I know a little bit about car audio, not too much, but enough to do my own installations and everything... my non-bose car has a Pioneer headunit and all 4 alpine speakers (s series) that i'm pretty happy with.. I still want to add subs though and I don't know which would provide me with the type of sound i want out of them...

I listen to rock music.. different kinds, but a lot of it is hardcore punk, alternative, emo, and some metal... so I'm not looking for a loud *** booming sound, just accurate clean sounding tight bass... I don't care how loud it is outside my car, I just want it to sound good to me..

Now a friend of mine reccomended I get 2 12" JL subs.. I don't know much about the company so I don't know which 12s he meant.. I also kind of like the Alpine S and R series subs but I never really heard them at work...

I don't want the subs, amp, box, and wiring to cost me more than about $500 so I'm not looking for top of the line equipment, just something that I would be happy with.

What would you guys reccomend?
thanks

 

The best thing to do is go and listen to different subs. Listening to hype or opinions doesn't mean anything until you hear them for yourself. Remember though, the enclosure is what determines sound and not the sub necessarily.

 

It is difficult to get you a decent sub system for $500.
Figure each sub will be about $125 (2 = $250)
Amp - (JL Audio 500/1 = $375)
You are already over budget, and you still don't have a box or accessories.
Why don't you think about buying a prefab Kicker ported box, or a self amplified subwoofer?
What kind of bass do you want?
Bass for your own pleasure, or one you can hear you coming from a block away?

 

Hands down no-brainer...Get the Stealth Box from JL Audio, and a good 200-250 watt amp. Nothing can touch it for SQ, and ease of install.

 

who sells stealthboxes? i heard a LOT of good things about them...

 

JL Audio sells them.

my system is what i consider a 'budget system.' The whole sub, box, amp combo didn't cost over 500 bucks. My two Rockford Fosgate HE (the new 03 model) subs were $109 each, sealed box was $70, and amp was $200. it's boomy when I want it to be boomy yet when I listen to some alternative or techno, the bass is nice and tight.

it's not as hardcore of a system like some of the nice setups you'll find on the org, but it adds some nice low end to my music.

here's a pic