hey all, currently i have 2 12" L7's installed in my is350. Its in a sealed box. It punches nice but I like the deeper bass. Should I switch over to a ported box? any suggestions on how to configure current set up to get the sound im looking for? Also looking for suggestions on upgrades for the stock speakers and amps. I havent looked into speakers since i was in my teens so i need an update! lol! TIA

 

Since the Fs is 34 Hz, if you go below that with a vented enclosure, you run the risk of unloading the woofer and letting out the magic smoke. Keep in mind, also, that you need a pretty large box to run vented - 1.75 cu ft per sub. Figure about 2 cu ft with sub displacement included. That's not huge, but that's the minimum size Kicker recommends. If you tune the box much higher than the Fs, say 40 Hz, you run the risk of unloading the woofer once you get below the resonant frequency of the vent. Again, magic smoke.

What size is the current box? How much power are you running? You may need a larger sealed box to hit the lower notes you're looking for. Kicker recommends a larger box for the best subbass performance in their manuals (and to their dealers).

See above

Go and listen. There are so many options out there, it's nearly impossible to make a blanket recommendation. Amps have gotten extremely cheap, but sticking with a reputable brand will most likely yield best results and limit the possibility of getting a bad one. Listening to different speakers will give you the ability to hear the difference between designs, as you know your ears and no one else does. What I mean is that some people find metal dome tweeters to be fine, others consider them shrill and require cloth domes instead. It's all about what you like since you, ultimately, have to listen to them.

First thing I would do is figure out a budget and gauge your options based on that.

Big Mack

 

Sealed for a tighter crisper hit from the sub or porter for better volume/output. It's personal preferrence.

 

i prefer the ported boxes, so the sub can breathe.

 

Absolutely correct, IMO. Ported will play louder as you get volume from the port itself. As for sealed, the bass will play tighter (crisper), more accurately, and can play deeper than ported if the box is built correctly. Do keep the Fs in mind when building a ported box, as well as the fact that you want more power on a woofer in a sealed box.