What Would You Do? Stereo Q...

[Jeff T]

I have decided to go with the solobaric 12L5 with a kicker 750.1 pushing it. Up until now, I was planning on building my own box even though I have never built one.

Box volume requirements as per kicker's website is: 1.75-3.25 cu ft.

I wanted to use a vented box, with the vent on the front face of the box. I found this enclosure/sub package deal on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8213&rd=1&rd=1
At first glance, I was thinking...perfect...because it is vented and carpeted. After second thought, I have some concerns. The seller claims 1.6 cu ft. The min according to kicker is 1.75. I did a little math based on the seller's demensions (13Hx18Wx16D) [and I know the box is made of 5/8ths inch MDF] and I show that the box has a little more volume than 1.6 cu ft. I think it has somewhere around 1.77-1.8ish. Either way, it is either slightly below or right at the minimum requirement for the sub.

I also found this enclosure on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MakeTrack=true

This one is a little bigger, but is made of 3/4in MDF. Overall volume, by my calculations, is just slightly bigger at around 2.1-2.2 cu ft. This enclosure does appear to have higher quality construction. Nonetheless, it is still under the MAX volume for the sub.

Now, here is where my lack of experience comes in. I don't know what effect a box's size has on the overall sound of a sub. So, the question is, would you buy one of these sub enclosures or would you build your own to maximize volume? Keep in mind the following:

1-I have zero experience building boxes and do not have the tools needed. I would have to have Lowe's or Home Depot make my cuts.
2-I have enough space in the kickpanel to build a bigger box than both of the above options to maximize box volume.

Wow. Just realized I wrote a short novel. Thanks for taking the time to read. I appreciate any feedback.

[spharis]

Vented enclosures affect the sound of a sub exponentially. I would go with the larger volume box. < 2cubes on a ported 12 will be very poor performance wise, the sub would sound restrained, kind of muffled, and would seem to fade with long notes, depending on how it was tuned. Are you sure Kicker list the volume of 1.75 as acceptable for a ported box, or was that sealed?

BTW I got my tower on and the cover you sold me fits perfect! Thanks again for the great deal.

[Jeff T]

No Problem! Glad it fits.

According to Kicker's website:
Min rec vented box volume: 1.75
Max rec vented box volume: 3.25

[lee]

When you calculated the interior space, did you take into account the space that the sub was going to take up also and reduce by that amount?

[Domsz06]

building boxes is easy Building pretty boxes is hard Measure twice, cut once!

Go bigger, then stuff with polyfill if it's a sealed, if it's ported, use 2.0 cu ft!!

[jleger98]

Make sure the box will fit where you want it to go too. Some of us guess and have to build twice

[lee]

If you look at the sub on the bottom right, it is a slide in through the front sub box. Cut a square opening and slide box in and secure with screws.

[Jeff T]

Make sure the box will fit where you want it to go too. Some of us guess and have to build twice

I'm dealing with that right now. I decided not to buy either of the pre-made. I found a guy that builds locally. I've been out twice to measure and remeasure. It doesn't seem as though I had as much space as I once thought. Looking back on it, neither one of those boxes would have fit.

[Jeff T]

If you look at the sub on the bottom right, it is a slide in through the front sub box. Cut a square opening and slide box in and secure with screws.

I appreciate your help. I've been feeling pretty stupid lately because it clear that I know nothing. I've read and re-read your post and I'm still a little unclear about what you are telling me, which just confirms my ignorance.

[lee]

Think of this as a picture hanging on the wall with the frame screwed into the wall and a big 12" sub box on the backside of the picture going through the wall.

[spharis]

Lee has a 2 sentence limit, so let me also interject. You can cut a square hole where you want to sub to be. The hole should be the size of your box. The front face of the box, where the sub is mounted, you leave some "flange" so that when you slide it in, it overlaps, and you screw it into place to secure it.

[lee]

Lee has a 2 sentence limit, so let me also interject. You can cut a square hole where you want to sub to be. The hole should be the size of your box. The front face of the box, where the sub is mounted, you leave some "flange" so that when you slide it in, it overlaps, and you screw it into place to secure it.

Thanks.

[zad0030]

why do you have a 2 sentence limit?

[Coach]

why do you have a 2 sentence limit?

Don't take it literally Zad. Lee is a man a few words, but the words he speaks say volumes.

[zad0030]

alright i see... thought it was some sort of bet or something along those lines