JackBauer

Hey I drive a 96 Maxima. Im buying 2 Hifonics amps (ZX6400 4 Channel Amplifier for interior speakers & BX1500D Class D 1500W Amp for 2 12" Kicker L7 subs) I was just wondering if I am going to be able to power these without my lights dimming or battery dieng? Any suggestions on what I should get? A new battery/alternator? Thanks alot

nghtfthlngknvs

you'll have to install it and see i think. some cars can handle 1500W+ with no problems whatsoever, but you can always add a cap and a new alternator if you need to. getting a new battery will do you no good unless you are planning to use your stereo a lot with the car off(not a great idea anyway ) make sure you run 1/0awg wire too.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

No, your going to have dimming. A new alternator would definetly be a good solution, but its a pain in the @ss to get an alternator fabbed in.
As far as a battery goes, get either an Optima Yellow or Red top.

As for the electical, do the "magic 3" mod...

Basically you upgrade the wires from the,

Alternator-Battery (Positive)
Engine ground-Chassis (Ground)
Chassis-Battery (Ground)

The alternator wire, I didnt upgrade, but just added. 4awg should do just fine considering the wire lenght isnt too long, but your going to definetly have to use 1/0 to run to the amps.

Dont 4get to get a cap, with that much power you'll be pulling close to 2kw, so two 1.0farads should do just fine.

nghtfthlngknvs

for the cap, the general rule is 1f/1kw so you woudl want a 2.0f cap for optimal performance, your amps would love the 20v surge that most 2.0f caps put out too. stinger makes good caps if you're in the market.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

Also, one thing to keep in mind is that as far as round, electrolytic capacitors go, there are two manufacturing facilities in the world that produce the 20v max rating caps... so don't shop for brand name, shop for price. They are all the same thing with a diff sticker on them.

JackBauer

thanks alot for the help... From what most people ave said over on the www.caraudio.com forum and here I'm gonna have to get a new, higher power alternator. Anyone know where I can get one and around how much it's gonna cost? thanks

nghtfthlngknvs

Damn, i learn something new every day. man i just passed up a 2.4f voodoo cap with 8ft 4awg wire and a 24v surge rating on ebay for 46.00. thanks for the info HitManSE i'll definately remember that.

nghtfthlngknvs

JackBauer, Duralast makes some fair-priced, great quality alternators. check those out. you can always pay moreand get an even higer-end one, and DO NOT cheap out on a component like an alternator, mark my words.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

1st:
The Alternator would be great, but it is a hassle to do. Remember, it takes power to make power. This means that its going to be harder to turn so your going to lose more power, and lose 1-2mpg as well. Dont go up any higher then 150-160a, that should be MORE then enough.
Like I said, get the "magic 3" done, get yourself either a Optima RT or YT. Hell I have two YT's. Here, click for more info regarding the alternator.HERE its been discussed on this thread. Id that this route 1st, if there was a direct replacment for the OEM alternator that was in the 150a range, id already have it.

2nd:
Gather more info over at www.caraudioforum.com im a member on both boards, CAF has more informative people that dont b!tch at other as much

nghtfthlngknvs: No prob. Just keep in mind, im refering to the round 16v & 20v caps you see all over the place. The square ones made my stinger are diff. You can find more info regarding this over at CAF (the link is right above)

sk24iam

Get an optima yellow top, upgrade the magic 3, and if you have to, then get a cap. If those don't work, you will have to get a ho alt. Most likely you won't need one though. BTW, those amps are amazing, You will be very happy with them. Good Luck.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

sk24iam: Are those K's or A's? Either way...every consider porting them?

sk24iam

Thay are O's. I'm trying to trade them or sell them so I xan get myself either a 12 or 15 A to port. I had some good deals but they all fell through unfortunatly.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

O series, no wonder they arnt ported. I came close to ordering a 15a a while ago, but the 3+ month wait kinda pushed me toward the B15v2...definetly was not a mistake.

sk24iam

Yeah te subs are great. just that I need more trunk room. I figured a 15a sealed will bump pretty damn well with 1000 watts. Too bad it's so hard to get one.

raga55

sk24iam where did u buy your car from? j/w

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

I dont know about that, I guess im kind of a bass head but mine is in a 3.5ft box, ported to 28hz. My normal amp fried, so Im running it with a 500rms amp right now. Ive heard a 12a in a 1ft box with a BX1000d amp running it, and to the ear my setup was considerabley louder & covered the low notes A LOT better. Once again, this was in a 1ft sealed box, but when it came to accuracey & hitting the higher notes (60Hz+) the A was tighter (as expected, its sealed) but bottom line was with half the power, in SPL it dwarded the A.

I dont know how much louder the 15a will be over the 12, but I dont think it would take up much more trunk space if you used the box that ED has on their site. You know the 2.2ft at 30hz. Just a suggestion

I still havnt heard a 15a locally, ill write up a comparison when I do.

sk24iam

Raga, I'm in Huntington myself. Good to see someone else from around here on te org. I bought my maxima from a kid in South Huntington. He was going to college and had to sell it. It took me forever to buy my car, I was looking for black on black 5 speed and low miles. After 3 months, I went with the black on black, 34k miles, and auto. BTW, you should go to Tobay Beach on March 28th. Were caravaning in.

HitmanSE, They guys on soundillusions said that the 15a sealed owuld be as loud as a 12a ported. So I figured that's what I'd go with. BTW, what is a B15v2? What does it stand for? I don't think I've ever heard one.

raga55

yea i thought your car looked familiar that kids a friend of mine and i put the intake in about a month before he sold it

sk24iam

Nice. I heard frm him that he has a g35 coupe now with a procharger or something like that.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

Alright that more like it then, if the 15a sealed, can do what the 12a can "ported" id stick with that. Your still going to be able to put out well over 130db and maintain the accuracey that a ported setup kinda loses. Less group delay
B15v2 = Brahma MK2 15...This thing.
Like I said, I was considering getting the 15a, but got the Braham instead. It costs a bit more then the 15a ($460 shipped) but its a more "natural" sounding sub then the 15a. It doesnt look as good as the 15a, but put in a sealed box in terms of SQ the only sub that can touch it is the 13W7, and by a slight margin that wasnt worth $300 to me. Gotta love XBL^2.

nghtfthlngknvs

oooh man, you got a brahma mk2!? that's the sub dreams are made of. near impossible to beat! who cares how it looks anyway?! if you get hung up on asthetics, you'll end up with audiobahn junk. that brahma is my dream sub man good work.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Looks wise, its not bad. I was just compring its looks to the 15a which is the sexiest looking sub out there IMO. As far as the Brahma goes, its everything its made out to be & then some. This thing is MEAN.
Audiobahn is just the "rice" of caraudio.

nghtfthlngknvs

sir, i am in your debt. that is like the Ron Jeremy of car audio. as for audiobahns, they are are some horrid pieces of work. if you have ever used one, you know that the sq is awful and the cones become hot to the touch on many of their subs(even high-end models!) after anywhere between 20-60min of operation at rms. if you do enjoy your audiobahns, then you'll be happy as can be for a week(in case you didn't get it, it means that the sub will have died by then)! if you want style and sound, those Phoenix Gold Tis with the lights in the cone look really sweet and don't sound half bad either.

sk24iam

oh, ok a Brahma. Yeah, 460 is a lot more than 315 so you'd better hope that it hits harder.

nghtfthlngknvs

it's worth every penny sk24iam. not only do they hit much harder, they sound better too!

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

From what many have said the Brahma does exactly "hit" as hard as the 15a. Although personally I dont think it lacks in that area.
The from what ive heard the 15a adds and extra boom to certain notes. Its a bit more "punchy" then the Brahma.
The Brahma on the other had is differnet from most subs, many just describe it as a feeling. You cant tell the sub is in the rear though, the car just fills with bass, very smooth and powerful to say the least. It reproduces notes accurately, even at 140+db every note is hit dead on. It doesnt add and extra boom to notes, nor does it have distortion.
Try going over to www.caraudioforum.com and gathering more info about it there. That site has a bit more info then soundillusion.
Yes it does cost $460 shipped, but like I said the only sub that will come close to it is the 13W7. Ive even heard W7 owners say they prefer the sound of a Brahma to a W7. Its all about ones own personal taste.
If you can get a chance to listen to one, you just might change you mind about the 15a.
Dont get me wrong man. Im not trying to persuade you into getting a Brahma, the 15a is an awesome sub but the Brahma is just a better sub. If that margin is worth an extra $140 to you then thats your call. The Brahma vs ED15a is an ongoing debat as you'll find on those forums.

nghtfthlngknvs

well said hitman! couldn't have said it better myself!

slickrick

iTrader: (12)

i have 2 10" pg ti's and i love them. def. out bump my friend 2 type r 12's. and the sq is there too.

nghtfthlngknvs

Yea phoenix gold makes some nice stuff in all areas. fair-priced too! which CDTs do you have?

slickrick

iTrader: (12)

cl61a's with the cl6x in the back. i love the setup.

sk24iam

Yeah I'm on caraudioforum.com all the time. I know the Brahma is a great sub, I did a good amount of research on it when I was first looking for subs, but I don't think it's what I need. I might just stick with the O's. Will see what happends.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

Your not kidding, you've been a member almost as long as I have Its just that 99% of the people that talk about audio have never heard of brands like ED, Adire, RE, ect...
The O's are great subs man, they should hit the mark as far as SQ goes just fine. The Brahma is a great sub, there is one thing and only 1 thing that I dont like about it though. The damn thing moves sooo much air that it literally shakes the car to its core. You'd be astonished at the amount of rattling I have
Roof flexes even at moderate volume levels, rear windsheild...flexes...trunk lid feels like its about to blow off. My license plate is flapping around like crazy...windsheild wipers are jumping to the beat
In other words...its sheer overkill. I have yet to apply 3-4 layers of stfu-80.

slickrick

iTrader: (12)

how many brahmas do you have and what amp and box? just curious.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

Just 1 and the amp...well thats a long story, but I was "supposed" to be powering it with a DEI Viper 1200.1 that pretty much get toasted as soon as we hooked it up (defective) sent it in about a month ago...directed is supposed to be shipping me a new amp one of these days. Ill find out on thursday...oh back on topic...im using a autotek 500w amp as a temporary til I get the big amp.

So right now its just 1 Brahma and a 500w amp. Its in a 3.5cu.ft box, ported & tuned to 28hz. Im thinking of upgrading to a more efficient box, the port isnt in the best place IMO & I should be able to gain a bit more air space. Im still confident in saying I could squeeze atleast another 6-7db out of this sub using the same size box and tuning frequency. I havnt gotten in metered yet, but to my ear its in the upper 130's...possibly even low 140's as is.

slickrick

iTrader: (12)

sounds like a good setup. what would you guess my setup could hit db wise... i know their are about 100 variables in this but just a ballpark. i have 2 10" pg ti subs in a 1.0 per sub sealed box with a jbl600.1 my guess is low to mid 130s but i really dont know because ive never heard a car being metered before.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

Well im not really sure, but as you mentioned there are MANY variables. Considering the subs you got and the fact that its sealed I know its excellent as far as sound quality goes (btw-nice choice going with CDT, not too many poeple know about that brand).
Sealed is always more accurate then ported, but when it comes to the low end (under 60hz) a ported setup will blow a sealed one away. In a correctly built box, a ported setup (same power, same subs) could gain as much as 10db in SPL. Heres the thing about db to the ear, every time you increase the output by 6 decibles, it becomes 2x as loud to the ear. That tells you how much of a diff a ported setup can make
In person I might be able to guess approximatley were its at, but I really cant give you a solid reply online, bases on what subs you got & the amp.
You can always go to a show locally and have it metered, Im sure Usaci ect... has a branch down on FL. They measure the db level at the dash. You can also gain 2-3db by just front firing the subs, they dont sound as good though. I have mine rear-firing.

Btw- with a ported setup, its strange but the sub doesnt seem to move as much. You'd be shocked if you sat in my car, and then went around back to look at the sub and see it barley moving...scary considering its capable of 2.25" strokes & it barley goes past 3/4". Once you hit a note thats below the tuning frequency, the sub starts to swing back & forth like mad. If I played a 20hz not Id probably hit Xmax (full extension of the sub 2.25")

slickrick

iTrader: (12)

yeah. i love the cdts. so nautral sounding. im gonna amp them one day when i have time/$ to do so. i thought about ported but too many variables in the box tuning and plus my amp has no subsonic filter. i dont wanna make a box and i wanted a rather small box because i carry stuff in the trunk alot. what i have now is enough for a daily driver. my friends are very impressed. my friend has a ported setup in his grand cherokee and they barely move also. but they are so loud for just 2 12" kicker comps. plus, its easier for subs to sound better for all types of music in sealed so i went with it.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, porting is definetly A LOT more complicated then meets the eye. There is way too much math involved IMO. Kinda funny if you think about it, its just a hole in the box If your setups could best two comp vr's in a ported box, I think its safe to say your atleast over 130db.
Your right about the sealed setup though, much easier to sound good. The response is surprisingly flat & will almost always sound great. The ported setup is more for a basshead type but I have mine tuned low. I could have opted for a 35hz tune to gain 3-4 more db but its more then enough as is. Its too aggresive with some music. I only with Eclipse had an On/Off option for the sub. I cant play music like trance anymore, it just beats the holy hell out of me & any1 in the car. Its like taking sledghammer shots over & over & over...
When I have "normal" music on though, it sounds very nice. Maybe one day ill consider going sealed...Its a cool feeling when your driving while the steering wheel & pedals are vibrating but it can be too much sometimes. The typical response I get from people is they are shocked to see only 1 sub in the back.

slickrick

iTrader: (12)

his are only kicker comps, not vrs. they are in a huuge box. the box is as wide as his suv in the trunk. yeah my steering wheel shakes with certain songs, its crazy. sometimes i think i have road noise in my pedal but its just the bass. i hate math so porting is a nono. i thougt about getting one sub and impressing people but i had a strict budget and i just like the look of 2 subs and i like 10's alot. people think i have 2 12's but most people think audiobahn is the shiznit with sony a close second. maybe its me, but i feel the maxima, at least a 5th gen isnt the best car for a system. my old car(my bro drives it now) is a 94 t-bird and i just loved how the bass hit/felt in that car. maybe leather has something to do with it? plus the maxima rattles alot more, mainly the rear deck. my front licence plate rattles a little bit too, i may have to take it off. there is not really any sound competitions where i go to school but where im from everyone has a system in a riced out civic.

HitManSE

iTrader: (1)

You can actually have a ported box built, there is only one place im aware of that does a good job of it. http://www.woodlawncabinetry.com/
He is a member on CAF and has been for a while, so if you ever want to give it a try...
The rattles in the 5th gen are crazy. The rear deck is the worst, I usually have my back seat down because my trunk lid looks like its about to blow off, the sub is compressing the air & it has nowere to go. So down goes the back seat
10's I like due to their accuracey & the quick hitting characteristings. Personally though, im sold on supersubs. I dont think ill ever go back to "normal" subs again after this. I dont thing the max is the best car for a system either, staging is a bit odd. One strange thing with this car is you cant hear the bass too well from outside Even at obsene levels, from the rear/side all you hear is rattling. You can hear it to a certain extent from up front but nothing like inside. Sitting in the car, I could swear people from 1/4 down the road could hear me, if all my windows are down thats a diff story but I just find it a bit strange.
Leather doesnt really bother the sound. It reflects sound waves differently then cloth but I doubth you can tell the diff by ear.