Which sub setup is better for sq?

br85

Just wondering, as I'll be getting a high powered amp with 2 10" subs (in sealed boxes) fairly soon, and I want to know what the Polk fans think. Answer poll only if you think the SR6500 / SR5250 speakers are awesome :P These are the other speakers in my car (to give you an idea)

I allowed option for multiple voting, because to many people, 2, 3, or all 4 of the setups would be so similar in sound quality that voting for more than 1 makes sense.

Kinetic

on the amp definitly the PDX, about the subs, i like the SRs a little bit more, but you should hear them both, and decide by yourself.

Greg Peters

br85 wrote: »

Just wondering, as I'll be getting a high powered amp with 2 10" subs (in sealed boxes) fairly soon, and I want to know what the Polk fans think. Answer poll only if you think the SR6500 / SR5250 speakers are awesome :P These are the other speakers in my car (to give you an idea)

I allowed option for multiple voting, because to many people, 2, 3, or all 4 of the setups would be so similar in sound quality that voting for more than 1 makes sense.

Conundrum- I like both amps and both subs, so I think you'll end up with a nice sounding sub system either way.

What it will boil down to for amp choice is efficiency- the JL amp can certainly be a "current hog," so you'd better have a solid electrical system and a stout alternator if you go this route, especially if your system will have an amplifier for your front stage drawing additional current as well. The slash series 1000/1 puts out 1000 watts (500 per sub) which is a good match for the W6v2 subs, and is maybe a little shy on power (going by RMS rating) for two of the SRs. The PDX 1000.1 would do the job fine and probably tax your electrical system less. Either choice would probably be enough for normal listening, but if highest volume possible (while sounding good of course) is the goal, 1400 watts RMS is a more appropriate target range for amp power if you intend to run two of the SRs.

As for the subs, I have both a 10W6v2 and an SR124 DVC, and I switched up to the 12" Polk last summer. There were a number of things I preferred from the Polk SR sub over the JL, and after recently putting the W6 back in for a few days the differences I'd observed became more obvious. They're both good sounding subs with slightly different qualities- the JL kicks like a mule, but the bass frequencies sound a little less distinct and the bass image remains over my shoulder regardless of phase settings. The SR sub does a better job (for my tastes) providing a solid bass image on the dash and seems to respond better to transients in the music without sounding "late" from the group delay function. The SR produced more volume than the JL at the same input power- partly from the additional cone area of the 12" and partly because of design. The JL requires a slightly larger enclosure and slightly more power than the manufacturer's specs would have you believe for the best all-around performance, and going on the small end for enclosure specs rolls off the lowest frequencies pretty early. They're both very good woofers, but for my situation the SR is the preferred product, regardless of MSRP. Consider stepping up to the 12" version if you have a little more room.

br85

Greg Peters wrote: »

Conundrum- I like both amps and both subs, so I think you'll end up with a nice sounding sub system either way.

What it will boil down to for amp choice is efficiency- the JL amp can certainly be a "current hog," so you'd better have a solid electrical system and a stout alternator if you go this route, especially if your system will have an amplifier for your front stage drawing additional current as well. The slash series 1000/1 puts out 1000 watts (500 per sub) which is a good match for the W6v2 subs, and is maybe a little shy on power (going by RMS rating) for two of the SRs. The PDX 1000.1 would do the job fine and probably tax your electrical system less. Either choice would probably be enough for normal listening, but if highest volume possible (while sounding good of course) is the goal, 1400 watts RMS is a more appropriate target range for amp power if you intend to run two of the SRs.

As for the subs, I have both a 10W6v2 and an SR124 DVC, and I switched up to the 12" Polk last summer. There were a number of things I preferred from the Polk SR sub over the JL, and after recently putting the W6 back in for a few days the differences I'd observed became more obvious. They're both good sounding subs with slightly different qualities- the JL kicks like a mule, but the bass frequencies sound a little less distinct and the bass image remains over my shoulder regardless of phase settings. The SR sub does a better job (for my tastes) providing a solid bass image on the dash and seems to respond better to transients in the music without sounding "late" from the group delay function. The SR produced more volume than the JL at the same input power- partly from the additional cone area of the 12" and partly because of design. The JL requires a slightly larger enclosure and slightly more power than the manufacturer's specs would have you believe for the best all-around performance, and going on the small end for enclosure specs rolls off the lowest frequencies pretty early. They're both very good woofers, but for my situation the SR is the preferred product, regardless of MSRP. Consider stepping up to the 12" version if you have a little more room.

Well, regarding the sub, from this and the other forums I made this post at, the SR seems to be the favorite, despite the w6 being more popular in the "real world", so the SR it is.

I know the JL 1000/1 is capable of at least 1100 (if not 1200) watts rms, and yes I have a dry cell battery kit, so power level should be fine, but if the PDX sounds just as good and takes up less space/is cheaper I might go with that option.

Reasons I want 10's, not 12's:
1. Space - I carry a lot of music gear in my car, sometimes in excess of a whole guitar rig or drum kit
2. I Don't listen to rap or r&b at all. ever.
3. I listen to a fair bit of hard rock/metal/any music with a nice kick drum. 10" subs are famous for putting out a nice, tight, on-time kick drum sound. Some people tell me that 12's can do the same now, but I've never seen the proof in the pudding.

br85

Kinetic wrote: »

on the amp definitly the PDX, about the subs, i like the SRs a little bit more, but you should hear them both, and decide by yourself.

Neither of those subs exist within 250km's of where I live so it is going to have to be a blind buy. I CAN'T hear them before I decide.

zingo

wow, dead tie. Weird.

Greg Peters

br85 wrote: »

Well, regarding the sub, from this and the other forums I made this post at, the SR seems to be the favorite, despite the w6 being more popular in the "real world", so the SR it is.

The W6 is popular in the "real world" because it does it's job well, but the same JL products often take a beating in the real world based on price too...the manufacturer isn't really known as a cost effective solution for many, and you can come up with other choices with similar quality for less sometimes. The W6 has also been on the market in various incarnations for longer than the SR. Based on marketing alone, JL spends more time and energy on marketing than many manufacturers. I don't tend to "bash" JL- especially when it comes to subs, as I've experienced the product, but I know there are lower-priced subs that do as good a job (or better in some respects). Speaker design can be about designing-in the right set of compromises for good performance, which naturally makes some designs slightly better than others- the trick is finding the right one for your install and tastes at a price you're willing to pay.

br85 wrote: »

I know the JL 1000/1 is capable of at least 1100 (if not 1200) watts rms, and yes I have a dry cell battery kit, so power level should be fine, but if the PDX sounds just as good and takes up less space/is cheaper I might go with that option.

The dry cell battery won't magically make your alternator put out more amperage though- what output is your alternator rated for? What type of car? Unless it's pretty stout, many OEM alternators can struggle with much more than a kilowatt at higher volume. Depending on what type of amp you'll be using for the rest of your system, you'll want to keep an eye on the total draw of the system. Upgrading "the big 3" for your charging system is a good idea if you haven't done so.

The PDX will be smaller and more efficient than a JL 1000/1, though I believe the JL product has more fine tuning features built into it.

br85 wrote: »

Reasons I want 10's, not 12's:
1. Space - I carry a lot of music gear in my car, sometimes in excess of a whole guitar rig or drum kit
2. I Don't listen to rap or r&b at all. ever.
3. I listen to a fair bit of hard rock/metal/any music with a nice kick drum. 10" subs are famous for putting out a nice, tight, on-time kick drum sound. Some people tell me that 12's can do the same now, but I've never seen the proof in the pudding.

Then definitely go with the 10".

The 12" does require a slightly larger enclosure, but is not limited to reproducing specific styles of music in spite of what you might think. I mostly listen to rock and country in the car, but occaisionally I'll play almost anything- I can't find a single example of where a style of music sounded poor because a 12" woofer was reproducing the bass portions compared to the 10" I ran previously. The 12 has a little more "weight" with lower frequencies that the smaller sub tends to roll off rather than reproduce, but I believe a properly designed 12" (or a 15" for that matter) subwoofer when properly used in the right enclosure will have a better shot at reproducing the entire frequency spectrum than smaller format woofers are capable of. Rock and roll tends to have more information in the upper bass region, and 12s can sound great playing that too- the higher you go in terms of frequency, the more the results depend on having a great front stage...your SR6500s will help you in that regard .

Group delay (what makes bass response sound "late") is not only a function of the woofer, but of the enclosure as well. Inductance (Le) inherent in a woofer's design can contribute to certain frequencies exhibiting some group delay or roll-off, and if present in a certain model of sub, you'll likely find it in all sizes offered, be they 8s or 10s or 12s or 15s. Well-designed larger format woofers can sound every bit as "tight" as their smaller brothers. My SR124 actually does a better job on a kick drum "triplet" on a certain track (Blue Rodeo's cover of "To Love Somebody") than the W6 ever did- the W6 blurred the three attacks into two less distinct ones, and I didn't actually notice there was a triple attack on the kick drum until confirming on a home reference system...after initially "discovering" it playing on the SR.

Not to split hairs- all the gear in this thread you've been thinking about does a decent job, and should make you happy with some experimentation in terms of "SQ".

MacLeod

Cant go wrong with either sub.

As for the amp, theyre both exceptionally well built and 1000 watts is 1000 watts so get the one you can get the best price on.