level? Yes please!!! Yeah, I found a pair of D2 12" Eclipse subs on the infamous MP!!! They ran at a crispy 2 ohm while I had them, but were previously wired to the Sub Killin .5 ohm. They were good boys!!!!
Man, you got me reminiscing about the subs I had that you mention here. I remember drooling over them Vega series subs in the Crutchfield catalog I had a pair of JL W6 10’s before I had a car so I put one in a JBL Decade series ported home speaker box and that sub sounded amazing in that box. It definitely shook my mom’s house pretty good. However, I hate to admit that I didn’t appreciate them nor did I know what I had. Later on, I ended up getting a Rockford Fosgate Punch Power series 15 in a sealed box. Put that thing on a Rockford Power 1501bd amp. That was a very loud and clean sounding sub in my opinion. Lastly, I ended up with a Crossfire BMF 15 in a sealed box as well powered by a Crossfire CFA-602. You weren’t lying, those things hit really hard. Loved that setup. You described each of these subs perfectly and I would agree with your top 5 line up.
Hahaha man, we grew up in great car audio times!! Yes sir...I loved each and every one of the subs I listed, and surprisingly, the Crossfire BMF didn't get as much respect as I think it deserved, because it was LOUD!! They outdid themselves with that sub. And you had a Fosgate bd amp...bro! Fosgate changed the game with that amp! That thing was brutally powerful! You owned the streets if you had a bd! I never went with Fosgate amps. At the time, for bass it was either Kicker ZR Series, Concept amps, PPI and MTX Thunder amps, which were made by Fosgate at the time. The good ol days!
I was thinking so too, but that spec sheet said 94dB. My buddy actually has 2 of them still...one he's using, and one BRAND NEW IN THE BOX!!! I'll ask him to verify for us.
I wanna say those are more SQ, than SQ-L....but that could be due to the fact that I never heard anyone push them past SQ demos. They are absolutely legit subs though...you got no arguments here.
Alpine Type-R's are legit, and very well respected....but they didn't hit as hard as the one's a put on my list...or I didn't get to experience them that way. But I'm a fan.
@@shawnhaas5158 LOL that's awesome! My first demo ever, was from 2 10" Punch Power DVC's in bass tubes, off a Punch 400, and I had a headache for the entire day...LOL!! Wasn't remotely loud by today's standards, but back then, in 94 being my first, I was in PAIN...LOL!!
Always enjoy the videos, after been out of this SQ world for a while it’s like a magical new realm. Have you had issue with going with a different brand speak for say the mids then say the mid bass and tweeters?
Thanks brother. I've made some changes since this video...I'll link my latest at the bottom. But as for mixing mid/highs brands, I had no issues using the Image Dynamics as mid b5-minut ass along with Morel mids and highs, and my mid bass pretty much played those lower frequencies...no vocals and it filled the front stage nicely. If you look through my videos, my boy with the DynAudio Honda Accord is now using DynAudio Esotar mids and highs, with Stereo Integrity TM8's for mid bass and it sounds amazing! They blend very well together. I have now switched to Morel MW9 over the Image Dynamics 8's, and you can hear them in this video...it's all Morel for the front stage and rear-fill. The music starts at the 5-minute mark if you want to skip ahead. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8vEwRM1LgqY.htmlsi=3Wwr6ixQikRzkTYY
Hi brother, glad to see you as always. You've had great products back in the golden days, all the brands you mentioned were very popular in Europe and brands like JL Audio and Rockford are still in the game here in Sweden. I enjoyed listening to your car audio story. Thank you for sharing your good memories with us.🙏🙏
@@high16200 welcome back brother! I'm glad you found my story entertaining, and I'm glad you can relate. Those were all great subs, and I think I miss the Cerwin Vega Vega12 the most.
@@Ahm-Creative Ye! brothers those were the days when car audio was highlighted our first competition was in 1992. Carwin Vega is a good brand and was usd by many here in Sweden and.even Hifonics was hot at the time.
@@high16200 Ha...the first car I lost to had a Hifonics Zeus pushing 2-15" Fosgate Punch Power DVC subs. It looked like his car was breathing...LOL! After that loss, I upgraded from the Fury subs I had, and got Vega Vega 12's, and came back with a vengeance...LOL!! That was around 1995 for me. Such fun times!
@@Ahm-Creative Yes! brother Hifonics was a hit as it was the first car audio amplifier launched in Sweden that had lots of horse power, it was a wild moment and we had around 400 vehicles equipped with Zeus, Thor and Colossus so my car was also packed with hifonics codename " power of the gods" at that time. Yes, it was fun then. and I understand you joy with the vega subs, those were the golden days.
When you mentioned Adire Audio my ears perked up. The Tempest and Shivas for the price were hard to beat for SQ and efficiency. Always wanted a Brahma or Tumult. Still running a Tempest 15 for my home theater sub and 12" ID max in my ride so I can relate to your list. 👍 Love that they still sell DIY rebuild kits for old school ID Maxes.
Man, Adire makes amazing subs. I'm surprised I don't see them much...well, not in Cali or Vegas at least...but they are 100% legit! I may be mistaken, but ID may be one of the first to sell DIY rebuild kits for their subs, as everyone else was using glue 🤔
I like/love Kicker amps more than I did their subs.....and that's not to say their subs are bad, because they're awesome too. But I usually used their amps to power different subs.
I had the original JL Audio 12w0s in a ported box those were the most musical subwoofers I've ever heard and I didn't have a whole lot of power it was a Rockford DSM series amp
@@christittle1131 I'm using a Kicker CXA800.1 with just under 950w/rms and it's pushing my SQL-12 HARD! That sub is so efficient, it doesn't take much to move it.
I had a 15 inch CF BMF back around 2000-01 on a CF 400 watt amp in a 90 Escort Gt and it sounded amazing. I love the old school subs im still using RF HX2 12s today and they still surprise everyone that gets in my car they just cant believe im still using 25 year old subs and they sound that good
@@bethanyhaskiell9116 wow, that's awesome! They were definitely well built, but I'm surprised the spider isn't loose and sagging! You should share that with Fosgate... lol! Maybe they'll give you a new version or P3 😁
It's funny how even the high-end subs had small surrounds back in the old days. I still have some pretty old subs that still work, including a Stroker 12" and Earthquake SubZero 12". These were both insanely expensive when new. Hate to say it, but they cannot hang with the modern subs I own. Old dub6's were the cat's pajamas.
@@csj9619 I marvel at how the Stroker would keep up with and often times outperform the Mmats Juggernaut, considering the rather short xmax.... but because Cerwin Vega subs were over built, and had amazing engineering behind them, they'd do things above and beyond what their specs sheet said they could. I don't know 🤔....I think an original Stroker can still hang.... or at least put up a real legit fight.
Idmax be number 2. JL audio has always sounded so good. I can’t understand why companies not able produce same sub but half the price of JL’s my god their $$$
@@christittle1131 I'm running mine ported, and it absolutely amazing! Clean SQ and very loud when I want it to be. I've heard it sealed too. Very impressive sub. Haven't heard it in IB yet.
I’ve been in the game since early 90s myself, and I remember hearing Soundstresm Reference subs and they always impressed. They were called the Velvet Hammer for a reason!
remember if you want to rear fill; always ask permission first ... it isn't for everyone. You ask and you might just find someone that loves it. As with anything, you do you no matter what you like! Some say it is just more to love. I don't think it is taboo. I went to try it but it just didn't fit, didn't want to break anything back there. Maybe I will try again in the future when better prepared. I always offer my passengers the chance for me to fill it in, I'm not selfish.
Hahaha it seems like that right! Mention Rear Fill and people gasp! Actually, I have since upgraded my rear fill since this video, and it made a HUGE difference for me. It may not be noticeable through video, but it totally fills the car without pulling from the front stage one bit. The front stage was great for me, but I did want it a tad wider, and like you, I wanted to fill the gap for my rare rear seat passengers, as I have sat back there and it is just not remotely as enjoyable when all they have is some front stage, and a sub. The rear fill fills the gap for them, and the whole experience is great for all, front or back. Here's the updated rear fill video. I'm now using Morel Maximo Ultra 602HE MKII components instead of coaxials. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6IHd0PzPltU.htmlsi=94kyGDuq5nqr5YI-
Love your content, I am an old basshead from the 90's and remember these subs well. A friend of mine he'd 3 of those JL Audio's but they were 8's ran off a Hifonics Zeus amp and absolutely dumped. I used to have 2 RF Punch Power DVC 15's run off a Memphis Stu1000D and blew everyone away. I even got a noise pollution ticket from the cops. Now in my 40's I have graduated to JL Audio TW3 in an underseat box that sound about as good as shallow mount subs can. Keep up the good content
Back in the 90's the first system I heard that got me hooked was linear power amps and Stillwater designs drivers and then a fosgate system after that 1it put the icing on the cake 🎂❤im 50 now and still hooked🙏
My first SPL system experience was the Cerwin Vega Stroker Van. 12-15" Strokers powered by Linear Power amps! It was soooo loud, I got out with my hands on my knees, trembling and slightly nauseous...LOL! I was HOOKED....LOL!! I'm 49, so we are sharing the same experience and love for the game!!
Off topic but have you heard the stevens audio sa6 mids? I need a new set of sql mids for a 2way components setup that can get loud and clean. I'm trying to stay under $500I need to keep up with a new set of dc audio level 4's in a gately box on 3k watts (yes all electrical including allternator and 2nd battery have been done). I have 2 sets of jl C2 650s in the front and rear now but can't keep up volume wise. I don't want to go to a PA style speakers since I'm old and actually like good sounding speakers lol . I'm adding a dsp this month as well. I diycaraudio recommends SI tm65 for mids but would those be able to keep up volume wise with the bass? thanks for all your help. I'm an old school car audio guy as well :)
Sounds like you have an awesome build brother! A LOUD build! Us old heads came from that loud spl era...it's still in my blood, even though I'm SQ-L now 🙂 As for loud, affordable mids, the TM65 is very nice, but won't necessarily match or exceed the Stevens Audio output, so I'd recommend CDT Audio mids. They have tons of well priced options that get loud, and are not PA style. Just be sure to check mounting depth as they typically have huge magnets. www.cdtaudio.com/cdtnew22/products/components/woofers/midwoofers/midwoofers.htm
My first Subs we're the IDQ12's, absolutely loved them, decent output, but sounded amazing! 98-99 era, when I was in highschool! Never heard the IDMax yet, might buy a pair one day!
I had a set of Shocker 12s in a 92 Camaro. Those sounded amazing in a prefab side vent box. Can't find anything about them anymore. But I've also run Vega series and the VMax series subs, both amazing sounding and incredible bass
I remember dreaming of a system looking though the stero mags. Ppi flat top subs, or pg cyclone was always ones I wanted. Even the infinity Kappa green woofers had them in comps but never sub. Esq amps too.
@@jasonnelson6624 I was so disappointed with the PPI Flat Piston subs. They were always so stiff. It seemed like PG (and Lanzar) subs were pretty stiff too. The green Infinity Kappas were Sweet!
@@Ahm-Creative I absolutely believe that I just loved the way they looked. Like all of ppi stuff back then was way over priced. But my ppi art a300.2 was a work horse. Ppi has great looking items and cool gimmicks like the watercooling option for the art series amps.
@@Ahm-Creative also good move on using the image dynamics as mid bass. I had their actual mid bass carbon cones I blew multiple but I thought I could pair them with the id horns like a DIY comp set. A few years later they brought out their own comps with the horn and a totally different mid bass. Live and learn though lol.
@@jasonnelson6624 lol oh wow! Back then, I wasn't crazy about their comps, but loved their subs. The 8's served me well, but now that I have the Morel MW9's, the 8's gotta go.
Ive always been a vega guy on subs ive had every series they made we put 2 12 inch vega series in a dodge stealth on a lanzar amp and it was insaine. But i have to say one of the most overlooked models vega made was the intense technology series. We did 2 I.T. 12s in a sealed box in a grand am on a us amps usa 400 and it got nasty in there guys thought there were 4 12s in the trunk. My personal best was 2 15 stroker pro the acrylic dome version running 2 strapped brutus 2608d and 3 kinetik batteries in the back of a 2012 impala
Yoooo brooo! The I.T was a Beautiful sub, and definitely underrated! I thought you were gonna say the Vega A.I...which was purely an SQ sub. I believe it was designed for IB as well. But yeah, the I.T was INSANE! I had forgotten all about that....LOL!! Seriously, I was heartbroken when Vega went under. What we have today, is NOT real Cerwin Vega. They made some of the BEST subs on the market, that always handled way more power than they were rated for. Always over-built. Man, thanks for the memories. I know your cars hit HARD!!
@@Ahm-Creativeis the new CerwinVega! Stuff really that bad now? That sucks hopefully they get relevant again. I know they have came out with some new home speakers that are getting some good reviews. They are a cheaper line but have plans to release some higher end models as well 🤞🏼 I love Vega! Thanks for the video!
@@JR-ho5qm yeaahh mannn, they are not the Vega of old 🥲. They were so ahead of their time, but the market dictates their success, even with all the new subs they introduced, as well as amplifiers, the customer loyalty wasn't there, and now they're all but gone. The new Strokers are not what we came up with. They LOOK like Strokers, but they are not the same...
You still using this box almost 2 years later? Planning on getting it for the meantime until I have the time to make a similar ported box that is built for my car specifically so it takes less space :D
@@charliesmith874 man, I am LOVING this box! It is very well built, and sounds amazing! I even did an install with the dual 12" version, with 2 Crossfire C5-12V3 and it was so loud, the rear deck of the car (Chrysler 300) was floating.... lol! This box is a gem!
What I really need is a real dsp I can control on my phone like you said it’s to damn hot outside to be crawling in and out the trunk every song to make adjustments what would you recommend under $400
@@ssjdavid lol yeah, manually tuning going back and forth is a NIGHTMARE! Right now, the latest and greatest budget dsp is the D4S EZDsp. It's getting a lot of respect and praise. I believe it uses the same software Alpine is using. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5OqyFwIh27Y.htmlsi=ArPewKy1j0fjThCH
@@ssjdavid Absolutely! The 600.1 plays down to 1-ohm, so if you get an SQL-12 D2, it will use that power much more effectively. The W6 is 85.4dB efficient, whereas the SQL-12 is 92dB. BIG difference, and you should notice immediately....especially if you go ported! With less than 1000w/rms, mine gets LOUD, but it also plays loud and low sealed.
LOL yeah man...I have 5-layers on my doors, plus acoustic foam. My doors close like a vault. I don't have any on the roof as it wasn't needed as much as the doors and tailgate need it. Without it, with the speakers I have, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my music. I push them hard, and my doors remain solid.
I have a JL W6 33hz box and it sounds amazing I have to sound deaden my car my rear deck lid rattle is driving me insane I couldn’t figure out what it was rattling for the life of me till last night. Hits way harder then the factory high output box I never heard a sealed W6 though so wouldn’t be able to compare
LOL buzzing and rattling does drive you nuts, especially when you've put a lot of money and time into a quality system. Glad you were able to figure it out. I haven't heard the new W6's...only the old school, and they were amazing sealed...I never got to hear them ported.
Dude out here giving the whole world headaches on 600 watts and 3 10s. I'm 40 and been wiring audio since I was 12. Who you think you're fooling? We lived some of the same history, but I think you falsely remember about 90% of it
Ehhh, maybe your 28 years of wiring was wrong....🤔. I've been in the game for 30-years, and you can find me online from my dB drag days, and all around Orange County, Ca! Ppl knew my boxes hit HARD...no need to lie. ZR600 on 3-10" DVC's would flex the windshield easily...never said it gave headaches...but it flexed the car and surprised everybody who sat in it. If you knew your wiring like you say, you'd know it's in the box more than the sub. 10's, 12's, 15's...don't matter. I've built single 12 boxes that hit harder than 15's. I've heard 10's hit harder than 15's. Shoving a ton of power doesn't mean it's gonna be better or louder. I beat many ppl with triple the power I had, because I know how to build, and that's where's it at.
Good video. Guess I’m an even more old school audio guy…..80’s era. Loved the Image Dynamics and the Cerwin-Vega subs from that era. I’m getting old. 😞 Enjoyed the video!!!
Haha yeah, it's funny when I think about being in the game for 30 years now...but it keeps me a young 49 year old. Cerwin Vega, Image Dynamics and JL Audio...staples of our era! Glad you enjoyed it, and stay tuned for the highly demanded CURRENT Top 5 SQ-L subs list, coming soon.
1 was born 1977 started messing with car audio when i was like 12 13 years old first set of subs i seen were rockford series 1s 10inch i couldent afford Rockford in michigan but i went to place could Redmond Automotive got my first pair of 12s they were the black pioneer impp they were on sale paid like 120 out the door for a pair of 12s and i hanged out with a crowed that was few years older then me most of the people had rockford powers or kicker but the kicker guys had those small slat face sealed carpet boxs and Rockford guys had big custom ported boxes like 4 1/2 to 5 cube boxes for 2 12s and the rockford guy were killing the kicker guys on low bass so i built big ported box for my pioneers and they were banging think i had 2 kenwood 821 amps brided to each sub and people were saprized then i got the powers 12S same style as that 10 rockford you should but minw wasnt the dvc i have a pair of powere dvc 12s right now there 4 inch voice coils the they have a just a power and they have just a dvc in that series iv had them all in that series for me its the best series rockford ever made i like them better then the hx2 rockfords iv had those to also had jl audio w3 12s i liked them for me the old school rockfords still hit lows differnt like 28 to 33 hertz iv cracked my wind shield right down the middle going up and down not side to side blew my review mirror off and it took a chunk of glass with it lol and those rockford 12s were on 2 kenwwood 1000s think those were 921 kenwood amps with premier 350 radio and alpine 11 band EQ i had people ask me what kind of 15s i have when they were 2 12in rockford powers i open the trunk after they herd it they would scratch the hed lol but ya big boxes makes big difference im a ported guy but back in the day i herd a system it had pioneer impp 12s in a sealed 4 qube box and it saprized me i normaly run a pair 12s 4 1/2 to 5 qubes then port around 30 to 33 hertz
Oh man, I had forgotten about the Pioneer IMPP's. Those subs were Awesome!! Wow...that takes me back!! No doubt Rockford probably had some of the most powerful, overbuilt subs at that time, and they were worth EVERY PENNY, but the IMPP's held their own! Yes, generally speaking, the bigger the box, the bigger the boom, and when built right, you can get so much more out of your subs than the manufacturer specs show. I shattered a few windows in my day, but not with the Vega Vega's...I did it with my Strokers, but that was to be expected. The Vega Vega's were more musical, and they could take more than the 400w/rms they were rated for, without cooking the voice coil. Overbuilt, just like the Rockford subs. When I had my Vega's, I powered them with Kicker ZR amps, and would only use Alpine and Kenwood for mids and highs...never for bass.
@@Ahm-Creative ya i still build almost same boxes but i changed to building cubes separate boxes in i still use pvc easyer to to tune reason wy i build cubes now when dont have no one to help you get a big box out of the car you can throw a cube right over your shoulder lol but ya you video was interesting because i never even seen image dynamic before im a big fan of crossfire and i started likeing kicker to after i tried some 12s in the box's ya back in my days it was rockford kicker orian pioneer there was this other sub i only seen once it was called sludge hammer and it wasn't mtx and also had a pair of Hollywood 12s i had a pair of jl audio 15s in a ford probe hatch on 2 kenwood 600 amps lol that was pretty loud id probly would pick up some old school w3 or w6 12s or 15s for a good price if i see some tho
@@bryanmeier272xp8 Image Dynamics subs weren't everywhere on the scene, but when you heard them, you loved them....and you can recone them yourself in the field, in like 15-minutes, as they don't use glue. Expertly designed woofer. The IDMax 12 is very musical...I just wish it hit a bit harder for my SPL needs...I would have it over the SQL-12...but I am happy where I am. I would build a box, but I don't have the patio space I'd like in my condo, and I'm sure it may be against the rules anyway...LOL. But, today's prefabs are built by people like us who know what they're doing, so going prefab isn't taboo like it used to be. I love the way my prefab sounds, and the price is more than fair. It would cost me the same to build my own, that would sound the same...I'd rather buy one at this point. PVC ports...you definitely know the game. They've always sounded better than slotted ports to me. So much more musical, and could still get loud when you needed them to, and they hit the low notes very well. The only Orion subs I had were their entry-level Cobalt series and they were nice, but I was new to the game and ran them in bass tubes...LOL! I didn't know any better. But my buddy had 2-12" XTR's in a sealed box, off an Orion 2150SX and it produced low ear-clogging bass. Sweet set up!
@@Ahm-Creative interesting might have to see if i can find old school Image Dynamics i try to buy old school stuff its probly a addiction for me lol ya the newer orion hcca you dont need glue and also the knew kicker solo x you dont need any glue to rebuild they should make all subs like that but if they did company's probly go out of business
@@bryanmeier272xp8 The current IDMax looks very similar to the old version, and if I'm not mistaken, you didn't have to use glue on the older version either 🤔. Either way, they are awesome subs, and I wanted it to hit hard sooo much. I LOVE my SQL-12, but for nostalgia, having an IDMax12 woulda been sweet! And yeah, the Kicker Solo X can be rebuilt on site too....not bad at all. If companies charged a good price for the recone kit, they should be able to stay in business.
Yup. The winning-most combination back in the day was PPI amps, JL Audio subs, and MB Quart drivers. Still an awesome combination to this day. My all-time favorite subs were the JBL T-120's. This is back before they came out with the GTi's. Bought them back in the late 80's and ran them in an IB setup in a Mitsubishi Tredia I used to have. Didn't have the best amp on them, but it was what I could afford at the time, and it pounded. I had a Sherwood 180w on the JBL's and a PPI 2050am on mids and highs. Man, I miss those times. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane, my man!! 👍
@@iceman45ification1 Bruh....JLW6's, PPI amps and MB Quart components... yes sir! Man, right when it was narrowing it down to my choice of components, I was literally a day away from going with MB Quart, but I got a Diamond Audio Hex demo, and was sold! But that was the ultimate combo! I wasn't the biggest fan of JBL subs because I was 100% into dB Drag, but I did like their mids and highs. Late 80s to mid 2000s... the best era of car audio for me.