Anyone fire subs down?

[RcRacerDrew 10+ year member]

I have an explorer and I am contemplating possibilities for a new box like a few other threads I have seen. Has anyone heard a box that aims the sub down. I know everyone says to aim them back and keep them close to the tailgate but the main problem with that is the rattles. My tailgate is sound deadened like no other and still resonates all the locking parts, wiper...etc. Im thinking aiming some subs down would yield good response and impact without all the rattles on the tailgate? Wacha think?

Click to read more...

 

[ss3079 5,000+ posts]

I've never done it in a SUV, but am currently doing it in an extended cab truck.

I'd like to know the results as well - I've only really fired them up, into the cabin (over the back seats), or back towards the tailgate.

Anyone have any insight ?

- Steve

 

[RcRacerDrew 10+ year member]

Well its my understanding that you want the subs fairly close to a solid object..(tailgate,wall etc.) It only makes sense to me if you fire them at the floor. The floor of your truck, suv or whatever is the most solid part...add some dynamat and its not gonna resonate at all. I gotta think the bass is gonna be much more responsive and alot cleaner. (when you go to a store they dont aim the sub your listening to at a toolbox...they aim it at a nice solid wall!All home subs fire down) Thats my theory at least....Im wondering if aiming down will only work for milder drivers pushing around 300 watts....Im wondering the scenario of a couple A15s and a few thousand watts....gonna have to bolt the box down real well! I wanna hear some insight!

 

[Matador 10+ year member]

Well its my understanding that you want the subs fairly close to a solid object..(tailgate,wall etc.) It only makes sense to me if you fire them at the floor. The floor of your truck, suv or whatever is the most solid part...add some dynamat and its not gonna resonate at all. I gotta think the bass is gonna be much more responsive and alot cleaner. (when you go to a store they dont aim the sub your listening to at a toolbox...they aim it at a nice solid wall!All home subs fire down) Thats my theory at least....Im wondering if aiming down will only work for milder drivers pushing around 300 watts....Im wondering the scenario of a couple A15s and a few thousand watts....gonna have to bolt the box down real well! I wanna hear some insight!

imagine having the box jump up n down if u dont secure the box properly, a fun sight to watch i 'll bet

 

[RcRacerDrew 10+ year member]

I think that would be a sweet new competition! See how high you can get the box to go!

 

[havoc06 10+ year member]

firing the box down is a good way to set up most any car. You dont hear any cone flutter, and rattling is very low because of the floor being the strongest part of the car. Sometimes SPL suffers, but usually not. Mainly you seee floor aimed subs in covertablies and jeeps, **** like that, so you can still hear the bass with the top off

 

[bigred78797 10+ year member]

I used to have 4 1005Q's with about 2000 watts split between them firing down in a standard cab s-10. I did use L bracket to secure it to the back wall so it wouldn't move. They worked wonderful in that configuration, of coarse that was the only configuration that i could have fit 4 of those speakers in my truck. I also had 2 of the 1005Q's firing down at one time and they didn't sound much different than when they were firing up.

 

[RcRacerDrew 10+ year member]

Did it resonate less than when they were firing up?

 

[bigred78797 10+ year member]

No not really, i couldn't tell by listening anyways. One of the reasons could be because it was firing into a carpeted sound deadened floor. When i had the two firing down vs the two firing up i couldn't tell the difference and i didn't have any sound deadener on the floor board. The one firing up was a tad bit louder and clearer but not because of the direction but because that box had slightly more room... about an extra cubic foot per sub.

 

[BDIDDY 10+ year member]

I heard that when you fire them down it creates a suction effect and basically the whole car turns into the box.....

I think I saw that on SIN.

 

[bigred78797 10+ year member]

For my truck there was always a suction effect because the cab was soo small to have soo many speakers. If i would roll the windows down 4 - 5 inches it was just like having the AC on when i would hit any tone below 30 hz.

 

[gettnbig 10+ year member]

I did a cut through on my single cab sonoma. I fire my 15 down with about 500 watts and I love how it sounds. It seems like it almost has a more accurate response. It still rattles the fvck out of everything but it sounds really good.

 

[missionpilot 10+ year member]

how do you fire them down? do you put them right against the floor or what?

 

[bigred78797 10+ year member]

No. You basically suspend them about 4-5 inches above the floor, Making sure that there is room enough for the air to escape from under the box so it won't affect your subs.... at least that is how i fire my subs down. I don't put the REALLY close to the floor because that will basically turn it into a unplanned bandpass box.

 

[jer_stud56 10+ year member]

actually, there are PLENTY of home subs that don't fire down, infact, most fire backwords, aiming at the corner of a wall, which is the most effective, because the waves are hitting the floor, the walls, and the ceiling, and with most home subs that are powered, the ports go out the back so the sound comes towards you, so you feel it along with hear ear numbing bass. Just try it out sometime, have you and 2 friend2 tip your subs over and play them, of course you gotta get in and see how it sounds, and once you find out which way you like it best, change your system to that way. It's that easy.

Bass is fun //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif.

- pe@ce