Rockford Fosgate

Adding a subwoofer to your car audio system is one of the best ways to improve the way your music sounds. If you are looking for a high-quality subwoofer at an affordable price, the Prime Series R2D2-12 from Rockford Fosgate is an excellent choice. This dual-voice coil 12-inch subwoofer is rated to continuously handle 250 watts of power with peaks at 500 watts. Best of all, you know you’re getting a subwoofer that will sound great and deliver clean, clear bass with minimal distortion.

Physical Features of the Rockford Fosgate R2D2-12

The R2D2-12 is based on Rockford Fosgate’s StampCast four-spoke, stamped-steel basket design. The basket design uses large, rolled edges on the windows to add significant structure and ensure that the motor assembly is secure and solid, giving you the benefits of a cast design without the expense.

The basket also features vents in the base where it’s mounted to the top plate. These vents improve power handling and driver linearity by allowing air under the spider to enter and escape around the voice coil as the cone moves forward and rearward. Features like spider venting are usually reserved for much more expensive drivers. There’s also a sizeable cooling vent in the pole piece to allow airflow from under the dust cap for an extra boost in power handling and performance.

The voice coil former is made of aluminum to help extract heat from the dual windings, while most woofers at this price point use plastic. The R2D2-12 has a pair of 2-ohm voice coils that can be wired in series or parallel or driven by separate amplifier channels. If you need a pair of 4-ohm coils on your sub, the R2D4-12 is the answer.

Speaker connections are made via a pair of spring-loaded terminals on each side of the motor assembly, with the voice coil’s tinsel leads sewn to the spider to keep them from slapping the cone or spider at high excursion levels. This is another feature that’s typical of much more expensive subwoofers.

The cone is constructed from injection-molded polypropylene with mica added for improved rigidity and thermal stability. An inverted dust cap in the center of the cone keeps dust and debris out of the voice coil gap. For compliance, the poly-cotton spider uses a linear design and a half-roll, poly-foam surround treated with a UV inhibitor to ensure longevity and reliability. A semi-rigid, injection-molded trim piece on the mounting flange provides a clean look. The connection between the spider, cone and surround has been reinforced with a multipoint high-temperature, high-strength neck joint bonding technique.

Prime-Series Subwoofer Applications

When looking at the Thiele/Small parameters, the first thing that stands out is the Xmax spec of 6.4 mm. Unlike most subwoofers that offer an Xmax calculation based on the height of the voice coil and the top plate, Rockford Fosgate’s specification is based on the measured excursion level that produces less than 10% distortion as measured by a laser-based Klippel transducer analysis system. This method considers compliance and motor strength changes for a much more realistic maximum excursion value. Very few companies are this honest and forthcoming with their specifications – quite impressive.

A second important observation is that the driver is impressively efficient. If you have 250 to 300 watts of power, there’s no sense running a giant subwoofer with a heavy voice coil and cone assembly. Rockford Fosgate has optimized this driver to deliver excellent output from minimal power. This is yet another sign that this company knows exactly what it is doing.

In terms of enclosure design, I modeled the suggested 1.02-cubic-foot sealed and 1.79-cubic-foot vented enclosures in BassBox Pro. These enclosures will deliver impressive output from modest power levels, making them perfect for systems with smaller amplifiers or where the electrical system current draw might be a concern in a hybrid or electric vehicle.

Upgrade Your Car Stereo with a Rockford Fosgate Subwoofer!

If you’re looking for a subwoofer system for your car or SUV, drop by your local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the 12-inch Prime Series R2D2-12 subwoofers. We think you’ll be very impressed with their performance and value. To learn more about Rockford Fosgate’s automotive, powersport, marine and motorcycle products, visit their website. Also, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

If the sound system in your car or truck doesn’t put a smile on your face, it’s time to visit your local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the impressive P1000X5 five-channel amplifier. This single-channel amp can dish out an effortless 75 watts of power from the four main channels and up to 500 watts of power to a subwoofer. Best of all, it has all the features your installer needs to connect it to almost any factory-installed audio system. If you aren’t intrigued, you should be! Let’s dive deeper.

A Five-Channel Car Audio Amp Is the Perfect Upgrade

If you’ve ever tried to crank up the volume on your car stereo and it began distorting just as things were getting fun, then you need to upgrade your audio system with an amplifier. The P1000X5 is part of the Punch Series from Rockford Fosgate, so it has all the power, features and sound quality you’d ever want.

Let’s start with the power specifications. The P1000X5 is rated to produce 75 watts by four and 150 watts from the subwoofer channel into 4-ohm loads. When connected to 2-ohm speakers, the maximum power output jumps to 150 by four and 300 for the sub channel. If you want to go all out, your installer can design your subwoofer system to present a 1-ohm load to the mono channel so the amp can produce 500 watts of power. The amp can also be configured for three-channel operation where it can produce 250 watts into a pair of 4-ohm speakers and 500 watts into a 1-ohm subwoofer.

The P1000X5 includes high-pass crossovers on the front and rear channels that are adjustable from 50 to 250 Hz with -12 dB/octave slopes. The subwoofer channel has a low-pass crossover that’s also adjustable from 50 to 250 Hz and a selectable infrasonic filter set to 28 Hz. The front, rear and subwoofer channels have dedicated sensitivity controls that will accept from 150 millivolts up to an impressive 12 volts. The inputs are differential, so they can handle direct connections to low-power source units without the need for an adapter. The amp has dedicated stereo inputs for the front, rear and sub channels, or it can be configured to feed the sub output from the front and rear, or the rear and sub from just the front.

All three sets of channels feature the on-board Punch EQ circuit, designed to correct for acoustical deficiencies in the cabin of the vehicle. Your installer can dial in up to 18 dB of boost at 45 Hz on the sub channel and up to 14 dB of boost at 12.5 kHz on the front channels. The amp also has a provision for the optional Remote Punch Level control to let the driver adjust the relative level of the sub to the rest of the speakers. In addition, the front, rear and subwoofer channels all feature the C.L.E.A.N. Set-Up feature that lets your installer match your source unit to the amplifier and know when the output signal is clipping.

The P1000X5 is 15 inches wide, 7.8 inches long and only 2.4 inches tall. As with the other amps in the Punch series, this amp uses a high-mass cast aluminum heatsink that helps keep things cool while reducing distortion and extending reliability. The amp also features NOMAD protection circuitry that monitors voltages and temperatures to keep the amp safe.

In terms of output device topology, the front and rear channels feature a Class AB design that uses Rockford Fosgate’s proprietary TRANS•ANA configuration to minimize circuit complexity and maximize sound quality. The subwoofer channel is an efficient Class BD design that delivers big power without drawing significant amounts of current from the charging system.

Rockford Fosgate’s Punch P1000X5 – The Perfect Car Audio System Amplifier

One of the most significant benefits of powering your audio system with a five-channel amp is the simplicity of installation. A single-chassis amp doesn’t require multiple power wires or distribution – which can save you a lot of money. Second, five-channel amplifiers typically take up less space than using an amp for the main speakers and a second for a subwoofer.

If you want more performance out of the speakers in your car or truck and are thinking about adding a subwoofer at the same time, drop by your local authorized Rockford Fosgate car audio retailer and ask about the amazing Punch Series P1000X5 five-channel amplifier. You can learn more about this cool amplifier by visiting the Rockford Fosgate website. Be sure to follow their Facebook page, Instagram feed and YouTube channel to learn about the latest audio system solutions for your car, truck, motorcycle or boat.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

If you’ve been into car audio for as long as I have, you’ve likely had a memorable experience with a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer. I vividly remember being in one of the Korbon Trading (the Canadian distributor of Rockford Fosgate in the ’80s) Blastro vans. This GMC Safari had four 18-inch Punch subwoofers powered by a pair of Power 1000 amplifiers. It was the first time a car audio system left me breathless. Fast-forward 33 years and Rockford Fosgate is still a leader in developing car audio subwoofer solutions that get loud and sound amazing. Let’s take a close look at the flagship of the Punch Series 12-inch drivers – the P3D4-12.

Rockford Fosgate Punch P3D4-12 Features

The P3D4-12 is a dual voice coil subwoofer constructed with each coil having an impedance of 4 ohms. The sub is available in a dual 2-ohm model called the P3D2-12. Both are based around a custom-tooled four-spoke hybrid stamp-cast aluminum basket. The main vertical supports and the mounting lip are stamped. There is a cast cooling insert at the base of the basket around the voice coil. Underneath the basket is a 96-ounce double-stacked ceramic magnet assembly that is concealed with a protective PVC rubber cover. The bumped T-yoke is visible through the bottom of the cover, exposing the vented pole piece and eight additional small cooling vents under the voice coil former. These extra vents also allow air pressure to be released from inside the motor as the driver moves rearward, thereby improving linearity and reducing distortion at high excursion levels.

Up top, the additional cooling and ventilation are provided by vents below each window in the basket. These allow hot air to escape from under the spider, helping to keep the motor assembly cool and reduce power compression. All the cooling features combine to ensure that these subwoofers continue to sound great without losing efficiency, even after hours of play time.

With Rockford Fosgate’s FlexFit basket, instead of eight fixed holes in the mounting lip for fasteners, eight slots allow your installer to align the subwoofer perfectly in the enclosure. An aluminum ring is included to finish off the installation and conceal the mounting hardware for a classy and tidy look.

Voice Coil and Moving Part Features

The cone of the P3D4-12 is made from aluminum, as is the inverted dust cap. Both have an anodized finish, and Rockford Fosgate is screened on the cone. At the top of the cone is a Santoprene rubber surround that is attached to the basket with Rockford Fosgate’s VAST design. In essence, VAST moves the surround closer to the outer edge of the basket and increases the effective cone area of the driver.

At the base of the cone are a pair of tear- and fatigue-resistant linear poly-cotton spiders mounted face-to-face to reduce nonlinearities. Four 16-AWG tinsel leads are sewn into the spiders to ensure that they won’t make noise at high excursion levels. The 2.5-inch voice coil former is made of anodized aluminum so that it can withstand extreme temperatures. The driver uses a four-layer voice coil winding. A spun-laced NOMEX reinforcement collar adds strength to the connection between the cone, the voice coil former and the spiders.

Electrical connections are handled by four nickel-plated spring terminals. The terminals push inward toward the voice coil and wire up to 10 AWG in size is inserted from below. While it seems inconsequential, this vertical wiring method helps keep everything organized during installation.

P3D4-12 Specifications

The P3D4-12 subwoofer is rated to handle 600 watts of power continuously and up to 1,200 watts maximum power. The driver has a total weight of 20.9 pounds (9.48 kilograms). Mounting depth is 6.66 inches, and the driver requires a cutout size of 11.25 inches.

In terms of electromechanical specifications, Rockford Fosgate specifies the driver as having a resonant frequency (Fs) of 27.7 hertz, an equivalent volume compliance (Vas) of 2.04 cubic feet and a total Q (Qts) of 0.52. The maximum linear excursion (Xmax) is listed at 0.547 inch in each direction.

The owner’s manual suggests a sealed enclosure with a net internal volume of 1.02 cubic feet to produce an F3 frequency of 42.2 hertz and a system Q of 0.78 – which should be well-controlled and impressively musical. If you want to increase low-frequency efficiency, they suggest a 1.79-cubic-foot vented enclosure with a tuning frequency of 40 hertz. This should result in an F3 frequency of 32.8 hertz and a lot more output. If you have the room, we always suggest the vented enclosure.

If you want a little more rumble from the sub, ask the Rockford Fosgate retailer you’re working with to build the vented enclosure with a tuning frequency of 30 Hz. You’ll lose some of the 50-60 hertz efficiency, but pick up more output below 35 hertz.

Upgrade Your Car Audio System with a Rockford Fosgate Subwoofer Today

If you’re searching for a high-performance subwoofer that’s designed to sound great while delivering impressive amounts of bass, drop by your local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer. You can find a shop near you using the dealer locator on the Rockford Fosgate website. Be sure to follow Rockford Fosgate on their Facebook page and Instagram feed and check out the awesome videos they produce on their YouTube channel.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Whether you have a Jeep that gets muddy, a side-by-side that thinks it’s a part-time submarine, or a boat that’s always getting swamped, Rockford Fosgate’s M5-1500X5 powersports amplifier can be the heart of an impressive audio system upgrade. This five-channel amplifier can deliver the power your speakers need to reproduce audio with amazing clarity while driving a subwoofer or two to give your music impact and warmth – all from a single chassis. If you agree that this sounds like the perfect upgrade for your mobile sound system, read on to learn more about this fantastic amplifier.

Rockford Fosgate M5-1500X5 Specifications

The M5-1500X5 amplifier is rated to produce 100 watts per channel from the four main channels and an impressive 600 watts from the subwoofer channel. The front channels can drive 2- or 4-ohm loads while the subwoofer channel is optimized to produce that power into a 2- or 1-ohm load. The sub channel makes 400 watts into a 4-ohm load. If you have an application where you need huge power for a set of tower speakers, the front and rear channel pairs can be bridged to drive a pair of 4-ohm loads with 200 watts to each speaker. Of course, all of the specifications for the amp are compliant with the CTA-2006 standard, so you know you can trust the ratings. Based on our experience with the M5-1000X1, the numbers are likely conservative.

The front, rear and subwoofer channels each have a dedicated sensitivity control, Punch EQ control and a crossover that’s adjustable between 50 and 250 Hz. The Punch EQ allows up to 18 dB of boost at 45 hertz on the subwoofer channel and combines that bass attenuation with treble boost centered at 12.5 kHz on the front channels. The crossover on the front channels can be run in high- or low-pass modes or defeated completely. The adjustable subwoofer channel crossover is always on and limits high-frequency information. Your installer can connect an RCA cable directly to the RCA input for the sub channel, or set the Sub Input Switch off and let the amp combine the signals from the front and rear channel inputs. The subwoofer channel has a fixed -12 dB/octave infrasonic filter that’s set to 30 hertz to protect your subwoofers and optimize their output. There’s also a two- or four-channel switch on the end of the amp by the input connections. Setting this to two-channel mode copies the signal from the front channel inputs to the rear channels.

Rockford Fosgate includes their C.L.E.A.N. input and output monitoring circuit, making it easy for your installer to maximize the signals going into the amp and set the output level controls to deliver maximum performance. They’ve also included a PRESET switch for level and crossover settings for use with their vehicle-specific Motorsports stage kits. These settings can be invoked by activating the PRESET switch on each channel.

The amplifier makes use of several technologies found on other premium Rockford Fosgate amplifiers. The NOMAD protection circuitry guards against short circuits on the speaker connections. The Class-AD and Class-BD designs help to ensure good efficiency to maximize the capabilities of the magneto or alternator and battery on your boat or side-by-side. Likewise, the lightly regulated P.O.W.E.R. technology for the power supply design allows the amplifier to maximize output power when it’s fed with more voltage. Finally, the Maximum Efficiency Heat Sink Application (MEHSA) heat sink design helps to ensure that the amp keeps running when pushed hard by spreading thermal energy throughout the chassis.

Five-Channel Powersports Amplifier Layout

The M5-1500X5 is based on a 4.25- by 1.7-inch extruded aluminum chassis that’s 12.3 inches long, including the cast aluminum end-caps. The connections for input signals, along with speaker and power output, are made via pigtail harnesses that attach to each end of the amplifier. The harnesses are held in place with screws and feature gaskets to ensure that everything is watertight.

The controls are on the top of the amp on the left side and are protected by a removable cover once set. As you’d expect, the cover includes a rubber gasket to keep water, dust and debris out of the amp. The combination of these waterproofing features gives the amp an IPX6 water and dust intrusion rating. Rockford Fosgate calls this their Element Ready design, and it includes testing for prolonged UV exposure as well as corrosion resistance.

Upgrade Your Adventure with Rockford Fosgate

Your local authorized Rockford Fosgate dealer would be happy to design an audio system upgrade for your boat, side-by-side, off-roader or Jeep using the M5-1500X5. You can find a dealer near you by using the Dealer Locator on their website. To keep up with the latest new product release, cool events and amazing vehicle features from Rockford Fosgate, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Instagram and their YouTube channel.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.