Car Audio Questions

[Paseo_Foshezee]

I am getting ready to build my speaker boxes for my stereo but i have a few questions

The first question is i was orginaly going to build one box that would hold two 12" subs and one 10" sub but then i got to thinking that maybe the size difference in the subs could effect the quality of the sound the box would be vented for all three subs so i guess the first question here is should i crap this first box idea and go for

A box that would hold three 10" subs?

This box would be either vented or bandpass which brings me to my next question what offers a deeper bass a bandpass or a vented box?

thanks for any help

Matt

[88 LE]

Originally Posted by Paseo_Foshezee

This box would be either vented or bandpass which brings me to my next question what offers a deeper bass a bandpass or a vented box?

I'm gunna tell you what I tell everybody. Nothing is free when it comes to sub enclosures, you trade off one thing to get another thing.


Bandpass:

1. Plays a very narrow band of frequencies. But its very efficient within those frequencies.

2. Lots of output (good for bassheads).

3. Generally sounds like shit (very boomy and over emphisized).

4. Big enclosure. Bandpass is 2 enclosures in 1 (one side is sealed and the other is ported/vented).

5. Distortion is not audible, since the enclosure is tuned within a very narrow band of frequencies.

6. Harder to build then a vented/ported enclosure.


Vented/ported:

1. Better SQ then bandpass.

2. Not as efficient as a bandpass enclosure.

3. Sharp rolloff below the tuning frequency.

4. You get around a 3 dB boost at or near the tuning frequency.



I prefer vented/ported or sealed.

[Paseo_Foshezee]

right on thanks for the info i myself have never had a bandpass always ported but ppl always keep telling me bandpass is better so i need to gget more opinions so thanks and what do you think i should do two 12 "and one 10" or 3 10"s

[eddiem67]

I dont like bandpass because its just a giant boomy enclosure, if your into that, by all means, but my preference is, if you running 3 10's, I would definitely go sealed. If you decide to go ported, make sure you have the space in your trunk, that is going to be a pretty big box, and tune it low for better SQ. Do you have any experience building ported enclosures. Do you know how to calculate tuning frequency, do you know the displacement of each sub, are you going slot ported or tube?

Stick to one size go either two 12's or three 10's, dont mix sub sizes.

[Paseo_Foshezee]

Ya this will be my third box i have build the other 2 have been ported boxes for a paseo now i have a matrix so i have pleanty of room and have been crunching numbers all morning and i am going to use tube ports over slots cause i have 3" pipe left over.

[Paseo_Foshezee]

Originally Posted by eddiem67

I dont like bandpass because its just a giant boomy enclosure, if your into that, by all means, but my preference is, if you running 3 10's, I would definitely go sealed. If you decide to go ported, make sure you have the space in your trunk, that is going to be a pretty big box, and tune it low for better SQ. Do you have any experience building ported enclosures. Do you know how to calculate tuning frequency, do you know the displacement of each sub, are you going slot ported or tube?

Stick to one size go either two 12's or three 10's, dont mix sub sizes.

Do you have anytips for tuning the frequency

[eddiem67]

What subs are you going to run

[88 LE]

Originally Posted by Paseo_Foshezee

Do you have anytips for tuning the frequency

I usually tune a ported/vented enclosure to around 30 - 35 Hz. Its up to you though, as far as how you want to tune it.

I have port charts if you need help determining the length of ports.


Just need 3 things from you:

1. Port diameter (you said your going to use 3" pipe).

2. Enclosure volume (internal volume of the enclosure)

3. Tuning frequency

[Paseo_Foshezee]

I am going to use the JBL Series GT100 10" the manufacture specs for a Vented Box are as follows

Volume inside is1.75ft3 (49.56 liters
Port lenght 11.96"
Diameter=3"
Port Fo=25.hz

[finese1]

Go sealed. I've ran 3 cerwin vega subs a few years back slot ported and then later sealed. Ported was loud as hell but sealed really did justice with a smooth heavy clean bass. Also, I did 3 jbl gt series last year for a friend. Definitely sealed is the way to go. You could hear his truck at least a block and change away with clean bass.
The box made was 36in long x 12in widthx12in height. All 3 subs shared the same chamber.

[Paseo_Foshezee]

Originally Posted by finese1

Go sealed. I've ran 3 cerwin vega subs a few years back slot ported and then later sealed. Ported was loud as hell but sealed really did justice with a smooth heavy clean bass. Also, I did 3 jbl gt series last year for a friend. Definitely sealed is the way to go. You could hear his truck at least a block and change away with clean bass.
The box made was 36in long x 12in widthx12in height. All 3 subs shared the same chamber.

Really i have heard so many more better review with ported over sealed!

[OHWJaJae]

Originally Posted by Paseo_Foshezee

Really i have heard so many more better review with ported over sealed!

Ported and sealed have two different sound types. If you go ported you'll lose some of the deep bass for SPL. But since you have 3 subs you might as well go sealed. It will sound better and should hit hard enough for you.

[Anshu]

yea, unless u r gonna be doing some serious ghetto banging then the sealed should do the trick. in my bigger then matrix camry i run 2 10s on a 600 watt amp, all is relativly entry level. I run sealed, i would think 3 in a sealed would hit haaard

[88 LE]

Originally Posted by Paseo_Foshezee

Really i have heard so many more better review with ported over sealed!

It all depends what your looking for.


Sealed
---------

1. Good sq

2. Smaller enclosure vs. ported

3. Not as efficient vs. ported

4. Easier to build then a ported enclosure.



Ported
---------

1. Good sq, but not as good as a sealed enclosure.

2. More efficient vs. sealed. Meaning it'll play louder with the same amount of power.

3. 3 dB boost at or near tuning frequency.

4. Bigger enclosure vs. sealed.

[finese1]

Originally Posted by Paseo_Foshezee

Really i have heard so many more better review with ported over sealed!

If wanna be technical about it ported sucks because the bass was flat. I had no depth in my sound. The box was slot ported. It was tuned at 35hz. Around 40hz where bass is reletively loud, deep, and smooth my shxt was loud but it was flat. When I say it was flat I mean no punch. But it is my opinion. It all depends on the type of bass YOU like.