Box question...

[chris96camaro 10+ year member]

Why does everybody use mdf for enclosures? I mean what makes it better than other types of wood?

And is that the only type of wood that an enclosure can be made out of? I mean if i use something else what would be the difference?

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[chris96camaro 10+ year member]

Anyone?

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

We use it because it won the straw-drawing contest........

MDF is used because of it's price to "performance" ratio. It's relatively inexpensive, relatively dense and strong, and nonporous. There's other wood that will work. For example, lots of people in home audio use Baltic Birch plywood.....but, it's 2-3x more expensive than MDF.

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

Cheap and effective. Using anything cheaper as say plywood or partical board just will not cut it.

 

[riad 10+ year member]

MDF ( Medium Density Fibreboard ) is preffered because it has high damping capabilities and as a result tends to hold out better against the pounding force of your subwoofer. It is also cleaner to work with and cuts and assembles easily.

Plywood or particle board will disintegrate over time leading to rattling and cracking.

Mdf once it is kept dry last's very long!!!

 

[stones 10+ year member]

Its all about the resonance of the enclosure material.

 

[yischrax 10+ year member]

baltic birch as said above is a better wood. I think it needs to be like 6 ply atleast. Also marine grade plywood like 9 layer. I think is also good. So is HDF high desity but for price to eficentcy most people don't go that rought. could also go with plexy or fiberglass but you will find all these types of woods or meterials will give a difrent resonence to the bass making difrent harmonics that the box lets off. Unless you go with something like a transmission line but thats a difrent story.