Need some input on how close you can put a cover or lid, hatch etc above a sub and still maintain good sound.

I have a properly sized sealed box for my 12" sub but when installed it has about 2" of clearance between the top of the sub and the hatch covering it. Is this adequate or will it kill/muffle the sound?

 

Depends on how much excursion the sub has - the distance it moves out, your 2" is probably OK. As long as the sub doesn't hit the cover when playing, you should be fine, the cover/lid should also be acoustically transparent (like a speaker grille). I have a setup recessed slightly in the well with a carpeted steel grate covering it and sounds great.

 

2" should be fine never seen a sub that will travel one direction more than 1.5" and that is a competion sub. most subs with that kind of excursion have a surround that is about 1.5" to 2" wide, measuring for bolt pattern to cone.

good luck and hope it pounds

 

Thanks for the input. I,m going to try it with the cover as is and if necessary I'll cut an opening and screen it.

FYI I'm doing this on a '72 Vega with a L98 TPI motor. The sub box is in the spare tire well which has a metal lid covered with a layer of dynamat and carpet over that. I'm just worried that with the lid closed and only being 2" above the speaker it will muffle the sound.

 

Friend has a 75 Vega, you should be fine with that, I would remove the metal cover though and just leave the carpet over it.

 

glad to help if i can, but in all those years i have never put one in a vega so i am not sure what the spare tire well looks like. good luck to you and hope it turns out sounding good.

i do have one suggestion for you is you might want to put some dynomat on the surface that that steel cover sits on so it doesn't rattle your brains out

 

yea I have a 78 monza (vega style body) and that spare well is good for a small sealed box.

 

Got it all installed and adjusted and with the spare well cover closed it sounds great. No muffle or dull hits. I was consdiering cutting a 12" openeing in the lid and installing screeen under the carpet but I won't need to do that now. The sound quality appearss to be the same whether the lid is open or closed.

Thanks all for the input. I'll try an post up some pictures of the install as soon as I get the little stuff buttoned up.