Digital Designs 40hz box tuning

[JBGabriel 10+ year member]

I have my AQ tuned @ 40. It still does fine on the lows and it gets LOUD. They recommend that tuning for a reason. I think my car peaked at 38hz despite the high tuning!

 

[Towncar 10+ year member]

DD recommend 40Hz tuning because the subs are so inefficient its the only way you can get a half reasonable output from them.

You are a complete idiot. This is definately sig worthy..

 

[TheyDontWant 10+ year member]

You are a complete idiot. This is definately sig worthy..

feel free to.

I'm stating facts, you can believe what you like

most music doesn't play below about 40Hz anyway, so why would they give a lower recommended tuning at the expensive of musical output?

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

What speakers are you comparing them to?
A DD 9512 has a sensitivity of 89 dbs, a Kicker CompVX has a sensitivity of 87 dbs, an RF T2 has a sensitivity of 85 dbs, Alpine Type-R 85 dbs, AA Chaos 86 dbs.

I don't see your point.

I have my eyes on a 15" Lanzar with 98 dbs, or is it 95? I forget.

It's //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/drool.gif.b5e863e893038027711d4402f340dad0.gif worthy.

And people don't realize that the boxes tuning isn't the final tuning. There are different variables, including the subs suspension, also, just placing it in the car changes the tuning of the box. I talked to a DD Employee and he said that the 40hz ends up turning into something like 33 hz once in the car. He recommended a 38hz tuning, IIRC. Then it gets to about 30-ish.

 

[Towncar 10+ year member]

DD/AQ users chime in plz..I always wanted to understand this,and buy a AQ sub. so the suspension stops the sub from falling apart below tuning,but doesnt the tuning frequency determine how low the sub will play(ie.ported enclosures fall off below tuning rapidly). will a DD/AQ pay lows as well tuned to 40hz, compared to other subs tuned to say 30-32hz? even though the DD wont blow below tuning,doesnt the enclosure still unload,and the cone moves without much output?

I can assure you, dd/aq subs have no issues with the lows.. My box is tuned around 37 hertz, and the lows are nothing short of amazing on my 18.

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

feel free to.
I'm stating facts, you can believe what you like

most music doesn't play below about 40Hz anyway, so why would they give a lower recommended tuning at the expensive of musical output?

That is true but tuning lower can even out the response curve above and below tuning I just don't want a one note fart box that was my only concern. My guess is I will tune at 40 hz and then make it possible to extend the port if need be. My Camry seems to really boost the low lows so higher tuning could pay off with the cars low end transfer function. My last car peaked at 48hz and that was with a Brahma tuned to 28hz that is why I am scared to tune that high, if my Camry peaked at 48hz and I then tuned to 40hz I would have a nasty peak which would be great for spl but not for normal listening.

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

iam running a dd1508 in my truck and with the 40 hz tunning it did good. now i have it in a 1cuft box tuned at 35 hz and the output is just short of AMAZING for an 8" driver. most subs rely on the box for loading, dd subs dont for the most part. they rely mostly on the suspencion and the car. with the 40hz tuning i played some test tones from 25hz and up. there was no cone controll problems below the tuning fq. i went with the lower tuning for personal preference and am very happy

 

[mazdakid 5,000+ posts]

Im going to guess that everyone in here that sais higher than 35 for daily is too high, have never had an aq or dd tuned to 38-40hz. I usually tune around 32-34 but im up to 38 with my aq now and it does just fine with the lows.

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

Im going to guess that everyone in here that sais higher than 35 for daily is too high, have never had an aq or dd tuned to 38-40hz. I usually tune around 32-34 but im up to 38 with my aq now and it does just fine with the lows.

I am going to try it because most ppl here agree that DD and AQ subs perform a bit differently in that environment. I can always retune if I leave the top panel of my box just screwed in and removable and then glue it once I am satisfied. I have the 1508 on order with the carbon fiber dust cap, the pics look sweet since the dust cap covers almost the entire cone which gives it a very unique look.

 

[ARSkemp 10+ year member]

i've had a 15" FI Q in a 4ft^3 box tuned to 32hz, and 4 12" Sdc's tuned to 38hz. I prefered the sound of the AQs over the FIs even w/the higher tuning

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

i've had a 15" FI Q in a 4ft^3 box tuned to 32hz, and 4 12" Sdc's tuned to 38hz. I prefered the sound of the AQs over the FIs even w/the higher tuning

That's been my same experience with a Q @ 32Hz vs HDC's @ 40Hz...

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

Hmmm
I hate the sound of anything over 35 hz

IT ALL SOUNDS LIKE ***!

the end.

Actually the shit you call music sounds like *** no matter what the box is tuned to //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Some of you dont seem to realize that a stiffer suspension = lower efficiency. I find it odd so many people were offended by the low efficiency comment made about DD drivers, and then retorted with the idea that they aren't inefficient, they just have stiff suspension. Oookay? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Read the description from DD themselves on their designs, as posted above in a quote. They design speakers that they say will still play low in small enclosures. If you understand Hoffman's Iron Law, you understand that DD basically admitted they tend to design low efficiency speakers.

Lastly, many of you seem to act like the term 'low efficiency' is an insult to the speakers. Again if you understand Hoffman's Iron Law you would understand that many times low efficiency is actually desirable depending on the design intent of the driver in question.

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

As long as you can reach the subs potential excursion within the recommended RMS range then it does matter too much to me. Now if you are trying to run one of their higher end subs off of 500 watts and you are mad that it is not as loud as your Kicker L5 then that is your own fault.

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

i've had a 15" FI Q in a 4ft^3 box tuned to 32hz, and 4 12" Sdc's tuned to 38hz. I prefered the sound of the AQs over the FIs even w/the higher tuning

That's been my same experience with a Q @ 32Hz vs HDC's @ 40Hz...

Same here with a low tuned Q versus the aq's and dd's at higher tunings. I don't listen to alot of real low content music though.