Sub box suggestions - Competition Diesel.Com

Tacoclaw · 11-17-2014, 08:32 AM

Hey, everyone, I'm trying to throw together a system for my Ramcharger and I'm looking for some suggestions.

I've done some measuring and sketching and this is the box I've got room for.

My calculations put it ~.95f3 if you hack off the 11x2.5" piece, or ~1.05f3 if I leave it on. I've got the dotted line on there as if I left the piece on I'd see it being a port, so I was looking at how long I could make said port.

I'm not looking for utmost SQ or trying to rattle the truck apart, but if I'm going to do this (first time ever) I'd like to do it as right as I can. I'm looking at a Sundown Audio SA-10 D4, so if I can get away with a sealed box I'll probably mount my amp where the 11x2.5" section is after I delete it.

Amp is an Alpine MX 110, possibly a bit much for this setup but it's what I've got.

Music is mainly metal with some crunk and wub wub thrown in very occasionally, so being able to keep up with very fast pedal drums is pretty important.

If you all think that setup can handle it ported I'll give t a shot, but I have no idea how to calculate port length and whatnot. It'd be fun to try but for simplicity's sake I may be better off going sealed.

Any thoughts on different box/sub is welcome, but the SA sub is right under $200 and that's about as much as I'm willing to spend, so it would have to be cheaper. Box fits the room I have, I use the trunk a lot in this thing.

Specs on SA-10:
RE (ohms): 7.08 FS
(Hz): 36.6 Vas
(L): 10.66 Qes: 0.54 Qms: 5.30 Qts: 0.49 Le
(mH): 4.71 BL
(NA): 24.82 Mms
(Grams): 205 Cms (uM/N): 92.4 Sens
(1w/1m): 81.6 RMS Power handling: 600 Watts
Cutout Diameter: 9 1/4"
Mounting Depth: 6"
Overall Diameter w/ Gasket: 10 1/2" Displacement: 0.10ft^3 R
ecommended Box Specs (Sealed): 0.5ft^3 (Yields F3 of 51Hz)
Recommended Box Specs (Ported): 1.0ft^3 (Tune to 35Hz, yields F3 of 29Hz)

Specs on MX 110:
• RMS: 650W x 1 @ 4 ohms, 1100W x 1 @ 2 ohms

b.lee · 11-17-2014, 08:52 AM

Where is the box going in the Ramcharger?
And for metal and fast drums you're going to want to keep the box sealed.

Tacoclaw · 11-17-2014, 08:54 AM

Driver's side rear wheel well, 11x2.5" section pointing forward towards driver.

I figured as much, I just didn't know if a decent amp/sub would be able to stay in control with a ported box. I've never built one so I figured it'd be fun to try. I won't build it just to do it though, if sealed is better I'll run with that.

HKkid · 12-22-2014, 07:31 PM

Stay with a sealed box. I've had both. In my Jeep I had a ported box with two 12's. It was loud, never listened to a lot of metal, but I would say it would not have been ideal.

*Chris Tobin* · 12-22-2014, 09:21 PM

Sealed enclosure is much more forgiving. With a vented (ported) enclosure the port tuning is VERY critical and if you miscalculate it WILL hurt the low frequency power handling of the sub, basically if you tune too high the sub will think it is in a freeair environment acoustically and will only have the suspension of the sub to control cone movement.

Build the sealed enclosure and stuff it loosely about 1/2 to 3/4 full with Dacron pillow stuffing and most 10-inch subs would be pretty happy in that enclosure. Remember that with any enclosure the sub itself and the port or anything else inside the enclosure take up airspace so you are dealing with less volume that you think and with a vented enclosure they will generally need to be larger than a sealed enclosure for similar frequency response for a given sub.

I used to handle the Technical Support at Orion Industries back in the day so I have designed a few enclosures over the years... I was also an installer before that.

I would also suggest building the enclosure from 3/4-inch MDF at least for the mounting face. If you are good with fiberglass work you can support the face with 1/2 or 3/4-inch MDF and mold the inside of the enclosure to match the contours of the vehicle, but be sure to make it thick and strong or it will buzz and resonate and eventually crack...

I hope this helps.

hjoey · 12-22-2014, 10:38 PM

Build the enclosure out of 3/4" 11 ply birch

*Chris Tobin* · 12-22-2014, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hjoey

Build the enclosure out of 3/4" 11 ply birch

MDF is generally more dense than plywood and will not delaminate... 11 ply birch is a good word to work with, but if you are going to use any plywood I would recommend fiberglassing the inside and outside of the enclosure to prevent any possible delamination between the layers of the plywood.

my 2 cents

hjoey · 12-23-2014, 04:40 PM

You do not need to fiberglass over the birch, we have build 160+ db trucks with birch and never had a problem.

displacedtexan · 12-26-2014, 03:36 PM

Why birch instead of the industry standard MDF?

hjoey · 12-26-2014, 03:45 PM

Birch is much lighter and much stronger than MDF, the only down side is it is expensive. I will never go back to MDF. MDF is also VERY dusty.

hjoey · 12-26-2014, 03:46 PM

It's whatever you prefer though, some will swear by MDF and that is fine.

11-17-2014, 08:32 AM	#1
Tacoclaw Name: Tacoclaw Title: Too Much Time Status: Not Here Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Cheshire, OH Member`s Gallery Posts: 453	Sub box suggestions Hey, everyone, I'm trying to throw together a system for my Ramcharger and I'm looking for some suggestions. I've done some measuring and sketching and this is the box I've got room for. My calculations put it ~.95f3 if you hack off the 11x2.5" piece, or ~1.05f3 if I leave it on. I've got the dotted line on there as if I left the piece on I'd see it being a port, so I was looking at how long I could make said port. I'm not looking for utmost SQ or trying to rattle the truck apart, but if I'm going to do this (first time ever) I'd like to do it as right as I can. I'm looking at a Sundown Audio SA-10 D4, so if I can get away with a sealed box I'll probably mount my amp where the 11x2.5" section is after I delete it. Amp is an Alpine MX 110, possibly a bit much for this setup but it's what I've got. Music is mainly metal with some crunk and wub wub thrown in very occasionally, so being able to keep up with very fast pedal drums is pretty important. If you all think that setup can handle it ported I'll give t a shot, but I have no idea how to calculate port length and whatnot. It'd be fun to try but for simplicity's sake I may be better off going sealed. Any thoughts on different box/sub is welcome, but the SA sub is right under $200 and that's about as much as I'm willing to spend, so it would have to be cheaper. Box fits the room I have, I use the trunk a lot in this thing. Specs on SA-10: RE (ohms): 7.08 FS (Hz): 36.6 Vas (L): 10.66 Qes: 0.54 Qms: 5.30 Qts: 0.49 Le (mH): 4.71 BL (NA): 24.82 Mms (Grams): 205 Cms (uM/N): 92.4 Sens (1w/1m): 81.6 RMS Power handling: 600 Watts Cutout Diameter: 9 1/4" Mounting Depth: 6" Overall Diameter w/ Gasket: 10 1/2" Displacement: 0.10ft^3 R ecommended Box Specs (Sealed): 0.5ft^3 (Yields F3 of 51Hz) Recommended Box Specs (Ported): 1.0ft^3 (Tune to 35Hz, yields F3 of 29Hz) Specs on MX 110: • RMS: 650W x 1 @ 4 ohms, 1100W x 1 @ 2 ohms __________________ 1990 W250

11-17-2014, 08:52 AM	#2
b.lee Name: b.lee Title: 6 in a row, makes it go. Status: Not Here Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Southeast, MI Member`s Gallery Posts: 107	Where is the box going in the Ramcharger? And for metal and fast drums you're going to want to keep the box sealed. __________________ 2012 2500 Cummins 4x4 - Mega Laramie, Auto, EFI Live

11-17-2014, 08:54 AM	#3
Tacoclaw Name: Tacoclaw Title: Too Much Time Status: Not Here Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Cheshire, OH Member`s Gallery Posts: 453	Driver's side rear wheel well, 11x2.5" section pointing forward towards driver. I figured as much, I just didn't know if a decent amp/sub would be able to stay in control with a ported box. I've never built one so I figured it'd be fun to try. I won't build it just to do it though, if sealed is better I'll run with that. __________________ 1990 W250

12-22-2014, 07:31 PM	#4
HKkid Name: HKkid Title: Green Behind the Ears Status: Not Here Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Central Missouri Member`s Gallery Posts: 48	Stay with a sealed box. I've had both. In my Jeep I had a ported box with two 12's. It was loud, never listened to a lot of metal, but I would say it would not have been ideal. __________________ 2006 Ram 2500 Mega Cab

12-22-2014, 09:21 PM	#5
Chris Tobin Name: Chris Tobin Title: Too Much Time Status: Not Here Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Dayton, TN Member`s Gallery Posts: 2,662	Sealed enclosure is much more forgiving. With a vented (ported) enclosure the port tuning is VERY critical and if you miscalculate it WILL hurt the low frequency power handling of the sub, basically if you tune too high the sub will think it is in a freeair environment acoustically and will only have the suspension of the sub to control cone movement. Build the sealed enclosure and stuff it loosely about 1/2 to 3/4 full with Dacron pillow stuffing and most 10-inch subs would be pretty happy in that enclosure. Remember that with any enclosure the sub itself and the port or anything else inside the enclosure take up airspace so you are dealing with less volume that you think and with a vented enclosure they will generally need to be larger than a sealed enclosure for similar frequency response for a given sub. I used to handle the Technical Support at Orion Industries back in the day so I have designed a few enclosures over the years... I was also an installer before that. I would also suggest building the enclosure from 3/4-inch MDF at least for the mounting face. If you are good with fiberglass work you can support the face with 1/2 or 3/4-inch MDF and mold the inside of the enclosure to match the contours of the vehicle, but be sure to make it thick and strong or it will buzz and resonate and eventually crack... I hope this helps. __________________ Chris Tobin Editor--Ultimate Diesel Builder's Guide Freelance Editor and Photographer Working with DIESEL WORLD, DIRT SPORTS, MUSCLE CAR POWER & STREET TRUCKS magazines tobinemail@aol.com I might be able to help get you in a mag. Custom poster size photos available. PM or email for info.

12-22-2014, 10:38 PM	#6
hjoey Name: hjoey Title: Too Much Time Status: Not Here Join Date: Feb 2014 Member`s Gallery Posts: 560	Build the enclosure out of 3/4" 11 ply birch

12-23-2014, 04:40 PM	#8
hjoey Name: hjoey Title: Too Much Time Status: Not Here Join Date: Feb 2014 Member`s Gallery Posts: 560	Sub box suggestions You do not need to fiberglass over the birch, we have build 160+ db trucks with birch and never had a problem.

12-26-2014, 03:36 PM	#9
displacedtexan Name: displacedtexan Title: $500 PREMIUM MEMBER Status: Not Here Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mobilehoma Member`s Gallery Posts: 13,876	Why birch instead of the industry standard MDF? __________________ I talk loud.

12-26-2014, 03:45 PM	#10
hjoey Name: hjoey Title: Too Much Time Status: Not Here Join Date: Feb 2014 Member`s Gallery Posts: 560	Sub box suggestions Birch is much lighter and much stronger than MDF, the only down side is it is expensive. I will never go back to MDF. MDF is also VERY dusty. Last edited by hjoey; 12-26-2014 at 03:47 PM.

12-26-2014, 03:46 PM	#11
hjoey Name: hjoey Title: Too Much Time Status: Not Here Join Date: Feb 2014 Member`s Gallery Posts: 560	It's whatever you prefer though, some will swear by MDF and that is fine.