Is anyone else disappointed with a sub box behind the seat? I built one for 2 10s (see in library), and while it is extremely undersized for my standard sized subs (alpine type e)...it sounds like crap. Would it make that much difference in gettting the shallow mount subs and/or adding more size to the box? Cuz I aint happy with it and will make a change, just wanna keep costs to a minimum.
Sub box quality
- Thread starter 08Red STA
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Clay Campbell
Well-Known Member
it will most definitly make a difference by changing either the size of the box or the subs. If your box is not with in the recommended volume specs for your sub its not only gonna sound like crap but its slowly killing off your subs.
Clay Campbell
Well-Known Member
if your close to reccommended airspace but still a little under you can pack your box with polyfill. im not sure the physics behind it but it sorta fools your speaker into thinking it has more airspace than it does and increases the sound quality. I would say build a new box and try to get as close to the recommended air space specs for those subs as you can. your amp and how it is hooked up also depends on sound quality
Carey Frennier
Well-Known Member
If it's undersized, meaning the airspace is less than the min. reqs for the subs, it will sound like crap.
Airspace is the biggest factor in bass wave reproduction. Once you know the airspace, only then can you select a driver.
The easy way out is to calculate the airspace and mounting depth in your box and buy shallow mounts to match. Although, It's probably cheaper to rebuild the box IF you have the room for the additional airspace.
Airspace is the biggest factor in bass wave reproduction. Once you know the airspace, only then can you select a driver.
The easy way out is to calculate the airspace and mounting depth in your box and buy shallow mounts to match. Although, It's probably cheaper to rebuild the box IF you have the room for the additional airspace.
Dingo
Well-Known Member
Polyfill doesn't fool anything. It simply eliminates standing waves.
I have a single 10 under the back seat and although I won't win any bass competitions, it sounds great. Several people on here have heard it.
I have a single 10 under the back seat and although I won't win any bass competitions, it sounds great. Several people on here have heard it.
Carey Frennier
Well-Known Member
Polyfill is a joke. It doesn't really do anything. Search Polyfill on caraudio.com.
Yeah I intially built it to add in the existing spot behind the seat (w/o removing the plastic panel), but it was such a tight fit, I had to take it out. So now I do have that extra room in width, plus get go alittle taller as well. But I hate to go thru that and it still suck. My subs are alittle old too but that would be alittle more expensive to replace than to try the box thing.
Dingo, thats a good idea too for the underseat sub. It would be a huge difference to switch from my old setup (2 subs in large, ported box-on folded down seat) to 1 sub under the seat in a smaller box. But would be no doubt better than it is now. I guess I need to make a priority somewhere. Which is more important to me I guess...either sound or seating space??? Maybe I will try to build one for under the seat first and if that fails, then I will just have to use the folded down smaller section (behind drivers seat) for a sub or two.
Dingo
Well-Known Member
<img src="http://www.mysporttrac.com/~library/22354/Audio/P1010869%20(Small).JPG">
Single 10.
Single 10.
Carey Frennier
Well-Known Member
I know Kicker makes a 10" SM that should fit behind the rear seats of a gen2 in a sealed enclosure. I know JBL made a 1202D 12" that fits behind the seat of a gen2. That's what I'm currently using. When business picks up again I'm going to think about upgrading to a single JL 13TW5 (cleaner installed look) or a upgrade both my front and sub stage amps.
Truth be told, I should probably just upgrade the amps. I'd love to have a 300.4 front stage and at least a 500.1 sub stage. That's plenty of power for my comps and more than enough for my two 12s or a single 13TW5.
Truth be told, I should probably just upgrade the amps. I'd love to have a 300.4 front stage and at least a 500.1 sub stage. That's plenty of power for my comps and more than enough for my two 12s or a single 13TW5.
psycareyo, that would prob be the best bet. But I dont have the extra cash for that. So box changes is all I can afford right now. The wife only "allows" me to replace things when they are broken. I guess age isnt a good reason. Plus she thinks I shouldve out grown having subs like 10 yrs ago.
Dingo
Well-Known Member
I've got a Boston GT-50 and a Boston GT-20. Plenty of power, and very clean.
Clay Campbell
Well-Known Member
dingo, thanks for filling me in only polyfil. I have been wondering what the deal with it is.
Carey Frennier
Well-Known Member
You could build two nearly identical sealed enclosures. One under the seat and one behind it! As long as they have the same airspace it should sound great. That should give you the airspace you need for each sub. They don't need to be next to each other. You could even build a nice amp rack to house your speaker and sub amps in conjunction with the behind the seat enclosure.
I may do as suggested psycareyo. I am new to building them, as u can see from the pic. But I did enjoy doing it. So maybe Ill do the under the seat way like dingo suggested for one of them, and if not satisfied I will make another for behind. Good advice. Thanks.
Kelly Hummel
Member
If you dont haul much put your amps in the bed and build a box for 3 10" like i did
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Rahul Sharma
Active Member
Aaahhhh....sub boxes!
I had the same problem as you did RedSTA...i made a box, for 2 shallow mount Kickers and in the end, it was OK, but there was not enough volume, they shared the same airspace, and it was just not built 'right'...(my first ever try at fiberglassing). Here is what it was:
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it was a clean setup for a first try, but you could 'hear' the subs choking out on faster beats.
My second attempt was what i have now, and much better. I used the entire back wall (4 ft wide), and went 13 inches high. Thanks to some good advice from members like psycareyo, i also seperated the box for 2 sealed enclosure, i for each sub.
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To give you numbers, my first box was 1.2 cuft for BOTH subs. the new one is 0.9cuft PER chamber. The sub requires 0.8cuft.
I was able to achieve this using fiberglass i must admitt. 3/4 mdf will cut into both airspace and your mounting depth. my fiberglass backwall was 1/8, which was 9 layers thick.
and a note on polyfill. What guys have said above is true. There is no 'AI' as far as i know in either the polyfill or the sub, so nothing is 'fooling' nothing. it's a myth that you can compensate for cuft of airspace with it...that being said, there is a value for adding upto 50% of polyfill of your airspace, because as Dingo said correctly, it eliminates standing airwaves, and also causes waves to resonate a bit more as there is substrate for them to reflect off. this helps is providing a bit of 'richness' (for a lack of better word) to the output, but it does not make your 1 cuft enclosure into a larger one....
My build log is here below...it's not hard, can be done in a weekend, and i can help if you have any questions!!
I had the same problem as you did RedSTA...i made a box, for 2 shallow mount Kickers and in the end, it was OK, but there was not enough volume, they shared the same airspace, and it was just not built 'right'...(my first ever try at fiberglassing). Here is what it was:
[Broken External Image]:
it was a clean setup for a first try, but you could 'hear' the subs choking out on faster beats.
My second attempt was what i have now, and much better. I used the entire back wall (4 ft wide), and went 13 inches high. Thanks to some good advice from members like psycareyo, i also seperated the box for 2 sealed enclosure, i for each sub.
[Broken External Image]:
[Broken External Image]:
To give you numbers, my first box was 1.2 cuft for BOTH subs. the new one is 0.9cuft PER chamber. The sub requires 0.8cuft.
I was able to achieve this using fiberglass i must admitt. 3/4 mdf will cut into both airspace and your mounting depth. my fiberglass backwall was 1/8, which was 9 layers thick.
and a note on polyfill. What guys have said above is true. There is no 'AI' as far as i know in either the polyfill or the sub, so nothing is 'fooling' nothing. it's a myth that you can compensate for cuft of airspace with it...that being said, there is a value for adding upto 50% of polyfill of your airspace, because as Dingo said correctly, it eliminates standing airwaves, and also causes waves to resonate a bit more as there is substrate for them to reflect off. this helps is providing a bit of 'richness' (for a lack of better word) to the output, but it does not make your 1 cuft enclosure into a larger one....
My build log is here below...it's not hard, can be done in a weekend, and i can help if you have any questions!!
Rahul Sharma
Active Member
i did a quick search for Alpine Type E and got a mounting depth of 5.3 inches. is this correct? what is your sub's mounting depth? is this your model: Alpine Type-E SWE-1043?
