inexpensive subs

What make an inexpensive subwoofer cheap?

I mean there are some PYLE and Hifonics subs out there that are dirt cheap and have very similar specs to the JL's of the world, so why are they so inexpensive?

I have heard they are crap, like Pyle, Lanzar, Power Accoustic and Hifonics, but never bought one to test and see for myself, so what make this a not good sub?

2004 Hyundai Sonata

Kenwood KDC-X599 HU

2-Sundown X-18D4

2-SQ Q4500.1

2-SQ Q90.4

1-Massive DBX4

8-Niche 5.25 mids

8-Niche Tweeters

4-Skar 8" mid-bass

OhioGen 220a alt

OhioGen 350a alt

156.0

Quality of componets and assembly, engineering or lack there of,  It's easy to pick parts out of a catalog and have some assemble them create spec around them.  quality and consistancy of product.  Length of product life cycle, some companies change  every six month to year other have same sub for 5 years or more (not counting cosmetuc changes)

Of course you can't forget about market placement and image, more $ means better (?)

Gone are the days where cost of a product determines its sale price, now the marketing department figure the sale price and engineering figures out how to reduce the cost.

Greed

So as I try to understand this "miss-leading" advertising, what would be the issue with say, these 3 subs over a noted "good" brand? would it be longevity, sound, distortion?

I am just trying to understand this,

I mean Rockford Fosgate is good right? comparable to JL?

I want to make sure I completely understand before I buy anything else

2004 Hyundai Sonata

Kenwood KDC-X599 HU

2-Sundown X-18D4

2-SQ Q4500.1

2-SQ Q90.4

1-Massive DBX4

8-Niche 5.25 mids

8-Niche Tweeters

4-Skar 8" mid-bass

OhioGen 220a alt

OhioGen 350a alt

156.0

LOL! I'm thinking of my old rule - if they don't quote Watts RMS, stay away. (What's 1500W Max? 750W RMS? 375W RMS? Or some "arbitrary" factor?)

Honestly, I don't really judge until I've heard it for myself. I currently have 2 12" Lanzar Max12D 1000Watt subs. I only bought them because they were $32 each and I just wanted something that I could have some sound with, nothing major. Well let me tell you, these subs pound, sure they aren't the clearest sounding bass, but I also have them in a ported box and they sound decent. I have put them in my brothers car in a sealed box and it wasn't too bad either. I have had the subs for over a year and daily beat them each with a Crossfire XP600D amp and have them each wired to 1ohm on their own amp and am hitting legitimately on a meter 140.1dB. So honestly I cant say that just because they are cheap means they are junk. I have also used ...(just a random cheaper brand)Power Acoustik subs, speakers, amps and headunits and I would still recommend them to people because they were pretty good, among other brands of cheaper equipment. I have also used high end equipment and based on the price of what was paid for some of the high end stuff, I would never recommend it again because it wasn't worth it or I have heard something that is cheaper and sounds just as good. Honestly what it boils down to is there will be 1 person who had a bad experience with an unknown product or cheaply priced product and 40 people who have never used that equipment will jump on the bandwagon and say its crap too, but that's just human nature ya know.bp

what about PYLE.  is the generak rule for thier stuff still    PYLE=   Pile of Crap fro all thier stuff, cuz they make some really nice "looking" subs2004 Hyundai Sonata

Kenwood KDC-X599 HU

2-Sundown X-18D4

2-SQ Q4500.1

2-SQ Q90.4

1-Massive DBX4

8-Niche 5.25 mids

8-Niche Tweeters

4-Skar 8" mid-bass

OhioGen 220a alt

OhioGen 350a alt

156.0

04nata wrote: PYLE=   Pile of Crap fro all thier stuff

That would be my opinion.

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I hear good things about those cheap Hifonics subs.

The only negative I hear is the basket is so thin that if you aren't careful when you mount them, they can bend.

2013 Kia Rio -90a alternator

DDX470HD GTO14001 GTO1014D (x3)

Big3 in 1/0G

1/0G to GTO14001

basically what it boils down to is materials and craftsmanship, honestly rated specs, durability under stress, and personally i think looks is another category. and looks works the opposite of how you think it would because usually the more basic design with the least frills ends up being the better product. if you have to chrome plate the whole sub just to sell it then it probably is a POS. better materials = better rubber, better glue, properly engineered voice coil, stronger cone material ( not just a stronger shape thats made from cheap material) and these are all things that you usually cant see with your eyes but you see it in the price. and honestly rated specs is a big one too. that 1500 watt MAX POWER!!!!! subwoofer is probably 300 rms and these are the only specs they usually will give you because the company doesnt care enough to inform the customer so they can use their product propperly. this is because they know that in most cases their product will break anyway so why give them any real specs because they are just looking to make a quick buck and move on. and the other spec they will usually give you is efficency because it is a commonly missunderstood spec and they label this spec "SPL" to make it even more missleading. they use to make you believe that one sub will be louder than the other because it has more DB and more Watts so it must be better, right?

A mate gave me a Kicker for parts. I was quite impressed with the quality. (Typical SMPS-chip power supply + amp; good connector quality, soldering, layout etc.) Not that I am into amps etc, but I too have heard that "cheap is cheap (crap)". I wonder if Kicker quote RMS output (that's one of my "quality" references)? And with SMPS, they shouldn't vary output with input voltage (eg, from (say) 12V to 14.4V etc) - I still don't understand how amps that must be using SMPS etc increase output power with input voltage (in direct ratio - ie, as if the amp behaves like a resistor).