First off, i'm a total noob when it comes to the technical stuff, especially the audio. 4-5 months ago I got new front speakers and tweeters put in my 07MCS, and a 10" JL W1. The front speakers and amp are both powered by a 500 watt 4-channel kenwood amp. The outcome has been great, huge improvement from the stock system, and much cheaper by compartison to the Harmon Kardon option.

The thing is my low base output is exactly what I hoped. Its a little punchy on some songs, especially rap songs, that I was expecting to be a deeper, full bodied sound. My intial thought was that the factory headunit shoould be changed for something after market. But I wouldn't be surprised if it has more to do with the wattage my amp is putting out and nature of my W1. I usually have the the bass level at +2 or +3, and that seems pretty high.

I'm just curious what is the main culprit for this, be it the sub itself, the amp, or the headunit, or all of the above. I told the salesman i listen alot of electro and dubstep, some pretty bassy stuff, and hoping he didn't just put me onto those pieces so he could make a quick sale.

 

typo - 2nd paragraph, first sentence. low base output ISN'T exactly what i hoped for

 

What version of the W1 is it? 4 or 8 ohm...v2? Box size?

What is the amp model #? Kenwood KAC-2404S? If so your sub is only receiving around 130w rms in bridged mode. Have your sales guy hook up a better amp, such as the JL 300/4v3, and see what happens.

 

FWIW my aftermarket HU has a lot more settings and options for Bass LPF/HPF, Q, etc, to tweak all of that stuff.

 

You have door speakers, and the sub hooked up to a 500W amp?

From what I know, an amp's wattage is it's maximum wattage and it's opperating wattage is about half that. So your 500W amp is only outputting 250 divided over 4 channels. Assuming the front speakers use two channels the sub is using the other 2, so it's getting 125W and that's only when everything is maxed out, and you shouldn't be maxing out your amp.

I have one monoblock amp I forget how many watts it is, but I know it's more than 400 because that was the smallest one. Either way it's an amp dedicated for the sub (1 channel) and it's gain is set at a little less than half, and the head unit is programmed to about half.

I don't know if that makes sense or not, I haven't done this audio stuff in awhile.

 

Ya pretty sure that's the one, its mounted under my back seat so I can't see it, but that ones prolly it. How much of an impact will it make turning up the gains? The amp isn't really turned up to high, would this help? Or make it even punchy-er

 

Ya that makes sense. Ya, kinda cheaper out. I'm might looking at getting a monoblock for just the sub, but the extra 2 channels into the rear speakers. I wonder what it would like if I disconnect it from the front speakers and bridge all 4 to the sub. What kind if difference it will make in the quality out of the speakers

 

Either get a bigger amp so you get more power from the bridged channels. If you have multiple amps and multiple power wires you're going to cause more audio problems with your front speakers, they're going to pick up hums from the engine.

Or skip the front speakers and use this one amp for the sub. I haven't amped my front speakers, but I'm told it would sound better if I did.

 

What kind of box did you build for the the sub?

 

Ya the front speakers sound almost too good. They're the reason the doors rattle. The box is just a small slanted closed box. Small enough that there's like 3-4 inches if space between the sub and the hatch door. I didn't stealth mount it, it's small enough that it only takes up half the space in my "trunk"

 

I got one of these from a buddy of mine
When I lay it flat it's level with the hatch, it's ok, but it's not great, or anything close to what I want. I have another that I love, but it takes up 75% of my trunk... and rattles everything. Still looking for an alternative but this gets the job done for now.

 

In theory, if I get new headunit, it could power the front speakers, freeing up the amp to power only the sub right? My might the most functional/cheapest option. Could get double din, harness and installation for 300. Not bad right?