GNX104 question

Zades
Zades Posts: 5
edited April 2003 in Car Subwoofer Talk
I've just bought and received two Polk GNX 104s from Crutchfield with the suggested 0.65 cu.ft sealed boxes. In addition, I have a Pioneer Premier 550MP (w/ WMA and MP3 playback); two US Acoustic 2100 (300x1 @ 4 ohms); and one 1-farad capacitor to keep everything clean. Oh yeah, I also have Infinity Reference 6.5" coaxs in the doors and I-R 6x9s in the rear deck...

---Honda Accord '98 LX--

I have also installed 6x9 inch baffles in the rear so that the airpressure from my subs don't affect the 6x9's cone excursion

I thought that the system would be a beauty to behold...Power, Accuracy...elegance...:-)

Well, that's simply not the case...

I am most disappointed in my subs...for the Infinities are doing wonders with the mids and highs as I wanted them to do...but the subs are truly unsatisfactory

I have positioned my sub box in every possible way, and I remain displeased...

As with anything, at low volumes the sub sounds pretty good, but once I start towards higher volumes, there is much bass distortion and clipping...and I have yet to hear them "pound" as reviews that I have read professed.

I hypothesize that my box is too small and actually have Acousti-stuf to increase the apparent size (2 lbs of the stuff). However, as I have done since I was twelve (and am now 20) I drill my holes by hand, and I would hate to take the subs out put the material in and still be displeased.

Anyone have any ideas?
"Nothing is Impossible"
Post edited by Zades on
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Comments

  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited April 2003
    well... you could just need a major "tune up" -- ie box placement / stuffing / adjusting xover or what not.

    or it could just not be the sub for you.

    the GNX is a "smooth" sub more than it is a "banger".

    It'll bump, but its not going to make your ears bleed... take a look at what the amps do... 300 x 1 at 12.9 volts -- call it 325 or so with teh car running. the gnx is rated like 175 -- dump maybe 200 on it... over that and you're really using it in a manner that's beyond its means.

    i only say this b/c you're saying it sounds fine at lower volumes then u juice it and it goes to hell. u could simply be overpowering them.

    while they may sound best in a ported box as kim says, i dont know if that's going to give u the sound quality that you want. freq-resp changes... and if you're a real nut about your precision, you're going to want that sealed -- also -- then you'd have to go through the pain of building a new box.

    try it with the gains down a little... maybe just turn the gains back about 20% from where they're at now... and then add a little bass at the deck, shape it a little better, play with the xover and see what happens for a few days. you may be pleasantly surprised.

    if that's no good... if crutch will take them back -- send back the amps and the subs and get a pair of momo's ... or hell for the same price u paid for 2 GNX's u canprolly get one momo 12 --- that alone will probably out boom the two gnx's... might not sound as clean / punchy, but it'll outboom it w/ around 5 - 600 watts.
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
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  • Zades
    Zades Posts: 5
    edited April 2003
    Indeed, Dodge, I do prefer the accuracy, although the comment by Kim is rather inspiring...

    Funny thing: on the day that I posted this, I caroused around the boards and noticed some truly informative information regarding my amplifier settings. I DID set the voltage too high.

    Once I turned it back down to around 4V (my Premier HU gives out 2.2V Max) I was pleased to hear the beauty that is a sealed enclosure.

    And yes, the GNX104s are a rather unbiased bunch. My music sounded flat and extremely precise. The soundfield is much like that I receive from my home stereo.

    Once I did read the posts regarding amplifier settings, I realized the fact that My US Acoustics 2100s are but POWER Amplifers...they aren't pre-amps. The understanding that the voltage setting only regards that from the Pre-amplifying device's capabilities has truly assisted me in this novice project.

    Next year, I am going to up my system and might consider getting the Momos--or another powerful sub that operates in a sealed enclosure--and purchasing component sets...

    I'll probably come here again for ideas on that...

    Thanks folks...
    "Nothing is Impossible"
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