Sundown Audio Classic Series 10 Inch 4-Ohm DVC Subwoofer Review

Whether it’s car audio, or home audio, bass is an important part of audio. In car audio, many people, including myself, like a lot of bass. This can be a real challenge in some environments like in cars. There are some car audio companies that specialize in providing various subwoofers, to maximize quality bass in different scenarios. One of the best is Sundown Audio. Up for review today is their Classic 10. SRP is $320.

 

Features and specs:

1000 Watt RMS/ 2000 Watt Peak

Dual 2 or 4 ohm voice coils

Optimized for small ported, sealed, & band-pass enclosures

Large aluminum Faraday ring for smooth acoustic response

High strength cast aluminum frame

Low distortion motor construction

High-temperature voice coil wire

Spring-loaded terminals

Stitched-on “XL” tinsel lead wires

 

Dual-2-Ohm T/S Specs

RMS Power (D2):  1000

Peak Power (D2):  2000

Re-Ohms (D2):  4.29

FS-Hz (D2):  35.4

Vas-L (D2):  10.13

Qes (D2):  0.52

Qms (D2):  5.3

Qts (D2):  0.49

Le-mH (D2):  3.41

BL-NA (D2):  20.4

Mms-Grams (D2):  230

Cms-uM/N (D2):  87.8

Sensitivity-dB @ 1w/1m (D2):  81

Xmax (D2):  19mm

 

Dual-4-Ohm T/S Specs

RMS Power (D4):  1000

Peak Power (D4):  2000

Re-Ohms (D4):  7.08

FS-Hz (D4):  36.6

VAS-L (D4):  10.66

Qes (D4):  0.54

Qms (D4):  5.41

Qts (D4):  0.49

Le-mH (D4):  4.71

BL-NA (D4):  24.82

Mms-Grams (D4):  205

Cms-uM/N (D4):  92.4

Sensitivity-dB @ 1w/1m (D4):  81.6

Xmax (D4):  19mm

 

Subwoofer Measurements

Physical Dimensions

Displacement (Inches):  .07cu ft

Depth (Inches):  6"

Cutout (Inches):  9.25"

Motor Diameter (Inches): 7.4

Ported Enclosure Specs

Ported Enclosure Size:  1.0 cu ft

Recommended Port Area: 15 sq in

Recommended Port Tuning:  35hz

Sealed Enclosure Specs

Sealed Enclosure Size:  0.5 cu ft

4th Order Enclosure Specs

4th Order Sealed Side:  .4cu ft

4th Order Ported Side:  1.2cu ft

4th Order Port Area:  24sq in

4th Order Port Length:  6"

 

The Sundown Classic 10 came in a nice color printed box with photos and specs of the woofer printed on the box. Opening the box revealed a well-protected subwoofer, held in place by custom molded Styrofoam. Materials used in the construction is mostly metal with some paper, and high-roll treated foam. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was excellent. Also included was a Sundown Audio sticker.

 

If you’re a basshead like me, you may want to get as much bass in your vehicle as possible. If your vehicle has a trunk, there’s a lot of options. If you have a truck with an extended cab, you also have a lot of options if you don’t need the back seat. But if you do need the back seat, your only option is what you can get under the seat.

 

There’s still a lot of options for under the back seat. And technology has improved over the last decade or two for subwoofers. You used to need at least a 12-inch sub for really deep bass. Now you can get that in as small as a 6.5” woofer. The last few car audio conventions I have been to, I have seen multiple demo vehicles showing off what’s possible with several 8 inch and even 6.5 inch woofers sealed. Impressive. And for some trucks there are kits to raise the back seat, so you have more space for a larger enclosure.

 

If you want to stay stock, you have fewer options. But there are still options. And you’re still limited by physics. To get the most bass, you need to consider cone surface area, power, and excursion. Smaller subs require less airspace for an enclosure, but you need more of them for the same amount of output. As previously stated, cone surface area is part of the equation. And to provide a lot of deep bass, you also need to move a lot of air. This means you need a lot of excursion. You’ll also want a ported enclosure for the most bass. And you’ll be looking at about 2 cubic feet of airspace under the back seat for a ported enclosure.

 

This is where the Sundown Audio Classic 10 comes in. It’s the best to maximize the output for the amount of airspace under a truck’s back seat. Sure you can fit six ported 6.5 inch woofers. But they will cost more than two of the Classic 10’s, and they won’t handle as much power as the classic 10’s. The excursion of the Classic 10’s is also almost double the 6.5 inch, with 19 mm vs 10 mm.

 

This is why I really like the design of the Sundown Audio Classic 10’s. They don’t require a lot of mounting depth at 6 inches. Yet they manage to handle 1000 watts RMS, and have a massive high-roll foam surround for lot of excursion to over a ton of air. They also use a SPL competition grade paper cone and a solid cast aluminum basket. Then there’s the robust double-layered Nomex spider, and the large XL tinsel lead wires that are stitched on. Most subs will handle between 150-300 watts RMS.  The more serious subs will handle up to 500 watts, maybe 800 watts. At 1000 watts RMS now you’re getting into the big boys, real serious subs.

 

That’s where the Sundown Audio Classic 10 fits in. It is one serious sub, one of the big boys. It’s built like a tank too! It has to be to handle that much power. It’s a beast, but unlike other subs that can handle at least 1000 watts which need at least 6.5 inches to 8 inches of mounting depth, the Sundown Audio Classic 10 only needs 6 inches.

 

This is what is so exciting for Sundown Audio Classic 10, for truck owners. While shallow mount subs aren’t needed, there still isn’t a lot of mounting depth, which usually limits you to subs with a power handling capacity of around 500 watts. But with only 6 inches of mounting depth for the Sundown Audio Classic 10’s and 1.0 cubic feet of air space needed pers subs, it will work. Some careful engineering will also be needed for our enclosure to fit, but you can get a ported enclosure designed to fit a 10 inch sub the size and footprint of the Sundown Audio Classic 10. And you would be hard pressed to find a better option that provides more cone area, more excursion capacity, and power handling, for more bass output, that would fit under a stock back seat of an extended cab truck, than a pair of Sundown Audio Classic 10’s in a vented enclosure.

 

Fox Acoustics seems to have figured it out, and makes sealed and vented enclosures for under the back seats of extended cab trucks. And one of those enclosures is vented for dual 10’s. Our reference vehicle is a 2017 Nisson Titan King Cab. Fox Acoustics provides a vented enclosure that will fit, has 2.2 cubic feet of airspace, and has enough depth for the Sundown Audio Classic 10’s. We wanted to show what’s possible and how to get the most bass out of a pure stock truck that’s an extended cab, when using under the back seat. The Sundown Classic 10’s max out what can be done with the amount of space available. For an enclosure, as well as maxing out cone surface area, cone travel for max excursion, as well as power handling. A larger sub for more cone surface area like a 12, would require more airspace for a ported enclosure than is available under the back seat. And for subs that can handle more power like 1500 watts or more RMS, would also require more mounting depth than would fit under a back seat. The Sundown Audio Classic 10 in a pair, are the peak. Now let’s see how much bass we can get.

 

Queen – Another One Bites the Dust: Bass beats are really deep, and really dynamic. They play with a huge output and authority, hitting really hard! It was like a sledgehammer to the chest and took my breath away. Yet it also did so cleanly!

R. Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra: for you audiophiles, the Sundown Audio Classic 10 performs. The very beginning of the song starts off with a bass clinic from the Double Bass, Contrabassoon, and pipe organ, playing the low C or C1, which has a 33hz frequency. It is a very deep low rumble. Yet it is very smooth providing very good resolution of the bow across the strings. The same note on the contrabassoon and pipe organ is also very smooth with good air. It is very deep, yet has very good output with authority, shaking my whole truck, with the same great level of resolution. Next the tympani also had very good resolution of the impact of the mallet on the pad, with very good dynamics.

Tiesto: Sevenn: Boom – this is a great smorgasbord of bass. It has beats that are extremely dynamic, tight, yet hits really hard like a sledgehammer to the chest. And it does so, so super cleanly. Then there are deeper beats with really good low-end extension. Yet those bass beats were also dynamic, hit really hard cleanly, with a ton of authority. And then there were bass beats that took it to a whole new depth. It did so cleanly with such output my whole truck shook! And my rearview mirror danced so much it was unusable!

Techmaster PB – Activate: this is my trusted old school subwoofer torture track.  To test the limits of how violent a subwoofer can get….this is it.  It plays not just ultra deep to test a subwoofers limits, it hits ultra hard doing it, moving a crap load of air.  And the Sundown Audio Classic 10’s didn’t disappoint! And I kept smiling ear to ear throughout it all.  With each beat, it went deeper and deeper.  They hit so hard, moving a ton of air, shaking my whole truck.  And as we continued into the track the beats got deeper and deeper, shaking my truck even more violently as the track went on.  It was like being in the epicenter of an earthquake.  And the Sundown Audio Classic 10’s loved playing loud, being pushed to the limits, up to 139.4db! And I was loving it as well!  Like when you give your girl a ride and she screams yes! Yes! YES!

 

The Sundown Audio Classic 10 did not disappoint. They have a reputation of providing excellent products. Having experience reviewing their products we knew of quality. Yet I was still impressed. Two 10’s, ported, 2000 total watts RMS did not disappoint. It was really, really loud! And it did so playing really deep, really clean, and without noticeable muddiness. It’s very difficult to make a sub that will play this loud, and do it so cleanly. But it’s even much more difficult for it to be a musical sound quality sub. Yet this is what Sundown Audio has managed to do with their Classic 10. It proved to be very musical. Whether it’s the resolution to reveal the impact of a mallet on a tympani or the sting across the double bass with classical music, or the mallet on the kick drum pad and its decay after the impact in rock music, the Sundown Audio Classic 10’s really shined. So no matter if you want to enjoy some classical, jazz, rock, or if you’re in the mood to rattle your teeth with some bass tracks, the Classic 10 has you covered.

 

If you are like me and like a ton of bass, the Sundown Audio Classic 10 will definitely get the job done. It hits so hard, so deep, with a ton of output.  And the motor provides excellent control of the cone for excellent punch and dynamics.  And it’s nice to know that audiophiles will also enjoy it’s musicality. It’s also built like a tank to provide years of use, and deserves to be on your shortlist. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the Sundown Audio Classic 10 has earned our Editor’s Choice Award.  For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.sundownaudio.com.

Fox Acoustics Vented Dual 10 Inch Subwoofer Enclosure for 2016+ Nissan Titan Extended Cab Review

If you’re like me, you like a lot bass in your car stereo system. This requires a subwoofer, and subs need an enclosure. And not all subwoofer enclosures are the same. One of the great manufacturers for subwoofer enclosures for a vehicle is Fox Acoustics. Up for review is their truck enclosure made specifically for the Nissan Titan Crew Cab or King Cab, years 2016 and up, going under the back seat. MSRP is a fair $349, and model number is NT-CC-210-V-16.

 

Features and specs:

"WILL FIT EXTENDED CAB BUT IT WILL STICK OUT 1" PAST SEAT"

2-10" VENTED SUB BOX

AIR VOLUME: 1.1 CUBIC FEET PER SIDE

DIVIDED: YES

PORT/VENT TUNE FREQUENCY: 36hz

MOUNTING HOLE SIZE: 9.125"

MOUNTING DEPTH: 5.75" WITH A 6.5" DIAMETER MAGNET

BOX FINISH AND COLOR: SPRAY BED LINER COATING / BLACK

 

The Fox Acoustics Model NT-CC-210-V-16 came in a standard brown box for shipping. Opening the box revealed a well-protected enclosure, surrounded by shredded paperboard. Although looking at the enclosure, it didn’t look like it needed any protecting. Materials used in the construction was HDF wood, spray on bed-liner, glue and metal nails, and some metal and plastic in the terminal caps. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was excellent.

 

I love the design of the Fox Acoustics NT-CC-210-V-16 . To start, they used the plastic spray-on bedliner materials. This is sprayed onto the exterior of the enclosure. With carpeted enclosures, over time, the carpet can come unglued. So, the spray on is a better long-term solution. It provides more durability as well. Whether you tend to throw things into the footwells of the back seat of your truck, or your back seat tends to be occupied with kids who like to kick their feet up against the enclosure, the spray-on materials provides great protection. It also provides protection from the elements. This could be water from rain or snow, again from any kids or rear seat passengers who may get it on their shoes.

 

I also love the fit or the Fox Acoustics NT-CC-210-V-16. I have it under the back seat of my 2017 Nissan Titan King Cab. If you like a lot of bass, getting the most out of the space under the back seat is critical. The more space you can get, means a bigger enclosure. And the bigger the enclosure means the more options you have for a larger selection of subwoofers that would be ideal for that enclosure. It often also translates to more bass output when you can increase the subwoofer size.

 

This is one of the specialties of Fox acoustics. They have taken the under back seat measurements of many trucks, taking into account all the angles. They then take those measurements, and in the shop design an enclosure. This allows them to use every last square inch of our space for the enclosure. I can attest to this as we have had multiple other enclosures under the back seat with airspace ranging from 1.8 cubic feet to 2.0 cubic feet for both sealed and ported. This Fox Acoustics enclosure is the biggest with 2.2 cubic feet total airspace under the back seat. And they even manage to do it with having two separate chambers, and the port.

 

Fox Acoustics also manage to use high quality components in the construction. Given the angles, and the middle divider to create two separate chambers, there aren’t any long runs. So they are able to use 5/8 inch panels, which should be thick enough for no detectable flexing. This also helps to maximize the airspace using glue and nails. They also use a material for the panels that is more like HDF. Its density is between MDF and HDF. So while using 5/8 inch thick panels which is considered as the minimum for subwoofer enclosures, using the denser board panels are stronger, so it is also less prone to flex. The terminal cups are also of high quality. And while they seem to be sized for up to 12-gauge wire, I managed to get 10-gauge wire to work. And as is standard for most vented enclosures, the front edges of the port were rounded to silence any potential port noise. They are also rear firing, so if there does end up being some audible port noise, it’s harder to hear.

 

Installation proved to be very simple. To max out the performance of what’s possible without modifying the back seat, we used this enclosure and two Sundown Audio Classic 10’s. Fox Acoustics sells these same subs in a bass package with this enclosure, so the enclosure was pre-cut for them, and they fit like a glove. And the subs came with a rubber gasket already installed around the sub. So all I had to do was wire the sub to the terminal cup and pre-drill the holes, and then screw the subs in place. Now let’s see how it sounds!

 

I was impressed with the performance of the enclosure.  The vent worked very well moving a ton of air with no noise.  The terminal cups worked extremely well to get full power to the subs.  And the box was completely solid with no noticeable flexing, even at full power.  And oh yeah, the subs hit full power.  They hit so hard, doing so cleanly, and reached 139.4db doing so. 

 

I was extremely impressed with Fox Acoustics and their enclosure for my truck, the NT-CC-210-V-16. They managed to extract all the airspace possible for under the back seat of my 2017 Nissan Titan, and built a very high-quality enclosure for it. With the enclosure being vented and tuned to 36Hz….it pounded hard! If you have a truck and need an enclosure for under the backseat, they really shine. They even have universal enclosures as well. Based on its design, features, quality and performance, the Fox Acoustics NT-CC-210-V-16 has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.foxacoustics.com.

JBL Arena 26Be Beryllium 2-Way Car Component System Review

When it comes to car audio, there’s a lot of players in the field, a lot of options for speakers. Some manufacturers have been at it longer than others. Some manufacturers have a bigger name than others. JBL is about as big of a name as you can get. For car audio, JBL’s highest top of the line is their Arena Series. Up for review is their JBL Arena 26Be 2-way component system.

 

Features and specs

1-inch Edge-Driven Pure Beryllium Dome Tweeter

 Carbon Fiber Composite Cone Body and Dustcap Woofer

 Nomex Spider Woofer

 Neodymium Magnet Motor

 Die-Cast Aluminum Basket

 Bi-Amp Capable Precision Outboard

Crossover Network

 Magnetic Adsorption Design

6-1/2" (165mm) 2-way car component

speaker system

1" Beryllium dome tweeter

6.5" glass fiber cone with cast frames

Bi-Amp Capable Precision Outboard

Crossover network

Frequency Response (-6dB): 20Hz – 40kHz

Power Handling: 100Wrms, 200W peak

Crossover Frequencies: 2.5K or 3.5kHz (selectable)

Nominal Impedance: 4 ohms

Sensitivity: 90dB (2.83V @1M)

Woofer mounting depth: 2.83 in./72mm

Tweeter flush mounting depth: 0.77 in./19.5mm

 

 

The JBL Arena 26Be component system came in a nice-looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the system. Opening the box revealed a well-protected speaker system held in place by custom molded foam. Materials used in the construction was mostly metal, with some carbon fiber, plastic, glass, and rubber. Quality of materials used in the construction, as well as the fit and finish, was excellent. Also included was the passive crossover network, mounting hardware, grills, and manual.

 

The review is a little late as the JBL Arena 26Be has been out for some time now, but I was still excited to help get the word out. And it also got me thinking that it’s about time that JBL came out with something like the Arena series, and they should bring out more. After all, JBL speakers can be found in elite arenas, and luxurious concert halls, throughout the world. In fact, after doing this for 80 years, they just announced the new generation of their luxury JBL Summit series of home speakers that start at $20,000 a pair and go up to $159,990 a pair. So why not bring some of that to the car? I would love to see more!

 

I love the design of the JBL Arena 26Be, and it all focuses around Beryllium. So we should first start there, and discuss what is so special about Beryllium. After all, Beryllium can be found in some of the most elite and exotic speakers. It’s rare because it is never found in its metallic state and is primarily found in rare minerals and is very costly to extract. This translate to a metal that is extremely specialized and expensive to produce.

 

Beryllium also has excellent qualities that make it perfect for audio applications. There are a lot of great sounding speakers using materials like aluminum, and titanium, for midrange and tweeters. But to improve on sound that already sounds excellent, you sometimes have to go to extremes and really push the envelope. And that’s what Beryllium allows. It offers the ultimate combination of being light as well as extremely stiff. It’s around 7 times stiffer than aluminum or titanium for the weight. That means that when a speaker is really working at high volumes and fast moving, it stays stiff without any flex which would cause distortions. And as physics has taught us…a body in motion stays in motion. The heavier the object the more energy it takes to start it and stop it. With beryllium being so light, it is extremely easy to get the cone to start and stop. This also translates to the driver being able to provide the best dynamics, transients, and small details. Beryllium also stops ringing much faster than other metals and its resonant distortion is much higher than we can hear, so this all yields a cleaner, transparent, and very accurate sound without coloration.

 

All of this explains why Beryllium is such an excellent choice for audio speakers. We can also see that due to its cost, it’s only found in speakers focused towards the most discerning audiophiles. Totally makes sense for why JBL has turned into it for its tweeters in the Arena 26Be component system. Yet it also makes sense why Beryllium also isn’t used in lower cost speaker series.

 

But JBL didn’t stop with Beryllium for their ultimate car speaker system. They also went with a glass fiber cone for the woofers, another very stiff material with excellent audio properties. The surround is a high-roll rubber, and the basket is die-cast aluminum to stay firm with no flux even at high volumes. JBL has several decades of experience, and it looks like they really tapped into their heritage to design this system. In an elegant touch, they even used magnets to make it simple to take the grill covers on and off.

 

From seeing the design and images on the box, to opening the box and seeing the amount of thought and details put into the presentation, I knew this was a special product. Everything was well laid out, well protected, and even the passive crossover was very meticulous. The clear cover was amazingly made of glass and showed off the excellent quality of caps, inductors, and resistors. And unlike most passive crossovers that may just provide tweeter attention, the JBL Arena also provides frequency selection for the tweeter crossover point, as well as ability to bi-amp. Bi-amp allows you to use a separate amplifier channer for the tweeter and woofer without having to use a fully active system. And they provided just about everything you would need to install the system. All of the mounting hardware was included, even tweeter brackets for both flush or surface mount. It’s an excellent design with excellent materials, and with a tweeter that can handle 50 watts RMS, and woofer 100 watts RMS. They are designed to provide aural sonic excellence at high volumes. It’s also solidly made to provide many years of use. Now let’s see how it sounds.

 

Listening

Junior Wells:  Why Are People Like That – vocals were smoother than a Dove bar, with excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Piano provided excellent dynamics and harmonics and transparency. Cymbals were really crisp and clean with excellent resolution to reveal the decay. Drums were equally dynamic with excellent pitch definition of the mid bass. But it was the harmonica that really stole the show, whose dynamics and harmonics were an aural feast. Imaging was spot-on and soundstage was both deep and wide.

Earth, Wind, & Fire:  September – wood block had excellent texture and the woodiness came though great. Snaps were so crisp and dynamic. Tambourine had nice dynamics with excellent crispness. Kick drum had great low-end extension and played with great dynamics and authority. Cymbals were also extremely crisp and clean with great resolution of the decay. Vocals were smooth like honey with excellent resolution of the texture. Trumpet was so dynamic with excellent harmonics and not to brassy. There were so many instruments and they were all resolved very well! Soundstage again was really deep and wide. And imaging was on a dime.

Disturbed:  Sound of Silence – excellent resolution of the impact of the hammer on the strings of the piano with excellent resolution to capture its decay. Vocals were so smooth yet at the same time sounded nice and raw, with excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Violins had great resolution of the strings with excellent harmonics. Tympani had really good low-end extension and dynamics with good authority and resolution of the impact of the mallet on the pad. Acoustic guitar was so so crisp and clean, with excellent resolution of the plucking of the strings and their decay. Cymbals were so crisp and clean and dynamic. Another example of a lot of instruments that can be extremely difficult to resolve, especially with detail, and they not only did so in spades, it did so with all of their resolution as well as showcase the depth and size of the recording studio. Imaging was equally showcased.

Rush:  Tom Sawyer – so for so much has made of the beyond stellar Beryllium tweeters, and their performance off the charts continued. Cymbals were incredibly crisp and clean, and each impact on the hi-hat in fast intervals was easily portrayed in full resolution. Vocals were smoother than honey, with excellent resolution of the texture. But this track also showcased how impressive the woofer is as well. The drummer put on a clinic to be remembered for all time. Soundstage was so good, I felt like I was in the drummer’s seat. It was almost holographic! With each strike of the pad, whether it was the snare, or any one of the multiple toms, dynamics were impressive. And the resolution of the impact on each of the pads, as well as pitch definition of each tom, and the authority and depth that was portrayed…..WOW!

Having reviewed home speakers worth several thousand dollars per pair, as well as car component speakers and headphones also worth in the thousands of dollars, I have been able to get intimately acquainted with some of my favorite tracks. And that made this review very difficult. I kept going from track to track, and hearing all of the minute intricate details that I knew were there. I needed to stay focused on listening for the review. But before I could do so, I kept having to catch myself from just enjoying the music and put myself back to task listening for the details. And I guess that’s probably the best compliment I can give. I kept getting goosebumps with what I was hearing, along with the accompanying ear to ear smile!

 

As Hanibal Smith used to say in The A-Team, “I love it when a plan comes together.” That’s exactly what the end results are with the JBL Arena 25Be component system. JBL set out to tap into their legendary, decades long audio heritage to provide maximum aural smorgasbord experience that your ears will feast on for years. The end result is a synergy that screams from the rooftops project success, and may subject you to a permanent ear to ear smile. It’s original MSRP of $2500 was worth every penny. But for what you can find it for now online, you’ll feel like you stole them. There should be zero hesitation for dropping serious coin for the JBL brand in car audio. Based on their design, features, quality and performance, the JBL Arena 26Be has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.jbl.com.