2 Wetsound 12 XXX or 1 Wetsound 15 XXX?
 

Im having to repair the surround on one of 2 of my JL 12 W6 subwoofer. They are both in a sealed box. I did one repair/replace a few years back. JL wants $400 dollars to swap again and I want to stop......

Thinking about replacing the 2 JL’s with 2 WS 12 XXX back in the sealed box. But what if I got a WS 15 XXX in a slot ported box and power it with both my current JL 750/1 HD’s ? Would I regret not having the SQL of the JL’s or lose anything with the 2 WS 12 XXX?

All in a 2007 MC X15.......

Thoughts?

i have a 12w7 powered by a jl 1200 single channel. i don't think you can have enough if you are going to go big, go big. i think the down fall is coverage, so 2 12s are going to outperform 1 15. most likely, but i have absolutely no audio skills, just ears. cant go wrong either way. Will sound epic.:D

While two 12" woofers have more surface area then a single 15", once we compare the two 12's in sealed to the 15" in a ported, the advantage goes to the 15" ported setup.

Just my 2c
Location Location Location
2 12’s up front close to the driver with proper vents so sound can exit and flow threw the boat in my opinion make you more happy then a single 15.
Having subs in the Rear V drive lockers has never been my fav location. The sound can’t exit or vent
Like you think it would in Car.

If installers would think of the inside of your boat like a Guitar they could do way more with way less.
You can always build some cheep demo boxes place them in and around the various locations facing different direction to see how you boat sounds and when your happy THEN build nice finished sub boxes

But what do I know (Says the guy with 4 -12s in his boat) :)

Um, a single 15 in a parted enclosure is doing more with less, compared to two 12's sealed, as noted.

Neither here, nor Zach's post on teamtalk, is there mention of putting the 15 in a v-drive locker.

But what do I know

^^Well you seem to know what a “PARTED box” is I have never heard of one of those, you would way more qualified them me :)

lol. You try and slam him Grant then go on to post "you would way more qualified them me"

FAIL!!

BE :p

I have a 2 “Parted” box’s in my boat they are both Awesome.:) Ok back to being serious just for a second and then back to making jokes.

My recommendation was based off these numbers that come just off the top of my head I have not made a Sub Box in years. (That’s cause my $hit still bangs and works) :)
A JL 12W7 needs 1.375 cubic feet of space for a sealed box
A JL 12W7 in a Ported box needs like 2 times that.

So here’s your choice:

you can either have 2 12’s in a sealed box
Or
1 12 in a ported box

I will take the 2 12’s please!!!!

What do you think a 15 in a ported box takes?

Ok, well use you're woofer example, even though its not what the OP is looking to go with.

The 1.375 is net, so ruffly 2.0 ft3 gross external. Dont forget that this would be x2 in the OP's scenario. So now he's needing two locate 1 large or 2 smaller separate enclosures of about 4.0 ft3 total.

A ported enclosure for the 12w7 will be ruffly 3.2 ft3 gross external. Larger then one sealed, but smaller then to sealed, which is what the OP has now.

So in your example, too 12w7 in sealed enclosures v's one in a ported, is doing more WITH more. Four the OP, to smaller woofers in sealed enclosures v's 1 larger woofer in a ported enclosure is nothing but doing more with less. More output and deeper bass extension.

With his to HD 750/1 amps, this scenario still nets him the same 1500W rms.

^^^ sounds good why don’t you show us the system you have.

Moving from spelling to measure each others woofer size :rolleyes:

Im just a poser next your balling system. Only 2 of my woofers are 12" ;)

Brian: I was just trying to turn this into a “Photo thread” not a Measuring contest, (get your mind out of the gutter ) :) besides I’m a Grower not a Shower” Gawd speaking of photos Remember all the fun photos people would post here on W/W. All the system Builds. I still think Shawn’s Toyota Epic with all the ID 12’s in the Trunk was the craziest boat system I have seen. Bummed I never got to hear it.
I loved how people who saw a photo of it would say PHOTO SHOP yup it was that crazy. O well.

I say 2 Sealed 12’s are better then 1 ported 15. But I guess if you have the room it may be cheeper for the 1 15 then the 2 12’s. most boats don’t have a huge space for a ported 15 box so that’s why I thought 2 smaller sealed boxes strategically placed around the boat, will give More Bass & better sound of corse this is just my 2c

Dont know who Brian is, but who cares.

Of course the enclosure size has to fit. Thats step one. But to consider a ported 15" over two 12" sealed, is a valid consideration. There is no magic to producing bass. it mostly surface are (and the port contributes this v's sealed), power and excursion. The OPs amp wattage is fixed. The excursion of the 15 is much greater then the 12, so thats another advantage. This leaves is with the enclosure type. The port adds to the output (bass, i.e. "hits hard") over a sealed enclosure with no additional amp wattage needed.

Sounds better? That is certainly suggestive.

The other issue we can run into with multiple woofers, is phase cancellation. This can actually reduce the perceived bass, meaning you get less with more.

If a single 15" ported will not work, then id go with two 12's in ported enclosures. This is still a bump in output over sealed enclosures, even though the wattage and woofer size stayed the same. As long as the locations do no create an issue. Huge advantage with dual amps though, they will allow for some control of the woofer phase in relation to each other.

zacaroo,

The XXX series of woofers like ported enclosures. They will do OK in sealed but to really get the most out of them. I recommend ported. There is two ported enclosure designs for the XXX-12 on our site and you can see if you can fit them. We are about to launch a new site so the XXX-15 enclosure design isn't up yet but you can call us and talk to Bobby and he will get you some details on the 15 enclosure to see if that will fit.

The XXX 12 is 1250 watts rms. The XXX 15 is 2500 watts rms. With your amps you have now. You don't have enough power for the 15". 750 watts is OK for the 12. 1250 is what they really want.

So one option would be to install the two XXX-12 in the sealed boxes and with the 750 watts to each for now and see what you think. This gets you going and an upgrade path later to put them in ported and get two new amps that will do more power.

Or if you are going to go through the trouble. Build two ported enclosures and two new amps and really rock out.

The XXX-15 is something to be heard. I have 4 of them in ported enclosures in my Tige RZX2 with 2500 watts to each. We metered the boat at 156.7 dB with the mic on the floor next to the driver seat. It is insane. However, when going to the 15". You need ported, you need 2500 watts, you need the batteries to back it up. But if you go this route. You will love it. But Its just going to be a lot more involved to get the 15.

Tim
Wet Sounds