Thunderforms

[iugoodfella]

Although the new thunderforms arent out for the new version explorers, I was just wondering how they were for the explorers though 2001. Do they hit well? Im not looking to set off car alarms, but I want some significant bass in my car once I get a system. I wrote to MTX Audio and they said they were working on the new thunderforms for the 2002 explorers right now.

Also, I was curious as to whether or not the thunderform makes the bass throughout the car a weird distribution since its only on one side of the car...does it? And does it make the side panel of the car shake and make a rattling noise when someone hears it from outside your car? I know the old thunderform was a 10" sub but I dont see a 10" fitting into the new cargo space in the new explorers. Probably an 8" for the new ones Id say.

Any answers and comments would be great! Thanks guys...

 

[karl_burns]

I've got JL's stealthbix witha 10W6, and a JL 500/1 pushing it. Nobody can believe I've only got one 10" sub. It sounds awesome, and I don't even crank it all the way. You should be happy with one of these.
Oh yeah....I Dynamat'ed the entire rear and the walls to seal in more bass, and decrease the rattling. You definitely know the bass is coming from behind, but human ears find it very difficult to distinguish from which direction low frequecies travel.
Karl

 

[M.Scott]

I have the 10" thunderform in my 98. I am happy with it all things considered. It adds alot of base to even aftermarket speakers. It can make the review mirror shake (give it some RMS) without distortion and you can feel it in the seat. When turned up it can be heard from the outside, but no annoying body pannel rattles. The base does not have a left or right sound. I did not dynomat the inside but did add some old carpet padding behind the thunderform and at strategic connector locations that I thought might cause problems. I also sprayed some messy rubberized undercoating on the back of the plastic cover panel. Make sure you play it before putting the panel back on. I found the high seatbelt attachment point made noise and fixed it. But remember you are paying a $ cost and volume cost for a hidden sub. I compared the thunderform to an old ported box with a low end 12" JC whitney sub. The thunderform sounded better (tighter) but the ported box was louder with less RMS. And the old box and sub probably cost me $100 total. This result is typical with the two designs. Because the space is important to me I would definately recommend it. But if you get the audio upgrade sickness you will end up replacing it in the future.

 

[iugoodfella]

Thanks guys...but wait, if you had to choose, which custom sub would you get? The thunderform or stealthbox? Are both subs and internal amps on the two comparable in size, power, and overall performance?

-Kyle

 

[M.Scott]

Well I think most will say the standard JL (karl_burns has an upgraded$ woofer)is better than the MTX using the same amp but at a cost. For the thunderform off e-bay I paid $215 delivered plus another $175 for a 300RMS amp. Thats $390. If you can get the standard JL PLUS amp for near that get the JL! But I think you'll find prices for the JL over $400 and the amp will be extra. You get what you pay for, but I chose what I thought to be very good sound at a reasonable cost.

 

[M.Scott]

Oh yeah, I think only MTX makes one with an internal amp. It uses a special woofer and a matched amp for over $400 and some. I never heard it but think it would not be as good as the unamped. Although this makes for an easier hookup I thought the power output was low and woofer had marginal specs and was probably big $ to replace. The MTX 6000 series in the unamped version I have is better. Just my opinion.