Enclosure placement and Sound direction questions

[2Gemini 10+ year member]

Hey everyone,

I am hoping for some insight. I am getting close to picking out my sub stage but have a few questions about enclosure size, placement, and firing direction of the subs. I have a 99 Mustang and know they are not the best for subs due to trunk space and other factors. However, before I decide on what subs I want to purchase, I need a few things cleared up for me. I appreciate your input.

When it comes to the enclosure, I would like to build my own. Since I listen mainly to classic rock and alternative I believe a sealed enclosure is the way to go. For enclosure placement, I know most of the time it is more beneficial to have the subs facing the trunk and pushed towards the rear as far as possible to maximize the acoustics...or so i have read. However, as many know, the back seats of the mustang fold down to expose the trunk. Would it be beneficial to remove the seat backs and have the subs pointing into the cabin (like a 1/2 wall if you will) or would it not sound as good?

As for enclosure size, I would like to have access to my spare tire and so, if needed, be able to slide the box into the cabin for easy access into the trunk. Is this something that is doable, or would it kill the sound due to the height restriction of the box?

Thank you all for the insight and advice.

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[spl_stratus00 10+ year member]

im a noob myself but a buddy of mine has a 99 stang and he has a single 12 typer on a 750.1 kicker amp and it sounds good and dont take alot of room

 

[pbnj22 10+ year member]

lol i would like to know this as well haha

 

[spl_stratus00 10+ year member]

what is budget and waht is nedded

 

[2Gemini 10+ year member]

what is budget and waht is nedded

The sub stage will be part of a SQ system, but I would also like it to get pretty loud. From what I have researched, for an sq system, I would get the best results from building the enclosure aimed into the cabin. The enclosure would be attached to the framing behind the rear seat backs and sealed off from the trunk to avoid sound bouncing back from the trunk. This should get a "cleaner" sound, but will sacrifice some SQL. If the enclosure is built right, I should be able to have it made to spec and retain just enough room to access the spare tire since it will be a sealed enclosure.

Budget wise, I'm looking at around $600 for the sub(s) and amp. I have yet to decide if I want to run 1 sub or 2.

 

[BeAlLsTaR13 10+ year member]

if you had it aimed into the cabin youd have to seal off the trunk from the cabin, but its sealed so dunno, i know ported would be good aimed into cabin sealed off from the trunk

 

[mazdakid 5,000+ posts]

if you had it aimed into the cabin youd have to seal off the trunk from the cabin, but its sealed so dunno, i know ported would be good aimed into cabin sealed off from the trunk

You don't have to seal it off to fire forward into th cabin. A guy on here, I think his name is twisted something, has a mustang with a ported 12 facing forward and not sealed off that doesn't look too bad.

 

[spl_stratus00 10+ year member]

you can get a kicker 750.1 and 2 12" kicker cvr dual2 for around 450 run at 2ohm seald firing into cabin

 

[2Gemini 10+ year member]

you can get a kicker 750.1 and 2 12" kicker cvr dual2 for around 450 run at 2ohm seald firing into cabin

That sounds pretty good. How are those kicker subs compared to say RE?

I know a lot of people on the forum hate on kicker. Since i have no experience with them, why are they generally disliked here?

EDIT: also, would a ported enclosure sound better than a sealed one? The more I think about it, the more I'm starting to lean towards a ported enclosure. I'm looking for sq, but would like it to have a nice appearance as well, which is why I would like the speakers and amp to be viewable from inside the cabin. If done right, the look of subs and a mounted amp are pretty sexy.

 

[spl_stratus00 10+ year member]

i've never used re but my buddy has and he liked them he likes kicker also. i dont know why people dont like kicker ive run this set up before an i liked it it was a friends he let me use it when my stuff fried

 

[07BronzeFuz 10+ year member]

everyone on here says face subs to the rear and back to the seats. Well I started out that way and it was pretty decent. I decided to face the speakers up and port firing toward the cabin with it pushed all the way to the back and its wayyyyyy later.

 

[mazdakid 5,000+ posts]

wayyyy later what?

 

[2Gemini 10+ year member]

Last night I decided to turn my subs around, they were at the back of the trunk facing backwards towards the lid. They are now pointing into the cabin and are pushed up right behind the seats. I think It sounds much better this way in my vehicle. The clarity has improved and it also sounds like it gained some spl as well. My back seats fold down, so this probably has a bit to do with it, but there is very little difference in sound between having the seats up or down.

When I decide to build my enclosure, I will try make it ported and have both the speakers and port firing into the cabin. Seems like subs in my vehicle sound much better this way.

 

[ThatChevyGuy 5,000+ posts]

if you do that seal off the box completely (around it)

 

[twistedchild420 5,000+ posts]

You don't have to seal it off to fire forward into th cabin. A guy on here, I think his name is twisted something, has a mustang with a ported 12 facing forward and not sealed off that doesn't look too bad.

This is all true, but when i get my new box in it will take up most of the trunk, and i will possibly seal the trunk off with expanding foam, box will be 3.72 cubes before displacement.....i gotta say it sounds much better firing forward...as long as long as you got the windows down, otherwise way too much cabin pressure, to the OP this pic will give you an idea of my sh!tty looking but loud set-up,lol