sub enclosure requirements

**illuzi0nz** · 05-04-2010 03:00 PM

hey guys, is there a huge difference in quality of bass if the volume of the enclosure isnt close to the max volume recommended by the manufacturer? i ask because ive got a kicker sub that says enclosure should be 35-100L; 100L would be massive in my boot which i dont want to sacrifice too much of. if i decide to build a box about .. 60L, will there will much compromise to the quality of bass?
thanks in advance

**2MPRS** · 05-04-2010 09:15 PM

it wont sound as good as a 100L box and sometimes if u get a smaller box u have a chance of it cracking

**redefine** · 05-04-2010 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by 2MPRS

it wont sound as good as a 100L box and sometimes if u get a smaller box u have a chance of it cracking

lol. i think thats more of a case of having a shit box then it being too small.

but the above is true, though you may get a "tighter" sound by going smaller.

60l should be fine

**specialst** · 05-04-2010 09:31 PM

Adding fibreglass insulation inside the sealed box will virtually create a larger volume. This is due to the sound absorbing effect of the fibreglass insulation.

Slowly add the insulation to see how much is required for optimal sound according to your ears.

Caution. The insulation may trigger allergic reactions eg asthma in some individuals. Do not use insulation where individuals may be exposed to this, eg behind door trim and panels.

PS. Fibreglass insulation is NOT asbestos. It will NOT cause asbestosis. Just allergic reactions. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

**arverson** · 05-04-2010 10:41 PM

lol at recommended 35-100L. thats a massive range of difference in box volume..

just curious, any reason for settling on 60L?

do you have the technical specs for your sub? like qts, fs, vas, etc. if not then 60L should sound fine

**illuzi0nz** · 06-04-2010 09:22 AM

thanks for the responses guys,
im just using 60L as an example, but thats probably the amount of space i want to sacrifice in my boot.
its a very entry level sub, but it does the job for me
Vas (liters): 127.65
Fs (Hz): 26.5
Qts: 0.427
Xmax (millimeters): 9.76
Sensitivity 89.1 dB at 1 volt
Frequency Response 27 - 500 Hz

these figures actually mean nothing to me, but you have requested it, and i shall supply. hehee

**arverson** · 06-04-2010 11:43 PM

i was gonna model those numbers in this program to find a suitable box to give you a good response curve and other technical stuff but ive formatted my comp recently, thought i backed it up but i didnt.. dont think youre too fussy bout it so 60L should sound fine to you anyway. sorry

**arverson** · 30-04-2010 07:50 PM

ok got the program again, after modeling your specs the optimum sounding box would be 70L (2.47 cubic feet). which -for a sealed box situation- is a pretty large volume requirement for this particular sub.. but if you're willing to go with a 60L box then you might as well add another 10L into your boot

this size would give you the smoothest response without loosing much low-end and without being peaky (being a "one-note wonder")

dont know if youve had the box made already but just felt like following it up from before

**lilthug** · 30-04-2010 08:32 PM

^^ +1 rep

**slimx** · 05-05-2010 12:54 AM

Just keep in mind plain and simple..

90% of the time BIGGER IS BETTER

**redefine** · 14-05-2010 01:48 PM

^ to expand on that...

sound is vibration, and cause of the way sound is transmitted, you need more and more power to have the same volume as you go lower and lower. how do you have more power in sound?? move more air. the more air your sub can move, the louder it will be when it gets low and the lower it can reach, while still having a decent sound. the bigger box helps because when your dealing with that much air, a small box will restrict the movement of the sub because of pressure changes inside the box. however, you cant just run no box, cause then the sound waves from behind the speaker will come around and cancell out the sound from the front, makng a shit sound.

**Oscar of Markoz** · 17-05-2010 05:38 PM

Also, I don't think you'd notice the difference too much if you had the chance to listen to the 2 boxes side by side (unless you have a trained ear for this kind of stuff). Don't go using insulation, theres the proper stuff and it can be bought from either your nearest car audio installer direct or some interior material suppliers. Its called Dacron. Its white and very fluffy. You can either line the box in it, or just stuff the box with it.
60L is a good size box, but just make sure its a good size for the space your going to place it in also.