Hey everyone, I have an Alpine Type X 12" sub in my FJ. I have tried multiple boxes...and still not sure whats going on.
The sub was first in my Magnum RT with a partner (another Type X) in a sealed box. Those were run to a Rockford Fosgate T20001bd. It absolutely POUNDED.
I downgraded and sold one of the 12's and now running one Type X in the FJ connected to the T20001bd amp.
It was in a 1 cubic foot fiberglass box that hit pretty good. Then I put it in a ported box (not sure the dimensions) that my buddy just gave to me. it absolutely POUNDED, now I built the "optimum" sealed box (according to Alpine) and it just isn't hitting like it used to. the box is 14.5"x14.5"x11.75".
After playing music for a while the sub starts to have a "smell". I associated it with the smell of wood...it smelt like the stuff within the box was being moved around and it made it "smell". I may be wrong because my buddy said that his sub smelt like that right before it burnt out.
The problem is, the sub has been smelling like that ever since the Fiberglass box.
So I guess what my real question is...do subs "burn out" over time...and start smelling when they burn out? Or do they just burn out like an LED shuts off(instantaneously)?
My other question is...am I overpowering the sub? I tuned it with a 60hz sample and maxed out the system. Then turned the gain on the sub up until it changed tone (peaked). The sub is wired to 2ohms.
You shouldn't be burning it out at 1500w if you are setting the gains right, then again, I hear bad bad things about Alpine's Type-X lineup they canned it back in 06 because they had so many problems so I have no idea if the new ones are actually working well now. Lots of stores don't carry X due to their history. You can drop oit down to 4ohm and it would still get plenty of power, but would of course not hit as hard as at 2 ohm. My 2 7500 12" MTX's smell after I play them really hard, it's really nothing to worry about, some do, and some don't. A lot of people claim that smell is the voice coil burning up, which is complete crap, because if your voice coil was burning up it would NOT keep playing, it would start dragging ;-). I'd try dropping it down and see how you like it. I'd also highly recommend throwing that X out if possible and dropping a MTX 9500 in there which would blow it away and can easily take 1500w.
One problem with what you're doing is with that amp you can't really hit close to the RMS power of the Type-X which is 1k, at 4 ohm you will be slightly under powering, and at 2 ohm you will be over powering...it's all on you really, the BEST amp you could possibly get for that sub if in your budget would be a PDX 1000.1 as Alpine actually MAKES those to power single Type-X's. Another thing to take into inconsideration is if you are actually hitting what the Rockford says it will...generally it'll only hit 2k or what not if it's at a consistent 14.4v, or unless it is a extremely efficient amp, (Which ones that go to 1 ohm generally aren't from my experience)
I don't think the amp is the issue. I love fiberglass boxes and how they fit in the FJ perfectly. I just don't think that fiberglass boxes are suited that well to powerful subs. I have 4 JL W6v2s each with 500 watts off Slash V2 amps. For a while they pounded like crazy and then it sort of diminished. I took two of the subs out to put in a sealed box and noticed the surrounds were separating on them. Two high end stereo shops that work on Ferrari, Bentley, Lamborghini, etc said that it was the fiberglass box not being able to handle the power sufficiently well and that they were too small. On the other hand, I've personally ran sealed boxes and vented boxes made out of MDF and have never had a problem blowing a sub. If your box is built to spec...then I'm not sure what's up. Maybe try looking at the voice coils of the sub to see if there are any burned out places or whatnot. Any sub that I have ever heard blow blew instantly. I do think it's possible that a voice can can deteriorate over time leading to blowing but I have no idea what that would smell like?
most likely the smell is caused by the excess glue burning off of the coil/suspension of the woofer. that heat is caused by clipping the signal, either from turning the deck up too far or the gains arent set right. sealed boxes arent as loud as ported boxes either. i suggest a properly tuned ported box. that woofer will love it.
Thanks for the input. I will look into the MTX9500. Although if my sub is still in good shape, I would be more interested in spending some money on a ported box, or making one. How hard is it to make a ported box??
I will look into going ported. I had it in a ported box for a few weeks, but the box was HUGE, I think it was too big for the sub. If the burning smell is the excess glue burning off then that isn't too bad right?
Am I setting the gains correctly? I put in a disk with constant 60hz playing on repeat. Turn my Avic Z2 to 40 (max) and start with gain at zero and turn until the sub starts to have a different tone, then I back it off a little. I also have all the settings in the Z2 to flat when I do this.
Isn't there a way to tune everything with a DMM??? How do I go about doing that? Would that be more accurate tuning?
I'll do a search but is it possible to configure a dual 4ohm sub to 4ohm?
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Voodoo Blue FJ
Last edited by BLUE TONKA : 04-22-2008 at 10:35 AM.
Thanks for the input. I will look into the MTX9500. Although if my sub is still in good shape, I would be more interested in spending some money on a ported box, or making one. How hard is it to make a ported box??
I will look into going ported. I had it in a ported box for a few weeks, but the box was HUGE, I think it was too big for the sub. If the burning smell is the excess glue burning off then that isn't too bad right?
Am I setting the gains correctly? I put in a disk with constant 60hz playing on repeat. Turn my Avic Z2 to 40 (max) and start with gain at zero and turn until the sub starts to have a different tone, then I back it off a little. I also have all the settings in the Z2 to flat when I do this.
Isn't there a way to tune everything with a DMM??? How do I go about doing that? Would that be more accurate tuning?
I'll do a search but is it possible to configure a dual 4ohm sub to 4ohm?
Briman gonna have to answer your wiring questions, I've always sucked at wiring if you are looking into the 9500...it's one beast of a woofer for sure. I believe it weighs in at 75lbs? Check out this video of MTX showing how much pain it can take compared to the rest of the competition, it's supposed to be incredibly hard to blow out. MTX - Smokin' The Competition if you blow that sub...then something is very wrong.
whoa 75 pounds!? no wonder shippig is so intense! I will have to look into it, but damn!
Yeah...it's a big daddy. If you can I'd try to buy it locally for a good price...a stereo shop near me no longer carrying MTX products so their 9500's are going out the door for 250$ which is almost below Ebay price O.o, I would get them, but I don't have enough power, and I'm totally content with my 7500's.
there is an amplifier gain setting tutorial in there somewhere.
as far as the ported box. the toughest part is getting the tuning right for the size of the box. building it is easy if you have a router or any skills.
Alpine Type X 12" Sub...whats wrong with it??
if you are looking into the 9500...it's one beast of a woofer for sure. I believe it weighs in at 75lbs? Check out this video of MTX showing how much pain it can take compared to the rest of the competition, it's supposed to be incredibly hard to blow out. 
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