Anyone have tips on being louder on the meter ? (SPL numbers)

Psi_optima12

CarAudio.com Newbie
I currently have a single 12 doing 145.8 @39 hz on 2400 watts does anyone have any tricks on how i could make it louder besides doubling my power , deadener and bracing the winsheild from flexing and what not i want to see how much db i can gain without spending any money so what tips do you guys have ?
 

hispls

CarAudio.com Veteran
5,000+ posts
10+ year member
i want to see how much db i can gain without spending any money
Do you own an SPL meter or have easy access to one? If you do not you will never be able to find gains.

What vehicle? What sub? What amp? Post pics of the box as it sits.

There's a lot of tricks that gain gain but you absolutely 100% MUST use an SPL meter to test and keep notes. This thread over to SMD forum is a good read, bear in mind just about everything cheap (moving visors, opening glove box, adding some gorilla tape) is mentioned here and not all of it gains for the OP. You must try every variable and every combination of variables, for example scrunching your passenger seat all the way forward may gain a couple tenths now but after you find a couple more tenths from repositioning the box the same seat move may lose a bit.

 
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Psi_optima12

Psi_optima12

CarAudio.com Newbie
What amp do you have and what sub do you have? What is your electrical like? Stock or upgraded? What vehile?
currently its a taramps bass 5k and its powering a psi platform 5 12 , my current electrical is a full throttle 80 ah agm with a lead acid under the hood but im planning on going with 3 banks of xs power 40ah banks along with switching to a ds18 ko-8k i have a 320 amp alt big 4 2 runs of power and ground to the amp and to each battery and its in a 2012 kia optima lx
 
OP
Psi_optima12

Psi_optima12

CarAudio.com Newbie
Do you own an SPL meter or have easy access to one? If you do not you will never be able to find gains.

What vehicle? What sub? What amp? Post pics of the box as it sits.

There's a lot of tricks that gain gain but you absolutely 100% MUST use an SPL meter to test and keep notes. This thread over to SMD forum is a good read, bear in mind just about everything cheap (moving visors, opening glove box, adding some gorilla tape) is mentioned here and not all of it gains for the OP. You must try every variable and every combination of variables, for example scrunching your passenger seat all the way forward may gain a couple tenths now but after you find a couple more tenths from repositioning the box the same seat move may lose a bit.

no i currently dont have one but im planning on getting one the vehicle is a 2012 kia optima lx , the sub is a psi platform 5 12 , amp is a bass 5k , i dont have any pics of the set up one the device im using but the box is all the way back agaist the rear of the trunk with port facing the left corner
 

hispls

CarAudio.com Veteran
5,000+ posts
10+ year member
no i currently dont have one but im planning on getting one the vehicle is a 2012 kia optima lx , the sub is a psi platform 5 12 , amp is a bass 5k , i dont have any pics of the set up one the device im using but the box is all the way back agaist the rear of the trunk with port facing the left corner
Once you get your meter get a notebook and start testing that stuff in the SMD thread I linked. All the way back port passenger side is usually good for metering but you may still want to test different positions and angles. Use some masking tape for each position and note on the tape which one gives what results and look for any patterns. Be sure when you're testing to allow the sub to cool and battery to recharge between test burps. Also worth mentioning testing at low power may be revealing and easier to do more back to back but do be sure to always confirm everything holds up under full power, I've seen equal peaks at more than one frequency but one will pull ahead at full power.

Do post pics when you can and something may jump out at one of the vets here worth trying.
 

SHO'NUFF

CarAudio.com Recruit
64
11
Ohio
I currently have a single 12 doing 145.8 @39 hz on 2400 watts does anyone have any tricks on how i could make it louder besides doubling my power , deadener and bracing the winsheild from flexing and what not i want to see how much db i can gain without spending any money so what tips do you guys have ?
Well, for starters, your box has to work with your car.

Some pics would be nice....
 

SHO'NUFF

CarAudio.com Recruit
64
11
Ohio
no i currently dont have one but im planning on getting one the vehicle is a 2012 kia optima lx , the sub is a psi platform 5 12 , amp is a bass 5k , i dont have any pics of the set up one the device im using but the box is all the way back agaist the rear of the trunk with port facing the left corner
Sorry, but after 1k watts I don't use the trunk anymore. You waste too much energy, and you'll be fixing a new rattle every week.

The sub and the port needs to vent directly to the cabin and the cabin needs to be sealed off from the trunk.

I don't know how you're going to do this with a box that has a vent on the side like that.

Sounds like you need a new box.
 
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Bobbytwonames

Trigger Man!
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Vegas
Play with your port and tune higher. Shoot for a 50 hz. peak. The huge numbers are usually around 50 hz. Every time that I get beat is by a guy around 50 hz. I'm at 31 hz.
 
Last edited:

hispls

CarAudio.com Veteran
5,000+ posts
10+ year member
Sorry, but after 1k watts I don't use the trunk anymore.
Pretty sure the records in trunk class are not sealed off "walls" but just a fartbox with a port that looks like a clam neck pointing forward. Do a little research on Terry Brocks and what he has done in the trunk category. There's a few pictures and videos out there.
SPL labs makes solid meters from what I have seen.
I'm still a bit bitter about the original wireless meter I got from them coming with a battery that is buried in epoxy and cannot be replaced, but otherwise I've had no complaints with performance. The makeitlouder.com sensor is very good quality and for short money but will require a precise DMM for accurate results.
 
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