2 G2's or 1 G5??

So I'm really beginning to research everything very thoroughly now, and am in quite a pickle...

I originally chose 1 Boston G5 12" subwoofer as my main source for the low-end in my car audio setup. However, recently I was kicking around the idea of instead, going with 2 12" G2 subs instead. The G2's will run $400 and the single G5 will go for $350, so price isn't much of an issue.

The reason I even ever debated this subject in my mind, was that I began thinking two channels of bass should sound better than just one. Am I incorrect in thinking this? or am I on to something?

~Ryan

[HiFiCarGuy]

Bass is single channel. All two subs are going to do is take up more trunk space and be louder. It depends on what you are going for. Do you want boom boom loud, or just a nice sound quality system? I'm a sound quality guy, so I vote for the single 12.

[DevilDriver]

the size of a sub has nothing to do with the "sound quality" of it and the chances are extraordinarily slim that you will notice a sound quality difference between a system with one or two subs. with that said, i would prefer the single G5 as it does sound a little better than the G2's by my ear.

[IanGT99]

One sub can sound better and even be louder than two subs. The enclosure is your biggest concern. If built to specs and done carefully, the enclosure will make that G5 pound. Plus, like has been said, you'll get more trunk space. One 12" is my vote, too...

[Ajaxus]

eh, go with one (trunk space is much better, i have 2 and thinkin of movin to one soon), and use the extra cash to dampen as much of your car as possible. rattles=teh evuhl.

Alright, seems pretty one-sided here... I guess I'll take you guys' advise and solo a G5.

Now, can anyone reccomend an amplifier to power this sucker? I was thinking a Boston amp, or maybe just an MBQuart. Any opinions?

~Ryan

[Metallman56]

i agreee. go with one g5! boston amps are expensive. on a budget i dont know who i would go with. but i do like quart. and you know i like boston. let me do a little research and get back with ya. in the mean time i am sure people in here will throw some amps around for ya.

[DevilDriver]

well, they're dual 4 ohm, so any amp that does a legit 450 watts at 2 ohms will work for you.

So, can I run the DVC version in a 2 ohm mode? I'm a little confused right now as to whether I can or can't. I read a review of a guy with a 304 (MBQ?) and he said he could only run the sub in 2 ohm, and he couldn't reach the 4 ohm capability. I have no idea if this dude didn't know what he was talking about, or if he just didn't know how to rig up a system or not, but it got my brain thinking. ("If it hadn't been for my horse, I never would've spent that year in college." -Lewis Black.)

a little confuzzled...
-ryan-

[HiFiCarGuy]

Resistance is tricky. If you have a Dual 4 ohm , you can run it at 2 or 8. If you have dual 2 ohm, it's either 4 or 1. The dude you were talking about with the 2 and not 4 is confused...because if to get 4 ohm, you need dual 2, and unless he was just running one coil (which would be stupid) he didn't know what was going on. A lot depends on your amp. MOST 2 channel amps like doing two channels at 4 ohms or 2 ohms and then both bridged at 4 ohms. If you bridge at 2ohms, you'll run the risk of harming your amp (unless otherwise specified by the amp manufacturer) I'd look into a nice mono-block amp if they're all dual 4's. That way you'll be set because most of them are safe down to 1 ohm (or maybe lower depending on the amp).

[IanGT99]

Yeah, a mono amp would be the way to go with a dual 4-ohm coil sub. You can run the coils in parallel to get a 2-ohm load then just hook it right into the mono amp for the 2-ohm load. Otherwise, if the sub was dual 2-ohm, you could either run the coils in series for a 4-ohm load (don't know why you would) or find an amp that safely handles 1-ohm and wire the sub in parallel. It's all up to you, really. I'm a fan of JL's mono amps. They're not the best, but they do the job really well. Can't go wrong with MBquart, though.

[HiFiCarGuy]

JL amps aren't the best? They're definately some of the best. I can't really think of much that are better.

[Mendoza]

You should be able to push just about any amp to the boston G5's they don't require alot of power. I would say any true 600 watt amp would be just fine. JL amps are just like any other amp there is no reason they are better then anything else. Look at the specs sheets on them. They are made just the same as a kicker or crossfire amp. There parts are no diffrent or technolgy.

[DevilDriver]

Originally Posted by Mendoza

JL amps are just like any other amp there is no reason they are better then anything else. Look at the specs sheets on them. They are made just the same as a kicker or crossfire amp. There parts are no diffrent or technolgy.

uhhh, RIPS? JL and PG are the only companies i know of with anything like that.

[HiFiCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Mendoza

. They are made just the same as a kicker or crossfire amp. There parts are no diffrent or technolgy.

I said one of the best, not the best. Kicker and Crossfire definately rank up there. Along with PG, Orion, etc. Are there better amps? Yes. But would you rank jl with pyle or jensen? I think not.

[IanGT99]

^^^ That's what I meant. JL is certainly above average, but there are amps out there that are better. Off hand I really can't think of too many, but some people spend thousands on one amp. Anyways, JL, Kicker, or PG are good choices for that Boston sub...

[MIAaron]

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-TJO9aVQ...p?i=049RAA2400

Use coupon code PA440, and add something that $20. It's $50 off a >$250 purchase. It'll be about $220 shipped, and you'll get something else you need with it.

Perhaps some autosound2000 test cd's...?
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Vak2F2q...pvs=T&g=235750



Wire the sub to 8ohm and bridge the raa4200. It's more amp than you need, but it makes it easy to add another g5 later on down the road.

review:
http://www.pasmag.com/gear/testrepor...cle.asp?ID=161

That sounds like a plan! I have two qustions though... Should I get the Dual Voice Coil version? Beacause to my understanding, that would be the best way for now. Solo one at 8 ohms for 800w, and then if I add another G5, I could run them both at 2 ohms and still receive 400w each, right? Also, the article mentioned something about "...it's cousin Rockford..." so, does that mean the MB Quart and Rockfor Fosgate are owned by the same corp. or does it just mean these two companies are highly comparible?

thanks for your answers, im finding a light somewhere!
-ryan-

[IanGT99]

If you got the dual 4-ohm coil sub, you could wire the two coils in series for an 8-ohm load on the sub, and then after you bridged it to the amp you'd have an overall load of 4-ohms.

If you got two (2) dual 4-ohm subs, you could wire the subs themselves in series for an 8-ohm load a piece, then wire them together in parallel for a total 4-ohm load, then bridge it from the amp for an end load of 2-ohms. I hope that makes sense.

Either way you do it, the sub or subs will see the same amount of power. For instance, if the amp does 400 RMS at 4-ohms and 800 RMS at 2-ohms, your one bridged sub at 4-ohms would see 400 RMS or two subs bridged at the amp at 2-ohms would EACH see 400 RMS. Knowing the quality of Boston's stuff, one G5 will be extremely loud and sound great...two G5's will melt your brain and sound great.

[MIAaron]

RF bought MB Quart a few years ago. Due to a german law, rf couldn't cut the lossing divisions of MBQ. When this amp was produced, MBQ was owned by RF. A few months ago RF sold MBQ to Maxxsonics, who makes hifonics, crunch, and autotek.

speaker impedance vs power output
http://www.bcae1.com/spkrimp.htm

Series vs Parallel wiring
http://www.bcae1.com/spkrmlti.htm