Creating the "Horn effect"...

[rickymac21 10+ year member]

Hello all... I'm just doing some reading trying to figure out which way to fire my subs and port.. Now I know there are tons of threads on this, but bare with me.

I use to drive a subaru impreza hatchback, and like many other hatchbacks it got loud pretty easily with some help from the "horn effect"... having the port(s) and/or subs firing to the rear in a hatchback allows the waves to move from the rear to the front of car due to the natural curve of hatchbacks... Thus helping get 'louder'.

Now is there a reliable way to do this in a sedan? I drive a sedan now and am about to install (2) 15" American bass tnt's (or xfl's. cant decide). I know most people will say do both subs back and port back.. or subs up port back... Then there's the subs forward port forward, or subs up port forward (these two would have to be sealed from the cabin obviously.)

But how about subs firing forward through folding seats/arm rest with the port firing up through the rear deck? I feel like with the port firing up resonating off the rear window would help create that horn effect that hatchbacks benefit from... Is there any validity to this or am I blowin smoke up my own ***.

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[Side Show 10+ year member]

having either subs and ports both firing into the cabin for the most gain inside a boot car.

 

[rickymac21 10+ year member]

having either subs and ports both firing into the cabin for the most gain inside a boot car.

Is this pretty universal for most/all trunk installs? There wouldn't be any benefit from trying to load off the rear window?

 

[bbeljefe]

I wouldn't call it a horn effect. A horn is a rather complicated wave guide that is tuned to the Fs of the driver (in most cases). What you're describing is simply cabin gain from the large space in a hatchback. And typically, that works best in both hatchbacks and trunk cars loaded off the back wall.

For a trunk car you have two options... load off the back of the car and utilize the gain from the trunk or fire forward and seal the trunk off from the cabin to prevent standing waves behind the box (in the trunk).

And if you plan to fire through the package tray, thats fine but you'll need to make sure it is very well deadened and sealed up or you'll have a noisy, rattling system.