Old Polk's db10 sub - need your advice...

[Xeper]

Hello all,

First of all, I’d like to apologize for my English.
I'm from foreign country and it is quite unusual for me to post on US forums :)
However, I hope you’ll be able to understand me…

I’m looking for a sub to fill lowest freqs in my car. More important for me is quality of sound than dB pressure, so I’m looking for a 10inch sub in sealed box.
Recently, I’ve found old PolkAudio's sub for sale – the db10 in sealed, 0.66 dft box.

Do you think that sub is worth to buy? Guess, that sub may be even 8 years old…
Sub’s seller claims it is in very good (even perfect) shape.

And other questions:

1. How Polk’s db10 goes in comparison with other middle level 10 inch subs recommended also for sealed boxes, like JL10W0, Cervin Vega 10SVC? These new subs are available for approx. twice more $ that that second-hand db10… Which one is more worth buying in your opinion?

2. That db10 has 300W RMS at 4Ohm. Do you think Crunch Blackmaxx MXB4125 budget-level amp (it has 250W RMS in bridged mode at 4Ohm) will supply enough power for db10?

Sub will be installed in Audi 80 (station wagon).

Thank you in advance for your help!

Greets from Poland
Xeper

[LittleCar_w/12s]

I use DB12 subs... they are rather old themselves and still perform very well.

You want to make sure that the rubber surround is not deformed, and I assume it is in working condition otherwise.

My DB series subs work great and reproduce sound very clearly, even at their age.

That amp will power that sub well, but be careful to not adjust the amp too high. If you do so, the sound will be distorted (or clipped). You should be good with that combination. Search around this forum for tips on adjusting the levels correctly and you will be very pleased.

-Best of luck-
-Jerry-

[Xeper]

I use DB12 subs... they are rather old themselves and still perform very well.

You want to make sure that the rubber surround is not deformed, and I assume it is in working condition otherwise.

My DB series subs work great and reproduce sound very clearly, even at their age.

That amp will power that sub well, but be careful to not adjust the amp too high. If you do so, the sound will be distorted (or clipped). You should be good with that combination. Search around this forum for tips on adjusting the levels correctly and you will be very pleased.


Hi, thanks for your answer...

Finally, I've decided to buy that db10 sub. After few days I received the package, and... wow! The sub is in perfect condition, it looks like a new one! The carpet on its enclosure is also in awesome shape. The whole looks like it would be directly from retail.
Going down in details: I've checked rubber surrounding, spider (I'm not sure that word - I mean "lower suspension") and membrane. All is in perfect shape. Then checked if coil may move smooth in its gap - absolutelly no scratches and other undesired sounds could be heard.
The box is "rock solid", tight and its displacement is fitted to woofer specs. I think, enclosure's condition is also important because if sth would go wrong with db10 I may easly swith to newer Polk's woofer, like MM104

And most important part: the sound.
I've wired it to brigded Crunch, cut it with LP at about 80Hz, adjusted (roughly) gain level and turn my HU on... and then felt happy :)

At low power levels it gives nice fill in of low freqs, but at higer levels it can shake my liver ;) I must say I'm 100% satisfied with its performance and quality, and it will take me some time to be not as much excided as I'm now.

Polks components are not very popular here in Poland and especially vintage stuff like db10s, so once more, thank you (and other guys from forum, whom posts I've found in archiv) for information about that woofer.

Greets from Poland
Xeper

[LittleCar_w/12s]

You are very welcome. Stick around the board too. It would be nice to have someone with a European perspective.

[PoweredByDodge]

the original DB car audio speakers are fantastic - regardless of their age.

Crunch uses (for the most part) garbage integrated amplifiers strapped to the output terminals. They are - with no offense intended - garbage. If or when you get some more money, the purchase of a quality amplifier would be adviseable.

Look for something 300 - 400 watts x 1 at 4 ohms (either a mono amp or a bridged 2 channel amp).