Loves2hate01

ok I have been looking at many of the custom sub boxes on the board and i like the ones that sit in the well but are flush with the shelf part. i started to build one so far it looks like it will fit right....but it seems i might end up short on cubic airspace inside...i have 2 12" audiobahn AW1251T subs for a sealed box it says it sould have 1 cu. ft. min. or up to 2cu. ft for each sub. when i calculated it i came out with about .8 cu. ft. each so i guess the question is...how much would that affect the sound...and do other subs require less airspace or are your boxes just bigger?....i tried to fit everything as tight as possible so i dont kno how i could have made it much bigger?

fireturd350

iTrader: (8)

All subs are different. Mines ~ 2.2 to 4+ cubic feet each.

I'd probably just put in some polyfill, which can trick a sub into thinking it's in a 10% to 15% larger box and call it a day. Normally you add 1/2 pound per cubic foot.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Stuffing about 1.5 pounds of polyfill into each enclosure will fool the sub into thinking it's in somewhere around 1.0 to 1.1 cubic feet. It'll help a little bit. Audiobahn subs tend to be boomy anyway, so I wouldn't get too concerned about being off a little bit in size.

Loves2hate01

alright thanks guys!

Loves2hate01

one more question. Where can I get polyfill?

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

Wal Mart or any fabric store.

sesand

Post pics of your box!

ScrapMaker

Hobby Lobby... and I wouldn't really worry about it... a few .1cuft aren't going to matter... you really need more space than that to get the optimum sound output...

traksta15

are you accounting for driver displacement??that could take the .8 down to around .7ish, like he said, some .1's won't matter just be sure and account for driver displacement.......

ScrapMaker

yeah... if its lower than .5 it make require more power to get some good sound out of it... just give it a whirl anyhow... you've got... what..nothing to lose?

sesand

You might not want to play it as loud as possible when you install it, since the sub may not be able to handle its rated power in a box that's too small.

onebadwagon

generally in a small sealed box, a sub will take more power, give you more output, but a much narrower response curve compared to an optimal sealed box for overall SQ.

sesand

Sorry I didn't explain this point well the first time. You're right that it will be able to take more power over a certain (higher frequency) range. A smaller box means the pressure inside will be greater, allowing the sub cone to change direction more effectively.
However, if he's trying to get more out of the 30-40Hz range (probably way below the F3 of a box that is too small), he could add more power till the cows come home and it won't get much louder because the box is too small. If he sets the gain on his amp to a song with bass in this range, it will be set far too high. He will mess up the sub and/or the amp when a song in the 80-90 Hz range plays because it will be way too loud.
Tempting as it may be, it's also not a good idea to see how loud your new system can play right after you install it.

Saigon_Bob

iTrader: (2)

my audiobahn dont respond very well to lower Freq in my small **** box.. .9cuft
id try to get the box as big as possible

sesand

That's not because of the small box - Audiobahn isn't known for sound quality.

ScrapMaker

you make it sound like there is a huge difference in subs from brand to brand....

there may be slight differences, and definitely in build-quality and reliability... but clearly just because a sub is made by audiobahn doesn't mean it can't play 30-40hz very well... hell I've heard them play those notes just fine...

I've heard lightning audio subs play before too, and they have good SQ as well, you just can't get very much volume out of them, because they are cheaply made.

onebadwagon

actually, yes there are perameters that list a subs capabilities, and specs, thiele-smalls, and they will give you a good idea of the subs frequency response, the type of enclosure it should be in, and it's total sound output capability.

ScrapMaker

yes those numbers are very helpful...

but you couldn't possibly agree that a commercially available subwoofer (made by audiobahn,) is not capable of a 40hz signal reproduction... right?

yes each sub will sound different, and have different efficiencies, and want bigger or smaller boxes... but I still think that most woofers in general will have generally similar response ranges... but some may respond more favorably to certain frequencies...

I've heard some really, really ****ty subs, (fleamarket style,) and they were more than capable of reproducing low frequencies...

maybe audiobahn makes a sub that can't play low frequencies? guess I may have just missed that one.

onebadwagon

producing it, and producing it effectively are totally different.


i recently designed a box for 2 of audiobunk's flamer 15's and the stupid things would not play as low as i'd like, they had a High FS, and the response curves were funky, even with a good box design, so i just couldn't get flat response for the kind of music the guy listened to.

ScrapMaker

ah, well I don't know how flat the response would be really, that's out of my league... I just know that I've heard those subs play some deep bass... maybe they just take some serious convincing?

I just don't think that sweeping generalizations can be made about an entire company that produces many different subs.

because most likely, his lack of bass response is due to his realistic .6cuft of sealed air volume... not that the driver can't reproduce it at all

onebadwagon

no **** sherlock.

ScrapMaker

just pointing out that audiobahn doesn't suck as much as everyone says when their raggin' on it.

onebadwagon

yes it does.

ScrapMaker

okay just so we can clarify... no audiobahn subwoofer can play 30hz through 40hz... gotcha.

realists.

sesand

I believe it was Jim who said:
You can't polish crap, but you can, in fact, chrome plate it.

onebadwagon

just because they will play 30-40hz doesn't mean that they don't suck.

you're just mad because you bought junk, it's okay, sell it, and buy something nice.

ScrapMaker

Actually I don't own any audiobahn equipment... this whole thing started because he said that audiobahn cannot even reproduce 30hz...

I'm just sayin' that even $10 subwoofers can have a wide response range...

I never said that the audiobahn stuff was any good... I just hate over-exaggeration.

onebadwagon

nobody said it wouldn't play it, numb nuts, people said it wouldn't play it well, regardless of how much power you throw at it.

ScrapMaker

I'd bet that almost any sub would have a hard time playing those freq's in such a small-*** box though...

it's like you guys have an inner, deep hatred towards audiobahn.

onebadwagon

my ***, you are an idiot.

Saigon_Bob

iTrader: (2)

Jeebus im sorry i chimed in... well my subs do go low but they dont hit worth a damn..... i think the cut off freq in the box i have is like some rediculous 50hz or somthing gay like that.


audiobahns dont suck for the price they can be had for online

ScrapMaker

see... all it takes is someone to tell it like it is...

and while we're at it, can someone tell me what characteristic of the Audiobahn stuff, or any other sub for that matter, that makes it sound like 'crap'?

My brother just got a pair of memphis 10" woofers... and those are probably the lowest quality subs I've heard in a while... even compared to a few fleamarket subs I heard a few months back...

is the main reason that you guys dislike audiobahn is because they require a somewhat large box to reproduce the low notes, or what?

onebadwagon

so when 15 people don't like something you like, it's b.s.

when 1 person does, they're a rocket scientist.

ScrapMaker

not exactly... just that everyone seems to hate audiobahn so much and I don't see why... I honestly can't hear a big difference in SQ from an Audiobahn 15", or a PPI 15", or even a Kicker CVR15...

each one colors the music slightly differently... and I do not enjoy the way the kicker ruins the music... I like the PPI stuff, which is why I have them... but honestly I don't hear a huge difference between all three brands...

now I can't say anything at all about the amps, as I've never heard one before... but the subs just aren't all that different than any other....

are we comparing the audiobahn to $500 subs or something? in that case, yeah I can see why you don't like them... for example, compared to a 15" Brahma...

It seems like to stay afloat around here you have to think like this.
Audiobahn bad.
Memphis good.

onebadwagon

lol memphis is by no means the best equipment, but it's better than audiobahn.

ScrapMaker

what brand(s) do you prefer then... ?

do you like any of the competition Memphis stuff, or the Adire audio equipment?

onebadwagon

never used Adire, Memphis does make good stuff, as do alot of other brands. I'd rather list ones that I don't like.


Audiobah, Sony, Kenwood, Pioneer, new soundstream, JBL, infinity....

ScrapMaker

ah, you don't like Infinty... I have had pretty good luck with their 5.25" and 6.5" kappa perfect setups... but obviously I have low-expectations...

do you also dislike kenwood and pioneer headunits? if so, what brand are you in ca-hoots with?

onebadwagon

I like 2004 and previous Alpine, depending on model, some of the older high end clarion, Eclipse are normally my favorite (this years are less so).

ScrapMaker

Hrm... in my experience you end up paying for the Alpine brand name... I didn't even see an Alpine in the general price range as my pioneer that had comparable features...

onebadwagon

that's why you can buy Pioneer, and I will buy eclipse.

ScrapMaker

sounds good to me

Saigon_Bob

iTrader: (2)

personally i wouldnt buy alpine simply because the menu system they use pisses me off..... my pioneer is the easies no bs menu hands down. and i pai 190 for my pioneer and im sure my friend paid more for his alpine with less features

ScrapMaker

I have no brand loyalty... I've been through Jensen, Sony, Kenwood, JVC, and Pioneer for headunits...

so far, the Pioneer has the best interface and the most features...

if Alpine were to put out a competitive deck that was worth the money... I wouldn't hesitate to switch.

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

Ugh, I HATE Alpine. Not only are they boring to look at, but they are overpriced.

I like Pioneer head units. The better ones at least! I'm running a DEH-P8600, and I love it. I also really like how it is 22w RMSx4, as opposed to most that are 17/18w.

I also have Audiobahn subs. In a too small box. And they sound great! For what I paid (I think $110 for the pair), they are awesome. I've heard friends with Kicker, Alpine, etc and they just didn't sound as good.

One thing I hate though is that Audiobahn recommends 2.7cf for each sub, which is highly unattainable in a 3rd gen lol

ScrapMaker

DEH-P8600MP's UNITE!

(lame theme song plays)

I think we're the only ones!

Saigon_Bob

iTrader: (2)

i got my subs hooked up in my fiber glass box finally... ima start a thread soon... look for it

sesand

schweet.....

ScrapMaker

post link

/lazy

Saigon_Bob

iTrader: (2)

i will but first i have to find my pics on my computer..... *lazier*