Fosgate P3 DVC 12" Ported or sealed?

[SeaCraft]

Hello,
I will be installing a Fosgate P3 12" DVC sub under driver side helm of my 2005 Tige 22V. Amp is a Fosgate R500X1D (500 watts rms @ 2 ohms). I planned to build a sealed box and attach it from the back side by going in under the front seat to access back wall of kick panel. I can probably build a ported box but it will be a pain in the @ss as compared the sealed enclosure. My question is anyone running a single Fosgate P3 12" under the console and how does it perform? How much performance do I stand to gain by building a ported enclosure vs sealed?

Any insight is greatly appreciated!

[Jetdriver]

I think ported boxes pretty much always sound better. If you’ve got the room to build a slightly larger ported box It’s worth the extra effort IMO. I made one for my boat this winter, gonna load it with a Kicker CVX 12 with 750 Watts to it.

3C712238-C1D6-4128-99F0-DE71F9F2A258.jpg

[Langwell]

I just put in a wet sounds hp12 and ported it , I am very happy with the sound but the ported box definitely takes up space. I cant find the picture but it is about 3 threads back in (z3 subwoofer upgrade)

[chpthril]

Output of a ported enclosure is significantly more then a sealed, similar to if you doubled the amp wattage. So in terms of maximizing output for the open air environment of a boat, ported is the way to go.

[SeaCraft]

After taking measurements i realize there is not enough room to accommodate the ported enclosure without significantly altering the shape of the box and also having to assemble it working inside the compartment. The suspension on the P3 sub seems really stiff and heavy duty. It would probably benefit from porting. However, guess i will stick with a sealed enclosure and hope the sub will perform well enough to make my 3 teenage daughters happy.

Langwell - the engineering and craftsmanship on your install is awesome.

Thanks for all the input.

[chpthril]

Based on the specs, that woofer is better suited for a sealed enclosure, so it should sound good and perform well. With that said, Ported will always yield more output, but to sound "good", gonna take some work on the enclosure specs. best way to do a ported enclosure on that boat, is to front-load the assembled enclosure through a rectangle cutout in the helm wall. Then build a new facade with matching Tige carpet to finish it off. Yes its gonna take some work, bit its like turning that 500W amp into a 1000W amp.

[SeaCraft]

Another question....I am running an additional power wire to the passenger side console. The wire length I ordered is just a little too short to mount my power distribution block where I want it. I decided to pull out the built in cooler and run the wire under it as a shortcut. The cooler insert is stuck on the drain end. Any tricks to getting this out without destroying it? 2005 tige 22v.

[chpthril]

Yeah, next time order form someone that knows the length you need

Seriously though, the drain tube usually pulls off. The cooler typically has some insulation around it and the cooler walls need to be pulled in as you work the cooler out.

[SeaCraft]

Chpthril - I will do that! I am new to the forum and just learning who folks are around here. I can see you have done a lot to help Tige owners that visit this site. I appreciate your help and expertise.