I am looking into getting a subwoofer for my 98 Z. Currently I have only 1 amp, an Orion Cobalt CS200.4 (200W 4 channel amp). At the moment, it is split 4 ways between 4 speakers. I would like to reconfigure it so that 2 50W channels go to the two speakers (Boston Acoustic RM6) and then bridge the other two channels to send 100W to a sub. My question is whether this will be too little power for a good subwoofer?

My intent is to get a stealth box from subthump.com and then put in one of the recomended subwoofers that is closest to or under $100. I am just concerned that I may overwork and damage my amplifier trying to power a sub that can handle anywhere between 50-300W and two speakers. I am not a big audiophile, but I want it to sound good, at least better than a good factory car audio system. Would I be better off buying another dedicated singel channel amp for the sub?

Also, if I only go with two normal speakers, would it typically sound better to leave the speakers in the doors or in the rear passenger seat sail panels? Or is it too subjective to really recommend one spot over another?

Thanks for any help,
Bill

 

100W for a sub is on the weak side IMO. I would recommend at least 250W minimum.

You cannot damage an amp by connecting it to a sub that can handle more power than the amp can deliver.

The minimum amount of speakers you need for good sound is 3. Two in the doors and a sub in back. If done right there is no need for rear fill speakers unless you have a DVD setup that uses true surround sound processing. Click the link below to see my car's setup. I only have 3 speakers yet whenever I demo my car for people they always ask what speakers I have in back. They are always surprised when I show them that I don't have ANY speakers in back.

 

I agree. 100W is weak and the basic satellite/sub setup does work very well. I like deep bass and the Kicker solobarics do the best job in a small space. A single 10" L7 with at LEAST 400 watts behind it would work extremely well in a 1 cu ft. box or less. I stress at least 400 watts because the woffer is recommended for 600-1200 watts. With the right CD you can get a nice full body massage as a bonus.

 

If you want a bang for the buck subwoofer, check out Elemental Designs. They have their 10K woofers on clearance for $100. Your probably going to need a bigger amp for it though as it should have atleast 350 watts.

 

Pretty much what every one said. You will be very dissapointed with 100W. I would say at least 300W (150 RMS)

 

I wouldn't really call the Kicker solobarics 'deep bass.' They go loud and they hit hard but the have a 'higher' type sound to them, especially in smaller enclosures.

I understand why Kicker does it, a lot of people like that sound and they are in business to make money but I wouldn't call it deep bass is all I'm saying. The Comp and Comp VR lines are more so the ones that have a deeper sound to them compared to the solobarics with the ones I've heard. All of this is without EQ'ing of course, a nice 1/3 octave EQ can help out a lot.

 

Good points. I also shouldn't have said they do the best job (there are others). It's not so much the speaker itself but the entire application. They are designed for a sealed box which gives a smooth rolloff and work real well with their amps. Their amps can be adjusted to boost just the right point to give a nice response even at real low frequencies. I want to catch every frequency I can without taking up a ton of space and that's why I chose the L7. With a 10", a cubic foot box, and the right amp, (setup properly of course) can make for a REALLY good combination.

 

What kind of music do you (the people making the recommendations) listen to most often? I would assume stuff that hits hard and just wouldnt feel right without the bass? Rap? Dance? Rock?

 

My preferred genre is "Classic Rock" for the most part. Bands like Thin Lizzy, UFO, Montrose, Kansas, Rush, etc. I also like a lot of the "new wave" and "hair bands" from the 80's. Never cared too much for the whole "Grunge" thing.

 

I listen to all types of music and I don't want to miss any frequencies. My 10" L7 is quite strong down to 25hz and below. Most subs don't perform that well and drop off sharply so you miss out on some of the music. I lot of folks don't know what they are missing. So how low can you go?

 

I don't think it's that big of a problem in car stereo. When I first got my '95 Tahoe I used a pair of 8" Solo Barics in .33 cubic foot sealed enclosures. In a normal listening room these subs only go down to around 45Hz at best. Probably closer to 50Hz. When we measured them in the truck they measured +3dB @ 25Hz according to the Audio Control spectrum analyzer the shop used. There's a lot ot be said for "Cabin Gain" when it comes to subwoofers in car stereoes.