New Sub Box Finally Installed

[DragonDesign]

Here's hoping my pictures attached properly to this. I'm in the final stages of my newest stereo install in the LS. I thought I'd try something new this time. The whole theory behind this one was to make the box as shallow as possible so I have clearance to slide things (i.e. my skis) through into the back seat. The box is exactly 1.00cuft. In the finished pictures its hard to see the joints in the box, but it is pushed back just far enough that I can open the hatch for the spare tire well. I'm still waiting on a fuse from eBay then I'll be able to see how it actually sounds. Also pictured the polk component install. Not shown is the AVN5435 in the dash. Let me know what you all think.

FYI the sub is a 12" Power Acoustik and the amp is the A2400DB Power Acoustik Mono Block.

 

[C-Snizzle]

Looks clean, hows it sound?

 

[HyeLifeLS]

That's an interesting set up, I have the tweeters in the same location.

 

[n8bachelor]

Nice setup. I thought about the components but could not bring myself to cut into my door the way you did so I just went with the Alpine type R 6.5". Now I wish I would have gotten the components.

 

[NickLS]

if that is self-made.. then I AM impressed!!! It's going to sound 100% better (at least in your mind) than any other system because you made it yourself!!!

If it all comes together, CONGRADULATIONS!!!

 

[nortyhat]

good install, i love where the tweet is, but like n8 said i cant cut into my door panel but man thats pretty nice. so you took out your factory sub in the back right?

 

[HyeLifeLS]

I don't think that cutting though the door is a problem, even if you are going to sell the car in the future, just leave it in there. Here is mine.

 

[DragonDesign]

Hey thanks for all the complements,

Yes everything is 100% made by me. I don't know how it sounds yet because I've been waiting a month for a fuse from eBay and I'm getting really frustrated that it is taking so long to show up. I hope it will sound good. I've never done an invert install on a sub, and never only one sub, so it should be interesting. My car didn't come with the audiophile system, so I didn't have any factory sub to remove, but if it was there I would have deffinately pulled it out. 8" is barely a sub in my books anyway.

For the components, it is really easy to do, you just need the right size of hole saw and remember there is no second chance and no going back. Its scary at first, but once you measure 5 times and get ready to cut once it's all worth it. It helps the sound out a lot, especially if you drive like me and always have your leg covering the speaker in the bottom of the door.

 

[itsnotmydaddys]

Ok call me dumb, but what is the purpose for mounting a sub this way. Is it a certain type that should be mounted like this or what. thanks ive always wondered this. I will admit it looks cooler but does it sound better

 

[DragonDesign]

Ok call me dumb, but what is the purpose for mounting a sub this way. Is it a certain type that should be mounted like this or what. thanks ive always wondered this. I will admit it looks cooler but does it sound better

THEORETICALLY for a sub to produce noise, the front and back of it have to be separated. This means that it doesn't matter if you mount the sub regularily or inverted, it should push the same air at the same rate. That being said, this is the first time I've tried it this way and I'm interested to see if it will indeed sound ok. The only reason I mounted it this way was because the basket of this sub is so deep that if I mounted it the other way the box would have had to be deeper and I wouldn't have room to pass things through into the back seat. I was trying to make the box as shallow as possible (it's only 3 1/2" deep) so I was forced to go this way or buy a new sub. I'll keep everyone posted on how it sounds.

 

[tonyd]

good install, i love where the tweet is, but like n8 said i cant cut into my door panel but man thats pretty nice. so you took out your factory sub in the back right?

There is no reason to mount the tweeters up in the door panel! you will get the same/better sound when they are mounted closer to the driver in the bottom of the door.

Clean install and looks good.

 

[DragonDesign]

There is no reason to mount the tweeters up in the door panel! you will get the same/better sound when they are mounted closer to the driver in the bottom of the door.

Clean install and looks good.

Hey thanks for the complements. I don't understand how the sound could be as good or better from tweeters that are mounted lower in the door. High frequency sounds are highly direction specific, unlike low sound waves which are omnidirectional. The higher you put them, the higher the sound stage you set in the vehicle. This means that if you mount the tweeters higher up you will hear them easier and it will bring the staging up higher. And if you don't believe all that technical jargon, how can a speaker sound better if it is down by your leg and your pants cover it while you drive, muffling the sound. Somoene else feel free to chime in though, maybe i have it all mixed up.

 

[ovsims]

:i :i :i

 

[GWL]

I know nothing about audio installation, but I had always thought that a sub woofer enclosure needed a port. I don't see one here. Is a port old fashioned and not considered necessary anymore?

 

[teh_milz]

I know nothing about audio installation, but I had always thought that a sub woofer enclosure needed a port. I don't see one here. Is a port old fashioned and not considered necessary anymore?

depends on what kind of sound you want. i personally think ported boxes sound alot better. i would use a ported box for say rap when you want heavier bass. i would use a non-ported box for rock for sharp bass.but im no expert

 

[n8bachelor]

depends on what kind of sound you want. i personally think ported boxes sound alot better. i would use a ported box for say rap when you want heavier bass. i would use a non-ported box for rock for sharp bass.but im no expert

You may not be an expert but you hit it right on. Ported boxes produce more sound (SPL) with less power and are tuned by varying the box and port size. The sound seems (to me at least) to be a bit muffled.
Sealed boxes requre more power for the same output but are more controlled (less boomy). They can be tuned by varying the box size.

In the end it is just personal preference.

n8

 

[DragonDesign]

Yeah I chose not to port this one for several reasons. My boxes are always sealed because I find that it gives the bass a lot cleaner sound. Since this is a luxury car I wanted a tight clean sound. As I didn't even put both of my subs in this install, I'm not interested in earth shattering bass anymore (never thought I'd say that) but rather want a clean sound to complement the components, not overpower them. The other reason I didn't go ported is because ported boxes need more interior volume (in this case I would have needed 1.4cuft instead of 1.0cuft) and for this install I was trying to use the least amount of space possible.

The third option that nobody has mentioned thus far is a bandpass, which if I remember right is a lot harder on the sub but makes a really nice looking install and is louder than even ported by a little.

 

[itsnotmydaddys]

how do u determine the port size? can i jstu drill a 2in hole and call it a port or what.

 

[decibels5]

how do u determine the port size? can i jstu drill a 2in hole and call it a port or what.

Depends on the sub and its air space requirements. just a hole will make it sound like @ss. Each sub has factory requirements for optimum sound. When you build a ported box it must be the correct air space, with the right size hole, and the right size tube. Ported boxes require more air space, but less power.