Kicker Marine Subwoofers

[adrianp89]

Anyone using them in an IB set up? I know JL and Wetsounds are the preferred speakers on here, however I get significant discounts (upwards of 70%) off the Kicker products.

Partially looking for experience with the KM10 or the L7S in a IB set up.

 

[David Analog]

Neither subwoofer is an Infinite Baffle type. Either can work IB if they are not driven to their normal potential and used well under their normal power rating. In an IB application both will play deep, but loose and out of control, and will sound muddy at higher levels.

 

[robert843]

Anyone using them in an IB set up? I know JL and Wetsounds are the preferred speakers on here, however I get significant discounts (upwards of 70%) off the Kicker products.

Partially looking for experience with the KM10 or the L7S in a IB set up.

I went through the same question a year ago when doing an upgrade. There are so few reviews on the Kicker IB subs that I wasn't sure and their specs including box specs were sketchy at best which made me avoid them and go JL on the sub. I will tell you though I did buy the Kicker KM 6.5 inch speakers and they were awesome they gave a great full range of sound and I did think they were close to JL and Wetsounds in sound quality and they blew the Polks away.

 

[adrianp89]

Thanks for the input guys.

David - I had that feeling about the L7 - but the KM even has IB listed as the first set up type in the manual. Is from first hand experience with them? The Fs is a tad higher than I would like at 32hz, but still in good territory for IB, and still significantly lower than the JL M with a Fs of 46. the QMS is also higher on the Kicker than the JL, so in theory in should have a stiffer suspension and be a bit more controlled. And the QTS seems to be a wash between the Fs on both woofers. Of course this is all in theory and my experience is just in car audio. I have done several IB set-ups in vehicles before with success but the open environment in a boat is completely different. Was hoping someone had real-world experience with them.

Glad to know the speakers rock though! Reviews of those seem very good.

 

[David Analog]

The Kicker does make reference to IB, but it is still a low 'Qts' driver, too low to be a true IB. The KM10 may be intended to be a jack of all trades, but in doing so is a master of none. I've used the KM10 in both low power IB applications and higher power air-suspension applications, and it sounds much, much better in a 1.0 cu.ft. net sealed box, which is rather large for a 10". And it actually sounded pretty decent as a IB sub until you pushed it, and then it was exposed.
Forget the Fs. For subwoofer sound quality the most important issue is the final loaded [system] 'Qtc'....with a target of .8 to .9. A true IB sub already has an unloaded 'Qts' in that range which is unaltered and becomes the same 'Qtc' once applied. In contrast, a true air-suspension woofer has a lower unloaded 'Q' which becomes higher once loaded into a sealed box. The Fs also becomes much higher once loaded. So in the end, both the loaded IB and loaded air-suspension subs will have the same final Fs and the same final 'Q'.
So why a target 'Q'? It's kind of similar to matching the weight of a car, the strength of the coil springs, and the damping of the shocks. The quality of your ride, the handling, and the safety, depends on a correct balance. So much for the car analogy, so how does it affect the sound? Too little control means loose, deep & low, poor transients, reduced power handling, and a little lifeless. Too much control means premature bass roll-off, and a bit of a peaky one-note character, but very live. Get just the right balance and you have a very musical subwoofer.

 

[adrianp89]

So when you say it starts loosing when you push, how hard are you pushing it? It's hard to not go after these at the price point (~$55 a woofer). I'm not trying to compete is IASCA or blend perfectly into Jazz melodies.... really listening to mordern country and EDM.

 

[robert843]

So when you say it starts loosing when you push, how hard are you pushing it? It's hard to not go after these at the price point (~$55 a woofer). I'm not trying to compete is IASCA or blend perfectly into Jazz melodies.... really listening to mordern country and EDM.

This all depends on your final goal if its to hit a system on a budget I would jump on the $55 sub but the IB jl subs start around $150 for the extra $100 I would still go jl sub and kicker the rest of the way around. There have been a few on here who started with Kicker subs and switched to jl. I think @Drift Away was one of them

 

[adrianp89]

Thanks for the advice ... I have a source for JL so I have to check pricing on that, it just isn't as concrete as the Kicker product.

 

[David Analog]

So when you say it starts loosing when you push, how hard are you pushing it? It's hard to not go after these at the price point (~$55 a woofer). I'm not trying to compete is IASCA or blend perfectly into Jazz melodies.... really listening to mordern country and EDM.

EDM is generally pretty drone sinusoidal stuff because there is rarely a real string bass or real percussion. Mostly computer generated. So not a lot to discriminate over. But that music is often driven hard so it still IS a matter of power handling. Now the quality of the modern country can be a bigger production with real studio artists using real instruments. Not all, but some Country seems to have maintained an old school approach.
In an open-air-environment, where bass energy tends to flash dissipate, unlike a car or home, all subwoofers generally get driven hard.