amplified vs non amplified MTX thunderform

[beavis195]

I really want one of these, but I can't decide if I want the amplified or non amplified one. The amplified one only has a 100 watt amp, which to me sounds pretty wimpy considering you are underpowering the 6000 by 150 watts. It also says its matched to the vehicles acoustics, so if I push more than 100 to it would it sound bad? But the amplified one sure would make installation easier. Any thoughts or experiences with either? Thanks

 

[leenjen]

have you heard one of these??? they dont sound that great. the enclosure is very small. and the sound produced is more like a thud than an accurate bass note. some people like them (not sure why), but most people prefer a better setup. as far as saying the 100w is wimpy, dont think that you're going to get awesome bass from a stealth enclosure. it doesn't matter how much power you feed it, a subwoofer won't perform to it's potential in such a small enclosure.

just trying to help you out and avoid a $$$$$$$$$ mistake. spend the $$ on the good stuff first and you save yourself time & money.

 

[98greyxlt]

leenjen -

would you say that the same thing applies to the Qlogic and JL's stealthbox? I haven't heard any of them, though I'm debating a purchase as well...

 

[o6tnineo]

I have a 96 4dr XLT and about 3 weeks ago my stereo got jacked, 2 elclipse 12's , a 600 watt and 200 watt amp, it sure did P!ss me off. anyway, i recently got a JL Audio Stealtbox w/ a 10W3 in it (that's right a W3, the car audio place said they could do it by modding the stealth box a little bit) and a rockford punch 250.2 and i'd have to say that it sounds awesome, all the notes are there, gets pretty darn loud, but there is just part of me that still wants that heart pounding Boom'in. Oh well, after this ordeal and 800 bucks later, i have a pretty solid sounding system,

the stealthboxes truly are amazing

 

[leenjen]

Originally posted by 98greyxlt
would you say that the same thing applies to the Qlogic and JL's stealthbox

they might be good for someone who cant spare any space at all, but the bottom line is that they wont perform like a regular sealed or ported subwoofer enclosure. you could get a single 10 or 12 inch sub and put it in a box in the cargo area and it will provide excellent accurate bass. or you could build a custom box for under the rear seats and put up to two "good" 8 inch subs. that will also give a much cleaner sound than a 10" stealthbox.
go to a local car audio shop and listen to their demo vehicle. you will be amazed at the difference. like i said, i dont like seeing people wasting money on something that isn't that great. just buy the good equipment the first time.

 

[regassert]

As for underpowering the sub with the amped version, its not a problem, because the amplified version doesn't have a Thunder 6000 in it. It has what MTX calls, a "specially designed sub" to match the 100-watt amp. So if you're set on the Thunderform, go with the non-powered that gives a Thunder 6000 and a nice amp. But Bandpass or even ported enclosures are soooooooo much more efficient.

 

[98greyxlt]

for those of you that have jl stealthboxes or if do installs for a living, would you happen to have the cardboard template that you use to mark where to drill the holes in order to mount the stealth box?

i know there are pros and cons to a stealth enclosure, but i needed to preserve my cargo space so i went with the stealthbox. hope you're not too disappointed, leenjen...

i'll let you know how i think it sounds once i get the whole system installed in a few weeks.

 

[leenjen]

Originally posted by 98greyxlt
hope you're not too disappointed, leenjen...

i'm not saying they suck. it will sound much better than not having a subwoofer since regular full range speakers cant accurately reproduce the low frequencies.
i think everything you need comes with the stealth box.
i'm sure you'll be pleased with the addition of a subwoofer.

 

[98greyxlt]

absolutely, i'm sure it'll be an improvement over the stock dual-media setup. for a while there, i was just inclined to throw my old sub box from my toyota corolla in there. two crusty 8" kickers from the early 90s! LOL!

as for the mounting template, i actually got the stealthbox on ebay, and the guy doesn't have the template or the hardwarde anymore. i just called JL and the tech support guy was really cool and he said he'd try to send me out what i needed as soon as possible. just gotta wait and see if it comes now.