Scruff

I'm looking into getting a new pair of 12in subs (or maybe just a single) and right now I'm looking into sub boxes. Any suggestions? I'm considering just making my own.

fourunnabilly

My .02-

Buy a single JL 12W7-3 and build a sealed box to specs from 1" thick high density and you will have more bass than you'll know what to do with. Gotta have the amp power though. I just finished my stereo on my new 03' V-8 with 2 JL 13W7-1.5's each being fed 1000 true watts from 2 Xtant 1001's and with my gains set at about a 1/4 of their capacity, I have never heard more bass in my life. Just finished installing my new high output alternator, and had to add a 13V matrix to boost my RCA's, so just a little adjusting and tuning of the amps is left. Let me know what you are thinking about doing and I'd be more than willing to help...good luck.

Billy

SLC Punk

I second the choice for a sealed box. I don't like the sound of band pass boxes, you just don't get the "tight bass" sound, its too sloppy.

I am running 1 12" exlipse sub powered by a Sony Xplod amp that is bridged. Plenty of bass for me!

Scruff

Thanks man. I'm still in the planning stages. Right now I've got 2 10s (my dad's old sub box) running on a weak pioneer amp (originally planned to power my 6.5s)... it sounds ok. I don't like "ok". The plan is to actually put some effort and money into the subs. The head unit is about a year old and the 6.5s are infinity kappa comps (the old style-green). The 4s in the front are last on the list.

Right now I'm just holding back cause I've got to upgrade my computer, then i don't know whether to increase moving power (3.0) or see if I can get sound to move the runner. I also gotta save money for my tuition in the spring.

I'm really not so experienced on the building of subs. I considered it an option cause I know people who have but they're kinda far from me (Miami). Where should i get the material and the misc parts?

SLC Punk

I was always told to use particle board because the glue in plywood can come apart and cause weird vibrations.
You can buy the carpet from any custom stereo shop.

The main thing to do is know what the speaker specs are (usually come with the speaker). You don't build a huge box for a speaker that requires a small box, and vice versa.

turboale

I'm with SLC on the Eclipses. I fried my MTX and amp in my little car swimming stunt, so I will have to replace them both. I will probably end up with a 12" Eclipse with another 500D amp. Good luck!

Bumpin' Yota

There's some fallacies floating around here.

1. Sealed sounds best - WRONG!

- Many many types of boxes can and do sound MUCH better than a typical acoustic suspension (sealed) box. A well designed 4th order bandpass will beat the SNOT out of a sealed box in all catagories of sound quality, from low end extension, to tight punchy bass, to spl, to overall clarity. Other boxes that sound better than sealed are properly designed transmission line enclosures, waveguides, tacitrax horns, folded horns, aperiodic bichamber, snail shells, etc

Keep in mind that a prefab does NOT qualify as properly designed.


2. Use particle board

- Close, but not quite. You ideally want to use 3/4" MDF. Or HDF (masonite). Keep in mind that a 4'x8'x3/4" sheet will weigh close to 108lbs If you feel like balling when building your sub box, you can easily drop a C note going after a single sheet of void free, 7 ply birch plywood.


What will you need in order to build a box, here is a list of EVERYTHING I can think of that youll need.

1. Drill
2. Countersink
3. #8 2" coarse thread drywall screws
4. phillips head bit to fit in drill and fit above screws.
5. 3M HiTack 90 spray adhesive (to adhere the carpet/vinyl to box)
6. Circular saw or table saw (to cut box sides)
7. Jig saw or spiral saw (to cut sub mounting hole)
8. Elmer's ProBond wood glue.
9. Exacto knife or some other SHARP cutting implement.

[You want to counter sink, screw, and glue all joints. You can also get all of the above at any hardware store]

10. Box carpet, or vinyl, or fiberglass pending what you want the box to look like
11. Terminal cup
12. 10ga speaker wire
13. Speaker grill - optional

[all of the above can be found at any car audio shop.]

14. Patience

As far as building the box itself you can go two routes. The first and easiest way is to trust the manufacturer and build accourding to their specks. (This is NOT always best however.) The better way to do it is to use a box plotting program such as WinISD alpha to predict the sub's response in any given box you choose. All box plotting programs use the T/S parameters to do this, and sometimes use electromagnetic parameters.

Building boxes is TOTAL cake!


Btw - Eclipse makes some GREAT subs, but better can be had for half as much. Namely IDQ 12s would fit your bill well. Better sq, roughly the same spl, and it's a total sleeper sub, until you power it up.

3.4v6

my friend and i just built our own box for his WRX and that thing hits soo hard ... kicker actually has very accurate directions on their websiteon how to build the box, and its a good way to save some money ... the box totalled $35!!!!!!!

broknlgs24

i'm running 4-8" JL Audio's....

https://www.yotatech.com/attachment....&postid=142898

phoenix808

hey broknlgs24...i was lookin to do the same thing in my runner w/ a false floor. do you happen to have any specs on the floor (aka, how'd you get the curve right to go around the wheel wells, etc)?

Also, do you have any cooling system in place? I would imagine the heatsinks on those amps would get kinda hot. i mean i know the fins are in open air...

btw, nice job. looks awesome!

data

I run a sealed box with an Image Dynamics IQD 12". Pushing it is a Kicker KX600.1. I didn't want something loud, just crisp and clean. I went with the sealed box b\c it was rather small. If it weren't for space cocern I woulda gotten a 4th order bp build.

I have to agree with bumpin yoda. I had a friend with one 12" in a 4th order bp box and it played really loud, low, tight, just whatever you threw at it. It sounded incredible.