Is this db good?

[jakhammer]

I will start off with my system specs.
Stock head unit, CD, not monsoon
JL Audio Dual 12W3 Dual Voic Coil Subs in the JL Audio ProWedge Box
Kenwood 650 Watt Amp (300 Watts RMS x 1)
Infinity Kappa 5 1/4 Componets and X-overs up front
Stock 6x9s
Car is a 00 GT Sedan

I had it db tested today, with no tuning, just as I installed it, I got 139.5db with the car all sealed up and running @ idle. Is this good?

Chris
ps, I have around $700 into the enitre deal including the wiring.

[brchn1]

What kinda meter was it? Was it at a USACi comp? In any case I think that is very good all sealed up. Try and test it with the mic in the passenger kick, all the windows rolled up, and the drivers door open. Most comp groups allow this and your numbers will go way up. If you get a new head with some good pre-outs and a better amp for your subs you will really start to hit. Peace, Lee

[sound_xtreme]

how about term pro style. the only real contest. closed doors. car turned off(depends), mic on the windshield.

[brchn1]

If eveyone is running the same way its all good. Sealed is harder to hit high numbers with out a lot of testing though. Our Escort hits real low 150's sealed on the MECA Linear X meter and 157.1 with the door open, the way it was desighned to run. Peace, Lee

[jakhammer]

it was a usaci. The mic was placed about 3 inches from the windshield on the passenger side. the 139.5 was from a Lil Jon song, not a test cd. That db was achived at 48Hz (I believe thats what he said). Either way, its not a comp machine. I just wanted to know how loud it was with the typical music I listen to. I was surprised it got that high. I am sure I could break into the 140s with more power (still have another 200 watts rms I can push to the subs, just need a bigger amp). I may even be able to get 140 if I put the other seat down and get a test cd. I was just hoping it was respectable for what it is. Is it?

Chris

[brchn1]

Hell ya that respectable. If you can though try it with the windows at least down and maybe the mic sitting where your head would be. That would be a more realistic number as that is how you probably listen to your stereo. Under MECA rules that is called a reality measurement. Our escort hit in the mid 150's on that test and the MECA meter is supposedly stiffer then the USACi meter. Peace out, Lee

[AmIGrand]

If it's a real number - DAMN, that's very impressive. Not to be a jerk, but that seems quite high for that setup. The W3's rock, but that's a sealed box and very underpowered. I'm willing to bet that they had the mic gain up, some shops do this to get customers excited. 139 is VERY loud, in this day and age of high 170's and easy 160's in the comp world, people forget that a true 140 is downright uncomfortable in the listening area for more than a minute or two.

As a frame of reference, a Saturn SL2 (excellent acoustics) I did with a single reflex bandpass box ported through the rear deck with a pair of 12W3's and a 500/1 did low to mid 140's with boom CD's all sealed up, high 140's under optimum conditions. The gain on that box (not accounting for transfer function in car) over a spec sealed box is 8 Db, and he had almost twice your power.

Again, not trying to be the rain on the parade, but I can't stand it when places fudge numbers for people, it makes everything so much more complicated.... :(

[jakhammer]

yeah, when i was talking to him, he asked if I thought I would hit 140. I told him I might hit 130. 139.5 was cranked right up and it was not good on my components. It sounded like crap to tell you the truth. I dont normally listen to it cranked way up like that. Thats just what it was capable of. Thats with the EQ topped off in the low frequencies. normally I run at the 0 setting on the 2 lowest bands (is it 0? either way 1/2 way up the scale from the bottom).

Even if the mic gain was up, I am happy. Its ear ringing loud. It hits hard enough to make the outter door skins move and the side mirrors actually vibrate to a degree that you can see the plastic housing moving without straining to see it. I am glad to get the input on things though. I cant tell you if the mic was up, I can just tell you its loud to me.

Chris

[brchn1]

From what I have been finding is that bandpass boxes sound louder and carry farther but sealed and ported boxes do better on the meter. It seems to be a matter of amount of air being moved as we are testing for pressure. Unless you used a port with the same surface area as, lets say a 15 inch sub. Just what I have been finding as of late. As far as turning things all the way up again may sound louder but most of the time it gives lower numbers. I'll explain. An amp is looking for X amount of signal to make it make its max amount of power befor clipping (distorting). If you give it a clipped signal then it acually will make less power. Here is my example. On our stores comp car we get the best numbers at 55 volume. If we turn it to its max (62) the number goes down two tenths. If we turn the bass up to the max (+6) we can only take the deck to 51 volume to get the best number. Basically set the system up how you always listen to it then play a sine wave and slowly turn up the volume. when the numbers stop climbing that is the max volume before you clip out the amp. If you reach the max volume and it was still climbing youcan turn your gain up a little more on the amp. then re-test. You usually don't want to go more then 3/4 volume as most decks will start to distort all on their own after that. Again just what I have found as of late, take it or leave it. Peace, Lee

[BumpinGT]

you must have one hell of a box for it to be uncomfortable to listen to one 12w3 with that little power in a sealed box. either that or you have yet to hear a REAL system. haha jk. even though your score is extremely hard to believe, i got no reason to think you are lying. so congratulations, that is a good score. im hitting low-mid 140's with a much better sub in a ported box.

[jakhammer]

2 x 12w3. And yes, the box is freaking huge. It required takeing the subs out of the box, taking the back seat out, removing all the plastic, and a lot of weasling to get just the box in the truck. Then I had to reassemble everything once it was in.

Chris

[AmIGrand]

Wait a minute - are we talking about the JL boxes with the W3's in the little "slot" area and the red carpet inside?!?! I thought you meant the ProWedge, the basic sealed box design - but that woulda fit no problem. If the box was that big, it's either the bandpass or ported SPL boxes they offer, and that makes the number a LOT more believable - those things are STUPIDLY efficient - though you really should get a stronger amp.... ;)

[jakhammer]

No, this is the ProWedge box. Its an older design, not the one they are currently selling. It is the basic sealed box design. I think I may need to clear up some confusion. I spiked 139.5 for one a brief second. The average that I was holding was lower. Right around 138.9-139.0. And I do not know if they had the mic gain turned up or what not. I know its a high number and I myself had a hard time believing it, but that is what the meter said. how it was set up is beyond me.

Just for giggles, what do you guys think this system would put out? 130, 134, 136? Im just trying to get a feel for what everyone thinks cuz its pretty much looking like 139.5 isnt likely. Oh well, that dont break my heart any.

Chris