Opinions on this $50 mystery sub. I want one

Boosted77 · 08-04-2012

So the HCCA 12.2 that I run in my blue hatch needs a recone...finally. But I want to go with a lower power amp around 1k rms. I have the amp which is a mint Zapco Ref750 that is a match with the Ref220 I run on the mids/highs already.

Trolling Ebay the other day and saw this sub for $50 shipped. You know me, I luv a good deal and am always looking for the best quip for the money.

From the looks of the sub and the motor along with the 2" coil, I could see the sub taking the rated 800 rms. The sub looks good to me. The terminals and leads look nice and the cone is stitched to a beefy surround. I try not to hug on brand names and always cheer for the under dog; and for $50 bucks shipped I want to try one out. I promise that I will abuse the sub to it's mechanical limits to see if it performs as well as I think it looks.

Brand new, 1 year warranty, free shipping:

NEW CAR AUDIO DUAL VOICE DUAL 4 ohm 12" 1600W SUB subwoofer L12 | eBay

I think this sub will either completely suck or it will have good output and take some abuse. But from the looks of it I wanna get one and run it on the old Zapco amp in my old enclosure.

Any opinions or factoids about this mystery sub are appreciated for sure.

nkrell11 · 08-04-2012

Never seen anything like it props to you for giving it a shot and not being a nuthugger lol.

I meant never seen anything like it brand wise. Good luck man.

Burkem_10 · 08-04-2012

I think it looks pretty good. Abuse it and let us know what happens lol. What are you doing with your mtx amp that you had in the car?

Boosted77 · 08-04-2012

Yeah, I figured what the heck. This is my thing, for $50 new, I've seen helluva lot worse.

But the MTX amp is just sitting under a table in the dining room. The hcca 12.2 is in the back bedroom. It needs a $150 recone then it's a new sub. But I have three amps I could run that should work pretty good. The Orion NT200 dual mono block, running 2 ohms. Really I want to run the Zapco Z300c2 that been sitting in my room for over a year. But the Ref750 is a match for the Ref220 so it would "look" more complete, I guess.

I figured I'd ask incase anyone had messed with one. But I'm gonna order one next week after I finish up this job and get paid.

RidinLoudProd · 08-04-2012

be sure to make some videos.

666WMD · 08-04-2012

Looks like a rather small magnet for 800wrms, but subbed for results anyway.

Boosted77 · 08-05-2012

Well here's a pic of the amp choices. Recognize any of them? The Zapco variants in the pics are some clean, powerful amps. That Z300c2 in the back row will do every bit of 1200 watts at 1ohm bridged on 90 amps worth of fuse; it's class A/B too. Gets hot as heck but it doesn't burn up. I've got a new fan for it but need to install it. It went for around $1500 which is crazy back in like '96-'97. But I got most of them on Ebay for a couple hundred here and there. There ain't an amp out there that will touch the power and clarity of one of those old Zeff amps for that price. Yeah their used but basically indestructible, though as I say this there's one on Ebay that's messed up which is rare.

Choices, hmm.

But, yeah I want to order one of the subs next week. Might turn out okay, might suck.

Andreas1977 · 08-05-2012

Strange that the other one they offer for 73,- only got rated at 700w rms, but looks better. NEW CAR AUDIO DUAL VOICE DUAL 4 Ohm 12" 1400W SUB SUBWOOFER M2 | eBay

666WMD · 08-05-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andreas1977

Strange that the other one they offer for 73,- only got rated at 700w rms, but looks better. NEW CAR AUDIO DUAL VOICE DUAL 4 Ohm 12" 1400W SUB SUBWOOFER M2 | eBay

I'd get that one over the other. 3" VC vs a 2" for the $50 sub, better cooling and appears to be a bigger motor.

Andreas1977 · 08-05-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by 666WMD

I'd get that one over the other. 3" VC vs a 2" for the $50 sub, better cooling and appears to be a bigger motor.

And the frame of this model can be re-used for a project sub.

Mr. Crunch · 08-05-2012

U guys are gonna make me get 4 and put 3k on them

Another Q. Do these come in a 10" form?

Mr. Crunch · 08-05-2012

Found them. Chit just got real. Sadly i'm talking a good month before I do something

little-kid-wit-bass · 08-05-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boosted77

Is that my amp? Or did you find another one.

Boosted77 · 08-05-2012

Dang there's a little bigger one? Heck yeah, nice find. I missed it. Yeah the basket and motor look better one that one:

I'd pay the difference for the cast basket and 3" coil, for sure.

They're Chinese build house subs. They're not JL 13w7's by any means but jeez for the price I think they'd be worth a shot.

Look at JL Audio's sub in the same price range. Pretty friggen sorry. Try to avoid subs that have a plastic magnet cover. That's to hide that anemic little motor:

JL AUDIO 12WX-4 500W MAX SINGLE 4 OHM 12" WX SERIES CAR COMPONENT LOUD SUBWOOFER | eBay

Which one would you go with?

This is why I cheer for the underdog and seek out nice quip. that doesn't break the bank.

I like the little green leaf on the dust cap. Heck everything's going green these days. Lol.

Oh, no Kid, the pic of the amps is from summer '11. The Orion XTR amp in the pick is the same one I sent ya.

Boosted77 · 08-05-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Crunch

U guys are gonna make me get 4 and put 3k on them

Another Q. Do these come in a 10" form?

Ta da: NEW CAR AUDIO DUAL VOICE DUAL 4 Ohm 10" 800W SUB SUBWOOFER | eBay

Pretty nice looking sub for $43 bucks shipped.

smfonic1 · 08-05-2012

These seem interesting but than again boss audio makes some impressive looking subs for cheap. You never know until you try them.

666WMD · 08-05-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by smfonic1

These seem interesting but than again boss audio makes some impressive looking subs for cheap. You never know until you try them.

Not in a 3" VC for $75 they don't.

RidinLoudProd · 08-05-2012

Can you find any Theile-Small Parameter on these to help put them in a proper enclosure?

nkrell11 · 08-05-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by smfonic1

These seem interesting but than again boss audio makes some impressive looking subs for cheap. You never know until you try them.

This made me lol.

Boosted77 · 08-05-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by RidinLoudProd

Can you find any Theile-Small Parameter on these to help put them in a proper enclosure?

Well, they got this info in the "item description" for the $74 sub. The RD-12.:

Specifications:
RMS Power Handling 700(Watts)
Peak Power Handling 1400(Watts)
Subwoofer Size 12 Inch
Basket Material Steel
Cone Material Non-pressed Paper
Frequency Response 40-900(Hz)
Sensitivity 88.5 (db)
Impedance Dual 4 Ohm
Surround Material Santoprene Rubber
Voice Coil Diameter 2.98 (inches)
Mounting Depth 6.9 (inches)
Mounting Diameter 11.1 (inches)
Recommended Ported Box Cubic FT 1.25 - 1.75 (CU. FT)
Recommended Sealed Box Cubic FT 0.8 - 3.0 (CU. FT)

I wanted to go with a 1-1.25 ft3 sealed box that sits lower in the trunk and doesn't weigh as much. The old set-up with the amp sub and box weighed 120 lbs. My car would bottom out pretty hard sometimes with the coil-overs that I run. So I wanted to lighten up the set-up a bit. The power, weight, etc.

So maybe these might be a cheap thrill. I gotta clean and detail three cars for a lady next week and then I'm getting the $75 variant and if it holds up good and doesn't sound like ball bearings in a grinder (aka Kicker L7) then I seriously might grab like three more and put 'em in the attic for 4-12's set-up in the astro van on the BC3500. That might be cul.

666WMD · 08-05-2012

Only just noticed the Frequency Response 40-900(Hz). I hope that's wrong like the "Basket Material Steel" (It's obviously a cookie cutter cast aluminium).

You could always try some Baltic birch to lighten the weight a bit Matt.

RidinLoudProd · 08-05-2012

sounds like a plan....the 40-900hz scares me some. I know it depends on the box 2 but i love my lows. wonder what the FS of these are.

Boosted77 · 08-05-2012

Here are the TS's for the $50 variant. The L12:

Specifications:
RMS Power Handling 800(Watts)
Peak Power Handling 1600(Watts)
Subwoofer Size 12 Inch
Basket Material Steel
Cone Material Non-pressed Paper
Frequency Response 10-900(Hz)
Sensitivity 85 (db)
Impedance Dual 4 Ohm
Surround Material Santoprene Rubber
Voice Coil Diameter 2.1 (inches)
Mounting Depth 6.3 (inches)
Mounting Diameter 11.0 (inches)
Recommended Ported Box Cubic FT 1.75 - 2.25 (CU. FT)
Recommended Sealed Box Cubic FT 1.0 - 4.6 (CU. FT)

The $73 one is called the RD-12.

The L12 has a nicer rubber gasket compared to the cork type on the RD-12. But I could deal with that.

I'm likin these alot, really. Eyes needs funds.