okay, here's my plan:

sub: 1 Kicker L7 12" Solobaric (I love the look and sound of this sub.. so any suggestions would have to be really substantiated) for about $175

amp: Phoenix Gold Octane/Xenon Amp (running roughly 600-800w RMS into 1 ohm) ($200-$300)

OR

amp: Sony XM-DS1600P5 1600W (900W RMS into 2 ohm) (about $125)

OR

amp: Hifonics BX1500D 1500W RMS into 1 ohm (about $225)

I'm not sure which amp to get.. I've heard the Sony and it's great.. but I haven't heard the PG or Hifonics amps, and they're both really aesthetically nice. Anyone have experience with the Hifonics (I used to have a Zeus series I liked til it was stolen) or PG amps and how they compare?

I tend to listen to rock/punk/metal/alternative when I drive, but sometimes listen to just about anything except country.

I currently have the 'upgraded stereo system' with the special little passenger seat sub and an Alpine CDA-9815 HU.

Thanks in advance!

Well the Sony you heard sounded great because it was working, not all of them do (at least not the Xplod line). I would pick the Hifonics if you want to keep costs down. If you had $315 you might want to look into the eD Nine.1, nothing but good reviews so far and stable at 1ohm.

offset

I like the hifonics stuff and would choose that over the other choices listed. I'm hooked on zapco amps and balanced inputs. I've been reading about USAmps and wish I could listen to them around here,very interesting.
good luck man

because of the way their are built (heavier moving mass), the more control you will have over these square sub, the better they will sound. it is true for all sub, but particulary important for those. If you go sealed (wich I strongly recommend. if you want to go vented for better effiency, there's sub out there that will end sounding much better while ported), anything over the rated power (750w rms) will be too much. less than 750 will be needed to reach Xmax in a box larger than 1 cuft. going farther than linear excursion is not gonna break it, but it is more likely to distort. My recommendation is to go 1.5 cuft sealed, and use the hifonics BX1500D at 2 ohm, so you'll get around 750w rms,mucho damping and less distortion. since those amp are affordable, you will still get a lot of power for your money.

okay assume I want to keep my price range in the $300 range (or lower).. what would be the best amp (quality and aesthetically) to power the S12L7?

would 1 ohm stable or 2 ohm be better? match the RMS wattage of the amp to the RMS of the speaker?

thanks in advance..

what kind of L7 are you getting, dual 2, dual 4, triple 6 :devil:, ?

dual 2 or dual 4 (which one is better?)

I haven't seen the triple 6. what's the difference between the dual 2 and dual 4?

thanks..