Rockford Fosgate

When most people think of Rockford Fosgate, they remember that this brand has been delivering car audio products that enthusiasts have craved for over 50 years. Rockford Fosgate’s experience has made them a leader in the development of high-performance amplifiers, speakers and, of course, car audio subwoofers. Rockford has a truly incomparable solution for those who are truly fanatical about their bass. We’re talking about their flagship 19-inch Power Series T3S1-19 and T3S2-19 drivers. Let’s check them out.

Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19 and T3S2-19 Superwoofers

There are three series of subwoofers in the flagship Power Series. The T1 drivers are available in 10-, 12-, and 15-inch sizes. The T2 drivers start getting crazier with 13- and 16-inch diameters. At the top, we have the T3 19-inch drivers. To put that size into perspective, a typical 18-inch high-power subwoofer has an effective cone area of about 1,140 square centimeters. The T3 19-inch subwoofers have cones with a massive 1,472 square centimeter area. That’s an increase of 29%, which translates directly into an increase in efficiency and output.

The T3 19-inch superwoofers are available in two models. The T3S1-19 has a single 1-ohm voice coil, while the T3S2-19 has a single 2-ohm coil. Speaking of voice coils, the aluminum voice coil former on these drivers has a diameter of 5 inches and includes a single edge-wound layer. Winding a flat wire around a cylinder on its edge isn’t easy to manufacture, but the single layer means no insulated air pockets of heat, as found on multi-layered coils. This means more thermal capacity, translating into more power handling and less thermal compression for improved overall efficiency.

The voice coil former is vented between the upper spider and the cone to release air pressure and heat at high excursion levels. Power ratings for the T3 19-inch drivers are 3,000 watts continuous with 6,000 watts as the peak. For daily duties, a single T2500-1bdCP is a great choice. Two T2500-1bdCP in PowerSync (strapped) mode will give you more than enough jam if you want to see who has the loudest system.

Keeping the massive 19-inch woofer cone under control is no easy feat, especially with linear excursion capabilities in the 2.7-inch range. As such, the chassis of the T3 woofers is very tall. The mounting depth is 15.62 inches. The chassis is a two-piece die-cast aluminum design with heat sink fins and extensive venting. The motor structure uses a dual-gap, multipole neodymium push/pull design with the voice coil having a dual winding design. A large neodymium magnet slug sits inside the voice coil and provides the electromotive force needed to move the cone. This geometry reduces inductance to numbers well below what some 10-inch woofers with 2-inch voice coils have. As such, the 19-inch woofers produce reasonable midbass – something many woofers today can’t claim at these power levels. As has been proven repeatedly, Rockford Fosgate doesn’t just do things big; it designs for sound quality and includes technologies that most other companies overlook to improve performance. Think of it like a Top Fuel Dragster combined with a Formula 1 car.

T3 Superwoofer Cone Assembly

The cones of the T3 superwoofers feature top and bottom layers of glass fiber that are laminated over a low-mass, high-strength aramid honeycomb core. This is the same construction used in aerospace applications. An aluminum dust cap ensures stability at high excursion levels.

The surround is made from injection-molded foam and uses Rockford Fosgate’s Vertical Attach Surround Technique (VAST) geometry to maximize the driver’s surface area. An aluminum clamping ring keeps the outer edge of the surround affixed to the chassis.

The Power Series T3 subwoofers use a pair of progressive Nomex spiders that are spaced several inches apart. This geometry is crucial to maintaining linear excursion at high power levels. Any rocking and the voice coil could make contact with the top plate. The tinsel leads from the voice coil are sewn to the upper spider to prevent noise and damage. Electrical connections to your amplifier(s) are made via a pair of massive spring-loaded terminals that can accept 4 AWG wiring. Just for some math fun, 6,000 watts into a 1-ohm load requires 77.4 amps of current continuously with peaks of over 92 amps. Yep, 4 AWG sounds about right.

Subwoofer Enclosure Simulations

By now, you should know that the Box Advisor tool on the Rockford Fosgate website is a valuable resource. We looked up the suggested enclosure for a T3S1-19 and were presented with a vented design with an internal volume of 8.0 cubic feet and a 69-square-inch vent that tunes the system to a ground-shaking 24 hertz. This would make a stunning subwoofer solution for a large home theater. In a van or SUV, it would be capable of scaring most audio enthusiasts. If you want maximum output for competitions, 6 cubic feet tuned to around 40 hertz will produce a nice peak where most vehicles are efficient. Based on the simulations, neither design has any power handling issues that are affected by excursion limitations above 20 Hz.

Rockford Fosgate doesn’t recommend a sealed enclosure for the T3S1-19 or T3S2-19, but it will work if you have 3.5 cubic feet of airspace. You’re probably better off with a 13-inch T2 in a vented enclosure. Unless, well, shock factor!

Amazing Bass from the Rockford Fosgate T3S1-19 Superwoofers

If you have to have the biggest, baddest subwoofer on the streets, drop by a local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the mighty T3S1-19 and T3S2-19 superwoofers. You’ll need a well-constructed enclosure and lots of power to get the most out of one of these beasts, but the performance will be well worth the investment. For more information on the Power T3 superwoofers or any of the amazing car audio products from Rockford Fosgate, visit their website and 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.

I can’t think of many name-brand car audio manufacturers offering more subwoofers than Rockford Fosgate. They have everything from affordable entry-level drivers with the Prime R2 series to competition-ready monsters in the Power series T3 Superwoofer. Near the middle of the pack are the impressive Punch P3 drivers that serve as the flagship of that series. Let’s take a close look at the P3D2-10 and P3D4-10 10-inch subwoofers.

Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10 and P3D4-10 Subwoofers

The P3-level 10-inch subwoofers in the Punch line are available in two voice coil configurations. The P3D2-10 has dual 2-ohm voice coils, which your installer can wire to be a 1- or 4-ohm load. The P3D4-10 has dual 4-ohm voice coils to be a 2- or 8-ohm driver. Many will wonder which is better. There is no better. The options exist to allow your installer to pick the right combination of voice coil impedance and driver quantity to optimize the power production capabilities of whatever amp you choose. Other than some minor variances because of the different mass of the voice coils, the two driver options are otherwise identical.

Punch P3 Subwoofer Moving Parts

Let’s start by looking at the moving parts in the Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10 and P3D4-10 subwoofers. The drivers feature an anodized aluminum cone and dust cap. The cones are low in mass and rigid, and the aluminum helps extract heat from the voice coils wrapped around the anodized 2.5-inch aluminum voice coil former. A spun-laced Nomex reinforcement collar supports the joint between the former and the cone. Many overheated woofers fail at this joint, so this is a worthwhile upgrade in terms of longevity.

The tinsel leads from the voice coils are sewn to the oversized spider to ensure silent operation. At the top of the cone is a custom-tooled Santoprene rubber surround. The surround is bonded to the cone and then attached to the basket using Rockford Fosgate’s Vertical Attach Surround Technique, which optimizes the cone surface area. As a result, the P3 10-inch subwoofers have an effective radiating area (SD) of 360 square centimeters. Drivers rated similarly from competing brands are down at 345 or 327 square centimeters. When efficiency matters, so does cone area.

Basket and Magnet Assembly

The Punch P3 woofers have a unique deep-draw StampCast basket design. This basket design is stamped but looks like a cast basket, with to its geometry and crinkle-paint finish. The deep recesses on the sides of the four spokes add significant strength and rigidity to the design. Venting under the spider mounting plateau has also been included in the basket to improve power handling and make the driver more linear at high excursion levels.

The top edge of the basket features the FlexFit mounting slot design that allows for perfect alignment of the pad-printed artwork on the cone. The upper surface of the mounting lip is rubberized for a tidy appearance. A foam gasket is installed on the mounting surface to ensure an airtight seal to the enclosure. Finally, a machined aluminum trim ring gives the driver a tidy appearance and serves as the mount for the optional P2P3G-10 stamped mesh grille.

At the base of the basket is a massive magnet protected by a custom-tooled rubber boot. The pole piece includes a sizeable radiused vent in the center to relieve pressure under the dust cap and allow the inside of the voice coil to cool. Eight holes are drilled into the bottom plate to provide additional cooling under the voice coil.

Electrical connections are made by heavy-duty binding posts mounted at right angles to the basket. The wires enter the terminals from the bottom, keeping them out of the way when your installer is trying to load the driver into its enclosure.

Rockford Fosgate Punch P3D2-10 and P3D4-10 Specifications and Applications

In terms of specifications, Rockford Fosgate rates the P3 10-inch subwoofers as being capable of handling 500 watts continuously with peaks of 1,000 watts.

The drivers have a low-Q design, with the Qts being at 0.49 for the dual-two driver and 0.56 for the dual 4-ohm. The resonant frequency (Fs) is also low at 26.6 and 28 hertz, respectively. Finally, the equivalent compliance is relatively soft at 27 liters for either model. The Xmax specification is 15.2 millimeters for the D2 and 15.9 for the D4.

The Box Advisor tool on the Rockford Fosgate website suggests an acoustic suspension (sealed) enclosure volume of 0.59 cubic feet (net). This application results in a Qtc of 0.815 for the P3D2-10 driver with an F3 frequency that’s nice and low at 39.13 hertz. The suggested bass reflex (ported) enclosure has a net volume of 1.4 cubic feet with a vent tuned to 40 hertz. This enclosure, shown in red below, has an F3 frequency of 30 hertz and a nice bump centered around 45 Hz to give you a serious kick in the back. If you prefer a little rumble instead of boom, have your installer tune the enclosure to 32 hertz, and you’ll pick up about 6 dB of output at 25 hertz. None of the above enclosures have any power handling issues through the mid-band, though the vented enclosures would appreciate an infrasonic filter, as usual.

Upgrade Your Car Stereo with Rockford Fosgate Punch Subwoofers

As two reviews on the Rockford Fosgate website note, these drivers are indeed little monsters. They have an impressive feature set that ensures reliability and linear performance. The electro-mechanical characteristics are optimized for impressive output, even from a small sealed enclosure. Finally, your installer can recommend any combination of Rockford Fosgate P3D2-10 or P3D4-10 subwoofers to optimize the output capabilities of almost any amplifier on the market.

If it’s time to add high-quality bass to your vehicle, drop by a local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and ask about the Punch P3 subwoofers. You can find a retailer using the locator tool on their website. Be sure to follow Rockford Fosgate on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to learn about their new products and the amazing events they attend each year.

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.