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Any advice on sub selection? (JL vs MBQuart)

M

.:MTB:.

New member
I have a 2010 GTI (no Dynaudio), and I am about to upgrade the stock system with a 10" sub. I am going to have Nik Brewer build a side mount box for me based on all the great reviews he has on this site. As for the sub...I am torn between two models and was hoping for some input. Both subs can be found online for less than $100, and both will fit in Nik's custom box.

Sub option #1 is the JL Audio 10W1v2-4:
JL has a lot of name recognition and a great reputation too. I have never owned any JL speakers though.
Sub specs here

Sub option #2 is the MB Quart RLP254:
I have owned several sets of MB Quart speakers in the past, but never a MB Quart subwoofer.
Sub specs here

The main goal for this upgrade is to have bass that is CLEAN and TIGHT.
I don't care about blasting the neighbors or hearing the bass outside of the car.
I mainly listen to chill/downtempo, electronica, and some jazz.

Does anyone have any input as to which sub will sound better overall?

The amp I plan on purchasing is an Alpine MRX-50. It produces 300W RMS at 4 ohms and should be a good match for either sub.

Thanks in advance for your help!
 
dinkdinker

dinkdinker

Ready to race!
MB Quart hasn't been the same since Maxxsonics acquired them. JL Audio has been around a very long time and still makes new products. I'd go with their sub.
 
D

dubnasty

Passed Driver's Ed
Jl hands down... If possible (side mount may not have enough airspace) but the JL W3's or W6's are very nice subs and very very loud.
Mbquarts are nice, but when compared to JL there is no competition, just my .2 cents of course
 
phd-12v

phd-12v

Go Kart Champion
JL would get the nod between those two, from me.

that is after reading the actual specs.

The JL off the bat is almost 3 DB more efficient........................with 1 watt of power.........effciency means alot when you are determining the power available by the amp, and the type of enclosure, along with the vehicle dynamics.
 
Ironhorse

Ironhorse

Ready to race!
phd-12v said:
JL would get the nod between those two, from me.

that is after reading the actual specs.

The JL off the bat is almost 3 DB more efficient........................with 1 watt of power.........effciency means alot when you are determining the power available by the amp, and the type of enclosure, along with the vehicle dynamics.
Click to expand...

this
 
Finkikus

Finkikus

Ready to race!
Check out craigslist ads that are local to you for JL subs. I got an amazing deal on my 2 12" w3v3 setup. You can step up above a w1, maybe get a 10w3v3 or something for around 100 bucks. Always make sure you can hear the system before you buy obviously. Be patient and wait for the right opportunity. Took me 3 weeks to find a deal I wanted.
 
M

.:MTB:.

New member
I would love to step up to a JL10w3, but it has a higher RMS of 500watts and a peak of 1000watts. I never want to under power a sub, so choosing this sub would create a few more questions that I need to answer.

Should I select the 2ohm or 4ohm version of the 10w3?

If I go with the 2ohm JL 10w3, the Alpine MRX M50 amp I plan to buy produces 500watts RMS @ 2ohms. This is the right amount of power, but I have never ran an amp at 2ohms before.

I am no car audio expert, but it's my understanding that running an amp at 2ohms will make it run hotter than if the amp is set to run at 4ohms. I plan to install the amp under the rear hatch cargo mat and I am concerned about the heat the amp will produce at 2ohms. Also, I care the most about sound quality. I have read that an amp @ 4ohms will produce cleaner sound that if that same amp is ran @ 2ohms.

If I go with the 4ohm JL 10w3, the Alpine MRX M50 amp I plan to buy produces 300watts RMS @ 4ohms. That is 200 watts less than the RMS for the JL 10w3, and I would be concerned that the sub will be underpowered.

Help!
 
Last edited:
phd-12v

phd-12v

Go Kart Champion
remember that music is dynamic also................so it wont be ouputting 500w continuously unless your playing test tones. Those amp are pretty stable at 2 ohm, and i would suggest a 2 ohm final impedence for your application. As long as you leave some air movement around the amp, i think you will be fine. Taking into account your need for SQ and not SPL. (it will still get down though).

Just my 2 cents
 
dinkdinker

dinkdinker

Ready to race!
.:MTB:. said:
I would love to step up to a JL10w3, but it has a higher RMS of 500watts and a peak of 1000watts. I never want to under power a sub, so choosing this sub would create a few more questions that I need to answer.

Should I select the 2ohm or 4ohm version of the 10w3?

If I go with the 2ohm JL 10w3, the Alpine MRX M50 amp I plan to buy produces 500watts RMS @ 2ohms. This is the right amount of power, but I have never ran an amp at 2ohms before.

I am no car audio expert, but it's my understanding that running an amp at 2ohms will make it run hotter than if the amp is set to run at 4ohms. I plan to install the amp under the rear hatch cargo mat and I am concerned about the heat the amp will produce at 2ohms. Also, I care the most about sound quality. I have read that an amp @ 4ohms will produce cleaner sound that if that same amp is ran @ 2ohms.

If I go with the 4ohm JL 10w3, the Alpine MRX M50 amp I plan to buy produces 300watts RMS @ 4ohms. That is 200 watts less than the RMS for the JL 10w3, and I would be concerned that the sub will be underpowered.

Help!
Click to expand...

RMS rating means how much continuous power they can handle. That's not how much you should pump into them nor how much they need to sound good. You can put a 200W RMS amp to that sub and it will still sound amazing. If you are some crazy bass head who wants bass so loud that your ear drums bleed, then put 500W RMS into them.
 
M

.:MTB:.

New member
I think I have determined the final setup for my GTI.

After more research, I was considering going with the under floor option like in these threads:
http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29470
and
http://www.golfmk6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28398
I REALLY like the stealth part of these setups, but my brain keeps telling me that the floor mat and the moster mat that will sit on top of this type of setup will muffle the sound of the speaker a bit too much for my preferences.

So, here is what I am pretty sure will be the final setup:

SUB BOX: Nik Brewer Custom Build - Side Mount Option
SUB: JL 10w3v3 (4ohm version)
AMP: Alpine MRX-M50 (This amp produces 300watts @ 4ohms and according to JL's website that is pretty much optimal for the 10w3v3. At 4ohms the amp should run cooler versus 2ohms and I will feel more comfortable with it installed under the rear floor mats.)

The total cost of equipment should be ~$750 (including remote bass knob and wiring kit).

Anyone care to estimate what I should expect to pay for the installation of the amp and bass knob remote? I don't have the time or patience to install stereo equipment/take apart interior panels on my own!
 
N

nikbrewer

Go Kart Champion
not to muddy the waters, but i have had a lot of customers use my box with the gorilla mat with no issues what so ever. Bass has such a long wave length, the matt really does very little to stop it
 
M

.:MTB:.

New member
Thanks for stopping by my thread Nik! I totally agree with you that several of your customers have said there is no noticeable "muffling" of the base from their under floor boxes.

The biggest reason I think I am going to choose your side mount box instead of the under floor box is because I want to use a JL 10w3 sub instead of a shallow mount sub like the Pioneer SW2501. I plan on keeping my GTI for a long time, and this stereo upgrade is a big deal for me. I can't seem to shake the idea in my head that your side mount box using a JL 10w3/Alpine MRX-M50 (300watts @ 4ohms) will provide me with a bit more SQ than the under floor box option using the Pioneer SW2501/RF300x1 setup.
 
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