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Which has best SQ? Arc 12's (new Arc 12 v3's vs older Arc 12's) or JL's?
Arc Audio subs vs JL w3v3
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I'm kind of looking at a budget sub but i don't want a bottom of the line sub, you know? I want great SQ. I know about the IDQ's but I've heard the Arcs are similar but even better, and I also can get an old version Arc 12 brand new for $140 shipped on ebay, which people say are like the IDQ v2 subs but even better. So i'm gonna get it probably, any reason why i should get something else?
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You're not going to find anything for $140 that's even in the same league as the Arc12.
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why not? people say they are a beefed up IDQ v2.
You're over-analyzing the issue. The choice of crossover, gain level, box setup, sound treatment, phase alignment, and equalizer will make a far greater impact on the sound quality. I do believe that JL Audio subwoofer need a much bigger box for optimal performance. IDQ v3 has good qtc in 1cu ft box, which makes it better if you're on limited box space. On the other hand, if you can fit 1.4-1.5 cu ft box, I personally would suggest to try Scanspeak Discovery 12. These have good reputation for SQ. There is a review in the reviews forum comparing it to W3.
So I would say just pick the subwoofer that promises to work best in the box you have in mind. Good for the best dollar value if you can't decide. IDQv3 is a very popular subwoofer. If you end up not liking it, you can always re-sell it at relatively little loss to you. If you don't want to spend >$200 on a new subwoofer, also consider some cheaper values. For example, RE Audio SE/X12 subwoofers have very good reputation, specially if you have a preference for more low-end, and sonicelectronix has them on sale for $130-140 a pop right now, but they need a bit bigger box, maybe 1.2-1.4cu ft stuffed with polyfill. Infinity Kappa 120.9w is also very good value and is normally available for just ~$150 online. I also was spending a loooong time trying to figure out which will sound better, IDQ, Kappa, or Peerless XXLS, eventually bought the cheapest (Infinity) was haven't been disappointed. Maybe next time I'll try one of the other two.
So I would say just pick the subwoofer that promises to work best in the box you have in mind. Good for the best dollar value if you can't decide. IDQv3 is a very popular subwoofer. If you end up not liking it, you can always re-sell it at relatively little loss to you. If you don't want to spend >$200 on a new subwoofer, also consider some cheaper values. For example, RE Audio SE/X12 subwoofers have very good reputation, specially if you have a preference for more low-end, and sonicelectronix has them on sale for $130-140 a pop right now, but they need a bit bigger box, maybe 1.2-1.4cu ft stuffed with polyfill. Infinity Kappa 120.9w is also very good value and is normally available for just ~$150 online. I also was spending a loooong time trying to figure out which will sound better, IDQ, Kappa, or Peerless XXLS, eventually bought the cheapest (Infinity) was haven't been disappointed. Maybe next time I'll try one of the other two.
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I don't have a box in mind yet. I was planning on getting a sub then a box. I am just trying to get a general consensus on the Arc 12 subs, and how they compare to the more "known" brands like JL or Infinity, or how they compare to proven SQ brands like Morel or Focal.
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why does Arc Black series keep coming up? I was asking about Arc series, not Black series.
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Dayton H.O. should be in contention.
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Ah, now you got me considering an RE Audio SEX12. Actually, their site says the RE SEX12 takes a max of 1 cu ft sealed box and min .75 cu ft box. That is very similar to the older Arc 12 that I am also considering, which is recommended for a 0.9 cu ft sealed box. And also, the SEX12 and Arc 12 I'm considering are both $140, so I don't know which to get (new thread?). Keep in mind the Arc 12 used to cost much more ($200+) when they were new.
1. Which is better for purely SQ?
2. Which is better for metal and rock music?
3. The RE SEX12 has higher Qes and Qms, does that mean better sound quality? If not, what does it mean?
If you were to choose the box size based on qtc, you need ~1.7cu ft for a box qtc of 1.7. However, a box of 1.1-1.2cu ft gives you a qtc of just under 0.8, so a 1cu ft net box stuffed with an appropriate quantity of polyfill, which can increase the effective box size by as much as 30%, would probably work ok. If you want a better low end, perhaps start with a larger box. Based on this, a box of 0.75cu ft seems unreasonably small for this driver. The RE SE/X also was more expensive. I believe it was about $200 years ago. I guess the novelty wore out.
Still, the IDQv3 gives a better qtc in 1 cu ft box, so IDQ is more appropriate for such box.
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